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

Name: Chiang Mai
Address: Chiang Mai, TH

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $377 per month in Skardu vs $847 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $576 per month in Skardu vs $1,332 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $775 per month in Skardu vs $1,816 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Skardu is about 56% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Skardu and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Skardu 72% lower, Chiang Mai 37% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.79 PKR 497

$2.03 ฿68.4

-11.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$10.50 PKR 2,916

$18.71 ฿631

-43.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.14 PKR 1,149

$7.84 ฿264

-47.19%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.73 PKR 479

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 PKR 998

Cappuccino

$0.42 PKR 117

$1.93 ฿65.0

-78.24%

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

$0.34 PKR 94.9

$0.83 ฿28.01

-59.04%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.23 PKR 63.9

$0.35 ฿11.81

-34.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.22 ฿74.8

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿128

Milk (1 liter)

$0.77 PKR 215

$1.65 ฿55.5

-53.33%

White Bread (500g)

$0.56 PKR 155

$1.55 ฿52.3

-63.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.21 PKR 336

$1.18 ฿39.82

2.54%

Eggs

$1.17 PKR 324

$2.01 ฿67.9

-41.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.00 PKR 1,665

$16.16 ฿545

-62.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.60 PKR 721

$3.03 ฿102

-14.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.71 PKR 1,031

$10.84 ฿365

-65.77%

Apples (1kg)

$1.05 PKR 290

$2.68 ฿90.3

-60.82%

Banana (1kg)

$0.66 PKR 183

$1.22 ฿41.16

-45.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.67 PKR 186

$1.63 ฿54.8

-58.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.49 PKR 135

$1.53 ฿51.5

-67.97%

Potato (1kg)

$0.35 PKR 95.9

$1.34 ฿45.13

-73.88%

Onion (1kg)

$0.50 PKR 140

$1.21 ฿40.88

-58.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.31 PKR 85.6

$0.70 ฿23.65

-55.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.36 PKR 100

$0.53 ฿17.71

-32.08%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.55 PKR 429

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.93 PKR 259

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.02 PKR 560

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.98 PKR 550

$4.69 ฿158

-57.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.71 ฿597

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.85 ฿62.2

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.21 ฿108

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.20 PKR 56.5

$0.89 ฿30.03

-77.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$7.10 PKR 1,972

$18.76 ฿632

-62.15%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.84 PKR 233

$1.41 ฿47.43

-40.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.40 PKR 111

$1.29 ฿43.54

-68.99%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.78 PKR 495

$7.79 ฿263

-77.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.96 PKR 265

$1.29 ฿43.61

-25.58%

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

$21.5K PKR 6.0M

$21.8K ฿733.8K

-1.39%

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

$22.7K PKR 6.3M

$21.7K ฿731.2K

4.56%

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

$102 PKR 28.3K

$70.0 ฿2,359

45.76%

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

$7.09 PKR 1,969

$14.19 ฿478

-50.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.40 PKR 3,165

$17.42 ฿587

-34.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$12.46 PKR 3,458

$41.64 ฿1,404

-70.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.02 PKR 1,670

$6.89 ฿232

-12.63%

Cinema Ticket

$3.62 PKR 1,006

$5.78 ฿195

-37.37%

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

$29.27 PKR 8,128

$300 ฿10.1K

-90.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,105 PKR 306.7K

$14.5K ฿489.5K

-92.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$15.31 PKR 4,250

$55.4 ฿1,866

-72.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$21.94 PKR 6,091

$26.31 ฿887

-16.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.7 PKR 19.1K

$84.8 ฿2,860

-19.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$28.93 PKR 8,033

$70.5 ฿2,376

-58.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$73.9 PKR 20.5K

$425 ฿14.3K

-82.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$52.7 PKR 14.6K

$235 ฿7,924

-77.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$168 PKR 46.7K

$802 ฿27.0K

-79.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$108 PKR 29.9K

$516 ฿17.4K

-79.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$974 PKR 270.5K

$1,926 ฿64.9K

-49.41%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$484 PKR 134.2K

$1,451 ฿48.9K

-66.67%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$586 ฿19.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

280.00%

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

Last update for Skardu: July 20, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $73.9 in Skardu versus $425 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $11.00 in Skardu versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $87.0 vs $242 – making Skardu 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

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

Chiang Mai costs about 125% more than Skardu, 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 $566 per month in Skardu and $1,271 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $29.27 per month in Skardu and $300 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 179% 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.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $377 in Skardu and $847 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Skardu costs $377 versus $847 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 Skardu. 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.