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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $861 in Chiang Mai versus $398 in Bharatpur.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,350 in Chiang Mai versus $666 in Bharatpur.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,838 in Chiang Mai versus $935 in Bharatpur.

Living in Chiang Mai is roughly 116% more expensive than in Bharatpur, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Chiang Mai 36% lower, Bharatpur 70% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿65.7

$1.63 NPR 250

20.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.35 ฿616

$19.17 NPR 2,944

-4.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.48 ฿251

$5.40 NPR 830

38.52%

Cappuccino

$2.02 ฿67.7

$1.44 NPR 221

40.28%

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

$0.85 ฿28.45

$0.38 NPR 59.1

123.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.94

$0.15 NPR 23.67

140.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.7

$2.52 NPR 387

-15.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 ฿121

$3.12 NPR 480

15.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿55.4

$0.67 NPR 103

146.27%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.6

$0.34 NPR 52.7

361.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿39.95

$0.53 NPR 81.4

124.53%

Eggs

$1.94 ฿65.0

$1.78 NPR 273

8.99%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿544

$6.01 NPR 924

169.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.99 ฿100

$3.26 NPR 501

-8.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿367

$5.99 NPR 920

82.64%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 ฿91.0

$1.42 NPR 218

90.85%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿39.18

$0.45 NPR 69.4

160.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 ฿56.6

$0.56 NPR 85.9

201.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 ฿53.9

$0.28 NPR 42.56

471.43%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.45

$0.23 NPR 35.40

500.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.38

$0.37 NPR 57.3

224.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿22.46

$0.53 NPR 81.8

26.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.70

$0.25 NPR 38.44

124.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.64 ฿156

$2.96 NPR 455

56.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.62 ฿591

$4.83 NPR 742

264.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.4

$2.24 NPR 345

-16.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 ฿111

$2.93 NPR 451

12.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.63

$0.22 NPR 33.65

300.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ฿649

$7.25 NPR 1,114

166.76%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿45.82

$2.17 NPR 333

-37.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.90

$1.09 NPR 168

22.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.21 ฿276

$3.56 NPR 547

130.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ฿41.11

$1.21 NPR 186

0.83%

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

$21.4K ฿716.8K

$31.5K NPR 4.8M

-32.17%

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

$22.5K ฿756.3K

$40.8K NPR 6.3M

-44.77%

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

$70.7 ฿2,372

$33.11 NPR 5,086

113.44%

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

$14.04 ฿471

$4.96 NPR 762

183.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.49 ฿587

$9.69 NPR 1,489

80.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.15 ฿1,415

$18.30 NPR 2,811

130.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

$7.38 NPR 1,134

-6.78%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿199

$1.84 NPR 283

221.74%

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

$309 ฿10.4K

$92.2 NPR 14.2K

234.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K ฿499.5K

$3,803 NPR 584.2K

291.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,872

$24.80 NPR 3,809

124.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.11 ฿877

$28.40 NPR 4,363

-8.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.0 ฿2,787

$58.3 NPR 8,950

42.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 ฿2,365

$40.05 NPR 6,152

75.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$432 ฿14.5K

$104 NPR 16.0K

315.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿8,020

$63.0 NPR 9,682

279.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$822 ฿27.6K

$208 NPR 31.9K

295.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$512 ฿17.2K

$142 NPR 21.9K

259.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,915 ฿64.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 ฿49.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$579 ฿19.4K

$199 NPR 30.6K

191.26%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.08

-58.61%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Last update for Bharatpur: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $432 in Chiang Mai and $104 in Bharatpur. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Chiang Mai pays 191% 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: $18.00 in Chiang Mai vs $19.00 in Bharatpur. Groceries flip the comparison at $243 vs $118, with Bharatpur cheaper for home cooking.

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

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

Bharatpur wins on cost – living expenses run 116% lower than in Chiang Mai. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Bharatpur the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 191% higher in Chiang Mai, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $432 in Chiang Mai versus $104 in Bharatpur. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $309 in Chiang Mai versus $92.2 in Bharatpur. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 106% higher in Chiang Mai. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Either city works on $800 a month, though Bharatpur 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 Bharatpur delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $398 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Bharatpur hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Chiang Mai and Bharatpur 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 Bharatpur gentler on the wallet – expenses run 116% less than in Chiang Mai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.