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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $324 in Biratnagar versus $906 in Chiang Mai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $524 in Biratnagar versus $1,385 in Chiang Mai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $724 in Biratnagar versus $1,864 in Chiang Mai.

Living in Biratnagar costs roughly 64% less than in Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Biratnagar 76% lower, Chiang Mai 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.56 NPR 242

$2.13 ฿71.6

-26.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$13.97 NPR 2,158

$19.40 ฿652

-27.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.44 NPR 1,150

$5.47 ฿184

36.01%

Cappuccino

$1.15 NPR 178

$1.68 ฿56.6

-31.55%

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

$0.34 NPR 52.7

$0.66 ฿22.18

-48.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.34 ฿11.56

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.48 NPR 229

$2.42 ฿81.3

-38.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 NPR 322

$3.73 ฿125

-44.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.61 NPR 93.9

$2.06 ฿69.2

-70.39%

White Bread (500g)

$0.39 NPR 59.7

$1.46 ฿48.95

-73.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.59 NPR 91.1

$1.35 ฿45.25

-56.30%

Eggs

$1.20 NPR 185

$2.27 ฿76.2

-47.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.53 NPR 701

$16.31 ฿548

-72.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.67 NPR 412

$2.70 ฿90.6

-1.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.14 NPR 485

$9.20 ฿309

-65.87%

Apples (1kg)

$2.00 NPR 309

$2.39 ฿80.4

-16.32%

Banana (1kg)

$0.76 NPR 117

$1.04 ฿34.78

-26.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.32 NPR 203

$1.60 ฿53.9

-17.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.48 NPR 73.9

$1.44 ฿48.54

-66.67%

Potato (1kg)

$0.36 NPR 56.2

$1.30 ฿43.75

-72.31%

Onion (1kg)

$0.43 NPR 66.7

$1.11 ฿37.43

-61.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.25 NPR 38.39

$0.70 ฿23.64

-64.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.28 NPR 42.73

$0.51 ฿17.05

-45.10%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.57 NPR 397

$4.13 ฿139

-37.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.78 ฿598

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 NPR 245

$1.63 ฿54.9

-3.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.30 NPR 356

$2.87 ฿96.4

-19.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.16 NPR 24.06

$0.86 ฿28.86

-81.40%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.61 NPR 1,793

$53.2 ฿1,786

-78.16%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.91 NPR 294

$1.22 ฿40.96

56.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 ฿18.88

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.21 NPR 342

$2.31 ฿77.7

-4.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 NPR 174

$1.50 ฿50.3

-25.33%

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

$21.1K NPR 3.3M

$20.9K ฿700.8K

1.40%

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

$26.7K ฿898.3K

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

$61.3 ฿2,058

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

$4.12 NPR 637

$12.50 ฿420

-67.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.27 NPR 1,433

$20.36 ฿684

-54.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$27.77 NPR 4,290

$37.94 ฿1,275

-26.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$1.98 NPR 306

$3.77 ฿127

-47.48%

Cinema Ticket

$3.05 NPR 472

$6.60 ฿222

-53.79%

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

$46.96 NPR 7,255

$774 ฿26.0K

-93.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,746 NPR 269.8K

$14.4K ฿485.0K

-87.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$20.58 NPR 3,180

$54.8 ฿1,841

-62.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.97 NPR 5,094

$25.26 ฿849

30.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$24.86 NPR 3,841

$90.6 ฿3,043

-72.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$29.64 NPR 4,579

$73.3 ฿2,461

-59.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$45.52 NPR 7,032

$459 ฿15.4K

-90.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$51.4 NPR 7,939

$294 ฿9,871

-82.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$130 NPR 20.1K

$919 ฿30.9K

-85.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$99.1 NPR 15.3K

$552 ฿18.5K

-82.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$384 NPR 59.3K

$1,917 ฿64.4K

-79.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$263 NPR 40.6K

$1,445 ฿48.5K

-81.80%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$162 NPR 25.0K

$592 ฿19.9K

-72.64%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

151.35%

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

Last update for Biratnagar: October 5, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $45.52 in Biratnagar and $459 in Chiang Mai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Chiang Mai pays 266% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $14.00 in Biratnagar vs $19.00 in Chiang Mai for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $94.0 vs $236 per month, with Biratnagar cheaper across the board.

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

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

Biratnagar is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 180% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 266% lower in Chiang Mai. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $45.52 in Biratnagar versus $459 in Chiang Mai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 150% higher in Chiang Mai. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Biratnagar – a meal for two runs $14.00 versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $324 in Biratnagar versus $906 in Chiang Mai, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Biratnagar but tight or insufficient in Chiang Mai. The gap between the two cities makes Biratnagar the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Biratnagar is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Chiang Mai, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Biratnagar and Chiang Mai are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Biratnagar gentler on the wallet – expenses run 180% less than in Chiang Mai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.