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 $414 per month in Multan vs $866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $613 per month in Multan vs $1,351 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $812 per month in Multan vs $1,835 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Multan is about 52% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Multan and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Multan 69% lower, Chiang Mai 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.18 PKR 606

$1.94 ฿63.6

12.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$8.58 PKR 2,386

$18.64 ฿609

-53.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.19 PKR 1,443

$7.82 ฿256

-33.63%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 PKR 478

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 PKR 891

Cappuccino

$1.43 PKR 398

$1.95 ฿63.9

-26.67%

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

$0.28 PKR 77.0

$0.85 ฿27.80

-67.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.20 PKR 54.9

$0.35 ฿11.60

-42.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.7

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

Milk (1 liter)

$0.58 PKR 163

$1.71 ฿56.0

-66.08%

White Bread (500g)

$0.60 PKR 168

$1.63 ฿53.3

-63.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.04 PKR 290

$1.14 ฿37.18

-8.77%

Eggs

$1.08 PKR 300

$1.93 ฿63.2

-44.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.93 PKR 1,371

$16.21 ฿530

-69.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.57 PKR 716

$3.12 ฿102

-17.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.03 PKR 842

$10.90 ฿356

-72.20%

Apples (1kg)

$1.01 PKR 282

$2.75 ฿90.1

-63.27%

Banana (1kg)

$0.68 PKR 188

$1.21 ฿39.56

-43.80%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.58 PKR 160

$1.62 ฿53.0

-64.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.51 PKR 143

$1.59 ฿51.9

-67.92%

Potato (1kg)

$0.38 PKR 104

$1.40 ฿45.75

-72.86%

Onion (1kg)

$0.43 PKR 119

$1.17 ฿38.20

-63.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.57 PKR 157

$0.66 ฿21.62

-13.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.36 PKR 99.4

$0.53 ฿17.24

-32.08%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.85 PKR 515

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.54 PKR 428

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.94 PKR 539

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.97 PKR 549

$4.69 ฿153

-58.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿610

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.8

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.17 PKR 47.97

$0.90 ฿29.28

-81.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$7.26 PKR 2,019

$19.21 ฿628

-62.21%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.03 PKR 286

$1.41 ฿45.96

-26.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.31 PKR 85.4

$1.29 ฿42.16

-75.97%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 PKR 384

$7.84 ฿256

-82.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 PKR 266

$1.27 ฿41.62

-25.20%

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

$22.4K PKR 6.2M

$21.3K ฿695.5K

5.32%

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

$21.9K PKR 6.1M

$22.2K ฿726.1K

-1.30%

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

$103 PKR 28.6K

$69.1 ฿2,258

48.91%

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

$4.84 PKR 1,347

$14.08 ฿460

-65.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.62 PKR 3,790

$18.00 ฿588

-24.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$17.96 PKR 4,997

$41.06 ฿1,342

-56.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.52 PKR 3,484

$6.96 ฿227

79.89%

Cinema Ticket

$2.64 PKR 734

$5.92 ฿193

-55.41%

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

$36.00 PKR 10.0K

$299 ฿9,775

-87.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,755 PKR 488.2K

$15.0K ฿488.8K

-88.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$16.34 PKR 4,547

$54.7 ฿1,788

-70.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.87 PKR 7,752

$26.77 ฿875

4.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.9 PKR 19.7K

$85.0 ฿2,778

-16.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$29.24 PKR 8,135

$70.6 ฿2,308

-58.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$85.3 PKR 23.7K

$428 ฿14.0K

-80.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$58.6 PKR 16.3K

$237 ฿7,759

-75.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$178 PKR 49.4K

$801 ฿26.2K

-77.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$126 PKR 34.9K

$515 ฿16.9K

-75.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$180 PKR 50.0K

$617 ฿20.2K

-70.92%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

17.43

248.60%

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

Last update for Multan: May 31, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $85.3 in Multan versus $428 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 244% 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 $9.00 in Multan versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $80.0 vs $246 – 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 109% 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 $621 per month in Multan and $1,300 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 $36.00 per month in Multan and $299 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 209% 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.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $414 in Multan and $866 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Multan costs $414 versus $866 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.