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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $309 per month in Bhagalpur vs $861 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $506 per month in Bhagalpur vs $1,350 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $703 per month in Bhagalpur vs $1,838 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Bhagalpur is about 64% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Bhagalpur and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Bhagalpur 77% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.40 ₹231

$1.96 ฿65.7

22.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$9.95 ₹958

$18.35 ฿616

-45.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.59 ₹345

$7.48 ฿251

-52.01%

Cappuccino

$1.43 ₹137

$2.02 ฿67.7

-29.21%

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

$0.27 ₹26.17

$0.85 ฿28.45

-68.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.12 ₹11.51

$0.36 ฿11.94

-66.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.98 ₹190

$2.14 ฿71.7

-7.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.08 ₹874

$3.59 ฿121

152.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.65 ₹62.7

$1.65 ฿55.4

-60.61%

White Bread (500g)

$0.42 ₹40.58

$1.57 ฿52.6

-73.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.54 ₹52.1

$1.19 ฿39.95

-54.62%

Eggs

$1.07 ₹103

$1.94 ฿65.0

-44.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.29 ₹509

$16.19 ฿544

-67.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.67 ₹257

$2.99 ฿100

-10.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿367

Apples (1kg)

$1.35 ₹130

$2.71 ฿91.0

-50.18%

Banana (1kg)

$0.67 ₹64.1

$1.17 ฿39.18

-42.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.05 ₹101

$1.69 ฿56.6

-37.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.58 ₹56.1

$1.60 ฿53.9

-63.75%

Potato (1kg)

$0.39 ₹37.39

$1.38 ฿46.45

-71.74%

Onion (1kg)

$0.32 ₹30.78

$1.20 ฿40.38

-73.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.39 ₹37.56

$0.67 ฿22.46

-41.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.32 ₹30.72

$0.56 ฿18.70

-42.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.58 ₹249

$4.64 ฿156

-44.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.40 ₹617

$17.62 ฿591

-63.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.03 ₹195

$1.86 ฿62.4

9.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 ₹218

$3.30 ฿111

-31.52%

Buffalo Round (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) (1kg)

$6.49 ₹625

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.14 ₹13.11

$0.88 ฿29.63

-84.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$4.61 ₹444

$19.34 ฿649

-76.16%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.14 ₹110

$1.36 ฿45.82

-16.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.19 ₹18.08

$1.34 ฿44.90

-85.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.43 ₹138

$8.21 ฿276

-82.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.18 ₹113

$1.22 ฿41.11

-3.28%

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

$8,674 ₹835.1K

$21.4K ฿716.8K

-59.38%

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

$14.5K ₹1.4M

$22.5K ฿756.3K

-35.53%

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

$23.59 ₹2,271

$70.7 ฿2,372

-66.62%

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

$3.29 ₹316

$14.04 ฿471

-76.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$7.34 ₹707

$17.49 ฿587

-58.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$12.45 ₹1,199

$42.15 ฿1,415

-70.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.73 ₹551

$6.88 ฿231

-16.72%

Cinema Ticket

$1.71 ₹164

$5.92 ฿199

-71.11%

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

$29.11 ₹2,803

$309 ฿10.4K

-90.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,888 ₹181.8K

$14.9K ฿499.5K

-87.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$26.13 ₹2,515

$55.8 ฿1,872

-53.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$13.92 ₹1,341

$26.11 ฿877

-46.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$41.98 ₹4,041

$83.0 ฿2,787

-49.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$24.13 ₹2,323

$70.5 ฿2,365

-65.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$46.04 ₹4,433

$432 ฿14.5K

-89.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$32.37 ₹3,116

$239 ฿8,020

-86.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$127 ₹12.2K

$822 ฿27.6K

-84.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$103 ₹9,918

$512 ฿17.2K

-79.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,311 ₹126.2K

$1,915 ฿64.3K

-31.54%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$855 ₹82.3K

$1,467 ฿49.3K

-41.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$273 ₹26.3K

$579 ฿19.4K

-52.89%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

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

Last update for Bhagalpur: July 12, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $46.04 in Bhagalpur versus $432 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 112% 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 $10.00 in Bhagalpur versus $18.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $99.0 vs $243 – making Bhagalpur 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

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

Yes – Chiang Mai is pricier by about 179%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $463 per month in Bhagalpur and $1,292 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $10.00 in Bhagalpur and $18.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $309 in Bhagalpur and $861 in Chiang Mai. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $309 in Bhagalpur and $861 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Bhagalpur – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Bhagalpur. 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.