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: $376 in Birgunj versus $852 in Chiang Mai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $614 in Birgunj versus $1,360 in Chiang Mai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $853 in Birgunj versus $1,867 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 219

$2.04 ฿68.2

-29.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.94 NPR 2,891

$18.71 ฿624

1.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.50 NPR 992

$7.86 ฿262

-17.30%

Cappuccino

$1.83 NPR 280

$2.03 ฿67.7

-9.85%

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

$0.54 NPR 82.6

$0.80 ฿26.64

-32.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.15 NPR 22.46

$0.35 ฿11.68

-57.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.50 NPR 382

$2.14 ฿71.5

16.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 NPR 558

$3.67 ฿122

-0.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.71 NPR 108

$1.73 ฿57.6

-58.96%

White Bread (500g)

$0.28 NPR 43.21

$1.57 ฿52.4

-82.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.71 NPR 108

$1.20 ฿39.99

-40.83%

Eggs

$1.82 NPR 278

$1.97 ฿65.8

-7.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.14 NPR 1,242

$16.23 ฿541

-49.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.62 NPR 400

$3.06 ฿102

-14.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.03 NPR 920

$10.80 ฿360

-44.17%

Apples (1kg)

$2.30 NPR 350

$2.77 ฿92.3

-16.97%

Banana (1kg)

$1.04 NPR 159

$1.17 ฿38.94

-11.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.25 NPR 190

$1.71 ฿57.0

-26.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.70 NPR 107

$1.59 ฿53.2

-55.97%

Potato (1kg)

$0.52 NPR 79.0

$1.39 ฿46.51

-62.59%

Onion (1kg)

$0.58 NPR 89.2

$1.16 ฿38.56

-50.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.17 NPR 25.78

$0.66 ฿22.05

-74.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.23 NPR 35.18

$0.52 ฿17.31

-55.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.77 NPR 271

$4.65 ฿155

-61.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.70 NPR 1,328

$17.78 ฿593

-51.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.28 NPR 347

$1.79 ฿59.6

27.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 NPR 492

$3.34 ฿111

-3.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.17 NPR 25.39

$0.91 ฿30.27

-81.32%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.64 ฿622

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.16 NPR 329

$1.41 ฿47.04

53.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.05 NPR 160

$1.34 ฿44.70

-21.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.60 NPR 550

$8.11 ฿270

-55.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.17 NPR 178

$1.23 ฿41.16

-4.88%

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

$32.5K NPR 5.0M

$21.4K ฿715.1K

51.58%

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

$41.3K NPR 6.3M

$21.8K ฿728.0K

89.30%

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

$32.49 NPR 4,959

$71.3 ฿2,379

-54.45%

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

$3.54 NPR 540

$14.01 ฿467

-74.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.58 NPR 1,463

$17.93 ฿598

-46.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$14.69 NPR 2,241

$40.82 ฿1,362

-64.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿230

Cinema Ticket

$2.20 NPR 336

$5.72 ฿191

-61.54%

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

$90.5 NPR 13.8K

$308 ฿10.3K

-70.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,708 NPR 565.9K

$14.7K ฿489.7K

-74.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$24.43 NPR 3,728

$55.8 ฿1,860

-56.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.51 NPR 4,199

$26.04 ฿869

5.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$29.60 NPR 4,518

$84.8 ฿2,829

-65.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$18.45 NPR 2,816

$71.0 ฿2,368

-74.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$37.82 NPR 5,772

$423 ฿14.1K

-91.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$44.56 NPR 6,801

$242 ฿8,088

-81.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$139 NPR 21.3K

$797 ฿26.6K

-82.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$88.9 NPR 13.6K

$507 ฿16.9K

-82.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$644 NPR 98.2K

$1,918 ฿64.0K

-66.44%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$497 NPR 75.8K

$1,464 ฿48.8K

-66.07%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

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: July 26, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $37.82 in Birgunj and $423 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 $143 vs $244 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 127% 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 $563 in Birgunj and $1,279 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: $37.82 in Birgunj versus $423 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 $308 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 $376 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 127% less than in Chiang Mai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.