Cost of Living Comparison Between Multan and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between Multan and Chiang Mai

Name: Chiang Mai
Address: Chiang Mai, TH

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $521 per month in Multan vs $947 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $733 per month in Multan vs $1,411 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $945 per month in Multan vs $1,874 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Multan is about 45% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Multan and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Multan 62% lower, Chiang Mai 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.59 PKR 717

$2.08 ฿69.4

24.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$10.91 PKR 3,024

$19.64 ฿654

-44.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.56 PKR 1,540

$5.65 ฿188

-1.59%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.64 PKR 733

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.35 PKR 1,483

Cappuccino

$1.87 PKR 519

$1.81 ฿60.1

3.31%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 PKR 76.9

$0.71 ฿23.75

-60.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.18 PKR 50.9

$0.32 ฿10.52

-43.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.24 ฿74.5

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ฿121

Milk (1 liter)

$0.71 PKR 197

$1.96 ฿65.2

-63.78%

White Bread (500g)

$0.52 PKR 144

$1.50 ฿50.0

-65.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.07 PKR 296

$1.34 ฿44.49

-20.15%

Eggs

$1.15 PKR 318

$2.26 ฿75.4

-49.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.24 PKR 2,006

$16.26 ฿541

-55.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.37 PKR 657

$2.95 ฿98.4

-19.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.27 PKR 1,184

$9.94 ฿331

-57.04%

Apples (1kg)

$0.91 PKR 253

$2.57 ฿85.7

-64.59%

Banana (1kg)

$0.48 PKR 132

$1.06 ฿35.18

-54.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.71 PKR 196

$1.61 ฿53.7

-55.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.54 PKR 148

$1.52 ฿50.6

-64.47%

Potato (1kg)

$0.39 PKR 109

$1.27 ฿42.30

-69.29%

Onion (1kg)

$0.43 PKR 119

$1.07 ฿35.51

-59.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.50 PKR 138

$0.72 ฿23.98

-30.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.38 PKR 105

$0.51 ฿16.94

-25.49%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.83 PKR 507

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 PKR 804

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.20 PKR 610

$4.19 ฿140

-47.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.87 ฿595

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 ฿56.4

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 ฿94.5

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.20 PKR 55.6

$0.93 ฿30.82

-78.49%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$7.06 PKR 1,957

$53.9 ฿1,794

-86.89%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 PKR 394

$1.23 ฿41.11

15.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.37 PKR 104

$0.58 ฿19.20

-36.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.93 PKR 257

$2.42 ฿80.7

-61.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 PKR 301

$1.41 ฿47.03

-22.70%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$25.1K PKR 6.9M

$21.4K ฿714.1K

16.87%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$26.2K PKR 7.3M

$27.3K ฿910.2K

-4.03%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$144 PKR 39.9K

$63.7 ฿2,120

126.24%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$4.90 PKR 1,358

$12.85 ฿428

-61.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.48 PKR 5,400

$20.22 ฿673

-3.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.31 PKR 6,738

$38.74 ฿1,290

-37.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.55 PKR 983

$3.97 ฿132

-10.58%

Cinema Ticket

$4.46 PKR 1,236

$6.74 ฿224

-33.83%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$41.85 PKR 11.6K

$778 ฿25.9K

-94.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,010 PKR 279.8K

$14.6K ฿486.5K

-93.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$18.34 PKR 5,082

$54.3 ฿1,808

-66.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$18.99 PKR 5,264

$25.45 ฿847

-25.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.8 PKR 25.4K

$94.3 ฿3,141

-2.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$26.07 PKR 7,226

$73.4 ฿2,446

-64.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$143 PKR 39.7K

$490 ฿16.3K

-70.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$93.6 PKR 26.0K

$289 ฿9,634

-67.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$214 PKR 59.4K

$894 ฿29.8K

-76.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$147 PKR 40.7K

$517 ฿17.2K

-71.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,955 ฿65.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,477 ฿49.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$186 PKR 51.6K

$602 ฿20.0K

-69.08%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

133.39%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Multan: August 31, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $143 in Multan versus $490 in Chiang Mai. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 223% higher in Chiang Mai, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $11.00 in Multan versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $89.0 vs $240 – making Multan the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Multan vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 82% more than Multan, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $782 per month in Multan and $1,421 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Multan, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $41.85 per month in Multan and $778 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 170% more in Chiang Mai, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Multan, where all-in costs run around $521, than in Chiang Mai at $947. In Multan it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiang Mai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Multan costs $521 versus $947 in Chiang Mai. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Multan. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chiang Mai makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.