Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Bhimdatta

For one person, living is cheaper in Bhimdatta: $255 a month against $935 in Chiang Mai, rent and utilities included – about $8,200 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

45

Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
Learn more

Chiang Mai Living Index

Jump to prices

Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$935

/mo nomad

Bhimdatta

🇳🇵 Nepal

$255

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chiang Mai and in Bhimdatta

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Chiang Mai and in Bhimdatta actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $935 per month in Chiang Mai vs $255 in Bhimdatta, rent included.

Chiang Mai $935
Bhimdatta $255

A couple spends around $1,467 per month in Chiang Mai vs $366 in Bhimdatta, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,467
Bhimdatta $366

A family of three spends $1,999 per month in Chiang Mai vs $476 in Bhimdatta, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,999
Bhimdatta $476

Chiang Mai costs about 267% more than Bhimdatta, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chiang Mai and Bhimdatta are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 31% lower, Bhimdatta 81% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.13 ฿71.7

$0.69 NPR 105

208.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.62 ฿625

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.60 ฿188

Cappuccino

$1.66 ฿55.9

$0.77 NPR 116

115.58%

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

$0.65 ฿21.73

$0.34 NPR 52.1

91.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 ฿10.24

$0.16 NPR 23.83

87.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.32 ฿78.0

$1.03 NPR 157

125.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿123

Milk (1 liter)

$2.02 ฿67.7

$0.54 NPR 81.1

274.07%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 ฿47.29

$0.27 NPR 41.04

422.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.75

$0.34 NPR 52.1

308.82%

Eggs

$2.37 ฿79.5

$1.20 NPR 181

97.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.52 ฿555

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.67 ฿89.7

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.02 ฿303

Apples (1kg)

$2.40 ฿80.6

$1.63 NPR 246

47.24%

Banana (1kg)

$1.04 ฿34.98

$0.82 NPR 124

26.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.66 ฿55.7

$0.81 NPR 123

104.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.56 ฿52.4

$0.24 NPR 36.39

550.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 ฿41.57

$0.24 NPR 36.50

416.67%

Onion (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.50

$0.40 NPR 61.2

172.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.76 ฿25.59

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿17.27

$0.29 NPR 43.87

75.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.12 ฿138

Wine (Bottle)

$17.93 ฿602

$3.25 NPR 492

451.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 ฿54.5

$1.02 NPR 155

58.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.82 ฿94.8

$2.90 NPR 439

-2.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.93 ฿31.39

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$52.9 ฿1,777

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.18 ฿39.52

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.17 ฿5.76

$0.34 NPR 52.0

-50.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.81 ฿60.9

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 ฿49.47

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

$21.0K ฿705.8K

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

$26.5K ฿890.7K

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

$62.6 ฿2,101

$100 NPR 15.2K

-37.49%

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

$11.60 ฿390

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.30 ฿682

$6.75 NPR 1,022

200.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.88 ฿1,272

$16.61 NPR 2,516

128.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.70 ฿124

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 ฿219

$1.94 NPR 293

235.57%

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

$727 ฿24.4K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.6K ฿556.7K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.5 ฿1,798

$19.40 NPR 2,937

175.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.80 ฿833

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.4 ฿3,036

$20.00 NPR 3,029

351.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.0 ฿2,418

$13.12 NPR 1,987

448.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$481 ฿16.2K

$33.40 NPR 5,058

1340.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$310 ฿10.4K

$26.49 NPR 4,011

1069.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,058 ฿35.5K

$129 NPR 19.6K

719.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$659 ฿22.1K

$111 NPR 16.8K

493.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,418 ฿81.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,609 ฿54.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿20.0K

$332 NPR 50.3K

79.07%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

11.40%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: November 1, 2026

Last update for Bhimdatta: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$310 33.1%

Bhimdatta

–

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$237 25.3%

Bhimdatta

–

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$108 11.6%

Bhimdatta

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$94 10.1%

Bhimdatta

–

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$77 8.2%

Bhimdatta

–

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$59 6.3%

Bhimdatta

–

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$51 5.4%

Bhimdatta

–

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $481 in Chiang Mai versus $33 in Bhimdatta. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 79% higher in Chiang Mai, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇳🇵 Bhimdatta

🕒 Local time

17:41 5:41 PM

16:26 4:26 PM

1 h 15 min behind Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

104,444

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Nepalese Rupee NPR रु

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.98 USD

100 THB = 2.65 EUR

1,000 NPR = 6.6 USD

1,000 NPR = 5.88 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

NPR, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

Thai Baht exchange rates as of November 5, 2026: 1 USD = 33.59 THB (100 THB = 2.98 USD). 1 EUR = 37.75 THB (100 THB = 2.65 EUR).

Nepalese Rupee exchange rates as of November 5, 2026: 1 USD = 151 NPR (1,000 NPR = 6.6 USD). 1 EUR = 170 NPR (1,000 NPR = 5.88 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Chiang Mai Bhimdatta 2,220 km ≈ 3 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
Bhimdatta

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Bhimdatta: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $935 in Chiang Mai, $255 in Bhimdatta – Bhimdatta comes out roughly 73% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,403 per month in Chiang Mai and $383 in Bhimdatta. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Bhimdatta, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $33 there versus $481 in Chiang Mai.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $935 in Chiang Mai and $255 in Bhimdatta. That makes Bhimdatta about 73% cheaper.

Groceries cost about 337% more in Chiang Mai, though the gap depends on what you buy.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $935 in Chiang Mai and $255 in Bhimdatta, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

It depends on your priorities. Chiang Mai has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $255 in Bhimdatta to $935 in Chiang Mai. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.

If budget matters most, go with Bhimdatta. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chiang Mai makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.