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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $861 in Chiang Mai versus $376 in Biratnagar.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,350 in Chiang Mai versus $625 in Biratnagar.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,838 in Chiang Mai versus $875 in Biratnagar.

Living in Chiang Mai is roughly 129% more expensive than in Biratnagar, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Chiang Mai 36% lower, Biratnagar 72% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿65.9

$1.68 NPR 259

16.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.35 ฿617

$18.18 NPR 2,792

0.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.48 ฿252

$8.43 NPR 1,295

-11.27%

Cappuccino

$2.02 ฿67.8

$1.52 NPR 233

32.89%

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

$0.85 ฿28.52

$0.34 NPR 52.7

150.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.97

$0.15 NPR 23.35

140.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.9

$1.68 NPR 258

27.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 ฿121

$2.58 NPR 396

39.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿55.5

$0.63 NPR 96.7

161.90%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.7

$0.39 NPR 60.3

302.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿40.05

$0.66 NPR 102

80.30%

Eggs

$1.94 ฿65.1

$1.36 NPR 208

42.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿545

$5.06 NPR 777

219.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.99 ฿101

$3.01 NPR 463

-0.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿368

$3.55 NPR 546

208.17%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 ฿91.2

$2.12 NPR 326

27.83%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿39.27

$0.86 NPR 132

36.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 ฿56.8

$1.49 NPR 229

13.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 ฿54.0

$0.55 NPR 84.0

190.91%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.56

$0.40 NPR 62.0

245.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.47

$0.51 NPR 78.6

135.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿22.51

$0.49 NPR 75.1

36.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.74

$0.34 NPR 52.5

64.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.64 ฿156

$2.96 NPR 455

56.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.62 ฿593

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.6

$2.24 NPR 344

-16.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 ฿111

$3.20 NPR 492

3.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.70

$0.18 NPR 27.83

388.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ฿651

$12.93 NPR 1,986

49.57%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿45.92

$2.23 NPR 342

-39.01%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿45.00

$0.82 NPR 127

63.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.21 ฿276

$2.49 NPR 383

229.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ฿41.20

$1.26 NPR 193

-3.17%

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

$21.4K ฿718.5K

$32.5K NPR 5.0M

-34.36%

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

$22.5K ฿758.1K

$40.6K NPR 6.2M

-44.49%

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

$70.7 ฿2,378

$26.01 NPR 3,996

171.70%

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

$14.04 ฿472

$4.53 NPR 695

209.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.49 ฿589

$10.23 NPR 1,571

70.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.15 ฿1,418

$18.46 NPR 2,836

128.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

$2.23 NPR 342

208.52%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿199

$3.37 NPR 518

75.67%

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

$309 ฿10.4K

$52.6 NPR 8,085

486.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K ฿500.7K

$1,940 NPR 297.9K

667.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,876

$25.11 NPR 3,857

122.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.11 ฿879

$36.46 NPR 5,600

-28.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.0 ฿2,793

$27.75 NPR 4,263

199.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 ฿2,371

$33.18 NPR 5,096

112.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$432 ฿14.5K

$105 NPR 16.1K

311.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿8,040

$57.9 NPR 8,900

312.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$822 ฿27.7K

$207 NPR 31.8K

297.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$512 ฿17.2K

$146 NPR 22.5K

249.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,915 ฿64.4K

$395 NPR 60.6K

385.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 ฿49.4K

$259 NPR 39.8K

466.65%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$579 ฿19.5K

$164 NPR 25.2K

253.79%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

-64.29%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Last update for Biratnagar: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $432 in Chiang Mai and $105 in Biratnagar. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Chiang Mai pays 254% 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 $18.00 in Biratnagar. Groceries flip the comparison at $243 vs $110, with Biratnagar 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 Biratnagar: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Biratnagar is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 129% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 254% 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 $105 in Biratnagar. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 122% higher in Chiang Mai. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Biratnagar – a meal for two runs $18.00 versus $18.00 in Chiang Mai. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Biratnagar gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

For families, Biratnagar is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Chiang Mai, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Chiang Mai and Biratnagar 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 Biratnagar gentler on the wallet – expenses run 129% less than in Chiang Mai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.