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: $377 in Birgunj versus $852 in Chiang Mai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $610 in Birgunj versus $1,354 in Chiang Mai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $843 in Birgunj versus $1,857 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 72% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.43 NPR 217

$1.96 ฿64.0

-27.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.10 NPR 2,901

$18.81 ฿615

1.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.73 NPR 1,022

$7.92 ฿259

-15.03%

Cappuccino

$1.91 NPR 291

$1.91 ฿62.6

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

$0.54 NPR 82.7

$0.84 ฿27.41

-35.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.15 NPR 22.71

$0.35 ฿11.51

-57.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.59 NPR 394

$2.21 ฿72.1

17.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.65 NPR 555

$3.80 ฿124

-3.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.76 NPR 116

$1.64 ฿53.5

-53.66%

White Bread (500g)

$0.26 NPR 39.31

$1.62 ฿53.1

-83.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.68 NPR 103

$1.18 ฿38.62

-42.37%

Eggs

$1.79 NPR 272

$2.01 ฿65.8

-10.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.18 NPR 1,243

$15.89 ฿520

-48.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.51 NPR 381

$3.01 ฿98.5

-16.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.28 NPR 955

$10.77 ฿352

-41.69%

Apples (1kg)

$2.27 NPR 345

$2.61 ฿85.5

-13.03%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 NPR 165

$1.22 ฿39.88

-10.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.25 NPR 190

$1.70 ฿55.7

-26.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.69 NPR 105

$1.58 ฿51.5

-56.33%

Potato (1kg)

$0.48 NPR 72.6

$1.32 ฿43.14

-63.64%

Onion (1kg)

$0.63 NPR 95.0

$1.17 ฿38.23

-46.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.17 NPR 25.72

$0.67 ฿21.98

-74.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.21 NPR 31.89

$0.56 ฿18.32

-62.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.78 NPR 270

$4.53 ฿148

-60.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.75 NPR 1,025

$18.20 ฿595

-62.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.29 NPR 348

$1.83 ฿60.0

25.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.35 NPR 508

$3.23 ฿106

3.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.13 NPR 20.21

$0.89 ฿29.00

-85.39%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.38 ฿634

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.16 NPR 328

$1.35 ฿44.20

60.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.06 NPR 161

$1.35 ฿44.05

-21.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.71 NPR 564

$8.25 ฿270

-55.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 NPR 186

$1.27 ฿41.64

-3.94%

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

$31.6K NPR 4.8M

$21.2K ฿691.8K

49.43%

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

$40.3K NPR 6.1M

$22.5K ฿735.3K

79.34%

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

$33.05 NPR 5,021

$70.2 ฿2,294

-52.89%

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

$3.67 NPR 557

$13.77 ฿450

-73.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.51 NPR 1,445

$17.60 ฿575

-45.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$14.43 NPR 2,193

$41.57 ฿1,360

-65.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.60 ฿216

Cinema Ticket

$2.23 NPR 339

$5.78 ฿189

-61.42%

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

$90.5 NPR 13.7K

$306 ฿10.0K

-70.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,794 NPR 576.3K

$14.8K ฿484.8K

-74.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$25.20 NPR 3,829

$54.4 ฿1,778

-53.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.92 NPR 4,241

$26.14 ฿855

6.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$29.48 NPR 4,478

$84.5 ฿2,764

-65.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$18.09 NPR 2,747

$69.4 ฿2,270

-73.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$38.04 NPR 5,778

$424 ฿13.9K

-91.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$43.82 NPR 6,656

$238 ฿7,788

-81.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$140 NPR 21.3K

$825 ฿27.0K

-83.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$89.1 NPR 13.5K

$515 ฿16.8K

-82.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$669 NPR 101.7K

$2,049 ฿67.0K

-67.34%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$498 NPR 75.7K

$1,523 ฿49.8K

-67.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$164 NPR 25.0K

$635 ฿20.8K

-74.13%

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: April 28, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $38.04 in Birgunj and $424 in Chiang Mai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Chiang Mai pays 286% 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: $19.00 in Birgunj vs $19.00 in Chiang Mai for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $140 vs $243 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 126% 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.

On paper, Chiang Mai earns 286% less. 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: $38.04 in Birgunj versus $424 in Chiang Mai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $90.5 in Birgunj versus $306 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 $377 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 126% less than in Chiang Mai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.