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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $386 in Birgunj versus $869 in Chiang Mai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $618 in Birgunj versus $1,362 in Chiang Mai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $850 in Birgunj versus $1,855 in Chiang Mai.

Living in Birgunj costs roughly 56% less than in Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Birgunj 71% lower, Chiang Mai 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.48 NPR 225

$1.98 ฿64.3

-25.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.28 NPR 2,933

$18.80 ฿612

2.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.51 NPR 991

$7.75 ฿252

-16.00%

Cappuccino

$1.86 NPR 283

$1.92 ฿62.5

-3.12%

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

$0.54 NPR 81.8

$0.79 ฿25.79

-31.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.14 NPR 21.97

$0.36 ฿11.62

-61.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.62 NPR 399

$2.21 ฿72.1

18.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 NPR 552

$3.66 ฿119

-0.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.70 NPR 106

$1.65 ฿53.8

-57.58%

White Bread (500g)

$0.28 NPR 42.66

$1.63 ฿53.2

-82.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.66 NPR 101

$1.19 ฿38.86

-44.54%

Eggs

$1.73 NPR 263

$2.00 ฿65.1

-13.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.13 NPR 1,237

$15.98 ฿520

-49.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.59 NPR 394

$3.03 ฿98.5

-14.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.23 NPR 948

$10.86 ฿354

-42.63%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 NPR 347

$2.76 ฿90.0

-17.39%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 NPR 166

$1.18 ฿38.42

-7.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.25 NPR 190

$1.64 ฿53.5

-23.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.69 NPR 105

$1.52 ฿49.51

-54.61%

Potato (1kg)

$0.48 NPR 73.0

$1.38 ฿45.10

-65.22%

Onion (1kg)

$0.59 NPR 90.2

$1.19 ฿38.84

-50.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.16 NPR 24.20

$0.70 ฿22.86

-77.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.23 NPR 35.09

$0.56 ฿18.13

-58.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.85 NPR 282

$4.58 ฿149

-59.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.03 NPR 1,222

$16.56 ฿539

-51.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.29 NPR 348

$1.83 ฿59.5

25.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.25 NPR 495

$3.20 ฿104

1.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.15 NPR 23.43

$0.88 ฿28.56

-82.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.72 ฿610

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.12 NPR 323

$1.36 ฿44.16

55.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.11 NPR 169

$1.34 ฿43.65

-17.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.63 NPR 552

$7.84 ฿256

-53.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.18 NPR 179

$1.23 ฿39.92

-4.07%

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

$32.7K NPR 5.0M

$21.6K ฿704.3K

51.04%

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

$40.7K NPR 6.2M

$22.5K ฿734.3K

80.33%

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

$33.66 NPR 5,123

$70.5 ฿2,298

-52.28%

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

$3.66 NPR 557

$13.68 ฿445

-73.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.41 NPR 1,432

$17.45 ฿568

-46.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$14.54 NPR 2,212

$41.33 ฿1,346

-64.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

Cinema Ticket

$2.20 NPR 335

$5.77 ฿188

-61.87%

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

$90.7 NPR 13.8K

$307 ฿10.0K

-70.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,741 NPR 569.3K

$14.6K ฿475.9K

-74.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$24.56 NPR 3,737

$55.8 ฿1,817

-55.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.59 NPR 4,198

$26.21 ฿854

5.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$29.48 NPR 4,486

$85.8 ฿2,793

-65.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$18.24 NPR 2,775

$72.2 ฿2,353

-74.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$38.14 NPR 5,804

$430 ฿14.0K

-91.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$42.96 NPR 6,538

$239 ฿7,774

-82.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$137 NPR 20.9K

$817 ฿26.6K

-83.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$85.9 NPR 13.1K

$511 ฿16.6K

-83.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$645 NPR 98.2K

$1,983 ฿64.6K

-67.46%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$494 NPR 75.1K

$1,484 ฿48.3K

-66.74%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$619 ฿20.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.08

141.60%

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

Last update for Birgunj: June 7, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $38.14 in Birgunj and $430 in Chiang Mai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $19.00 in Birgunj vs $19.00 in Chiang Mai for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $142 vs $241 per month, with Birgunj 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

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

Birgunj wins on cost – living expenses run 125% lower than in Chiang Mai. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Birgunj the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $580 in Birgunj and $1,303 in Chiang Mai to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $38.14 in Birgunj versus $430 in Chiang Mai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $90.7 in Birgunj versus $307 in Chiang Mai. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

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

Either city works on $800 a month, though Birgunj gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

Both work as nomad bases, but Birgunj delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $386 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Birgunj hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Birgunj 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 Birgunj gentler on the wallet – expenses run 125% less than in Chiang Mai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.