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: $866 in Chiang Mai versus $387 in Biratnagar.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,351 in Chiang Mai versus $644 in Biratnagar.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,835 in Chiang Mai versus $901 in Biratnagar.

Living in Chiang Mai is roughly 124% more expensive than Biratnagar, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Chiang Mai 35% lower, Biratnagar 71% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ฿63.5

$1.66 NPR 253

16.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 ฿609

$17.92 NPR 2,728

4.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 ฿255

$8.42 NPR 1,282

-7.13%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.8

$1.50 NPR 229

30.00%

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

$0.85 ฿27.77

$0.38 NPR 57.4

123.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.58

$0.20 NPR 29.71

75.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.6

$1.61 NPR 246

32.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

$2.58 NPR 392

44.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿56.0

$0.68 NPR 103

151.47%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$0.43 NPR 65.1

279.07%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ฿37.15

$0.71 NPR 107

60.56%

Eggs

$1.93 ฿63.1

$1.40 NPR 213

37.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ฿530

$5.24 NPR 797

209.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿102

$2.93 NPR 447

6.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿356

$3.39 NPR 516

221.53%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ฿90.0

$2.23 NPR 340

23.32%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.52

$0.84 NPR 128

44.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.0

$1.49 NPR 226

8.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$0.58 NPR 88.4

174.14%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿45.70

$0.40 NPR 61.0

250.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.17

$0.52 NPR 78.8

125.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.60

$0.53 NPR 80.7

24.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.22

$0.32 NPR 48.20

65.63%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿153

$2.86 NPR 435

63.99%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿609

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.8

$2.29 NPR 349

-21.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$3.29 NPR 501

-1.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.26

$0.15 NPR 23.07

500.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

$12.94 NPR 1,969

48.45%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.91

$2.19 NPR 334

-35.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.12

$0.82 NPR 125

57.32%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$2.50 NPR 381

213.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.58

$1.25 NPR 190

1.60%

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

$21.3K ฿694.9K

$31.5K NPR 4.8M

-32.48%

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

$22.2K ฿725.4K

$39.9K NPR 6.1M

-44.27%

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

$69.1 ฿2,256

$26.64 NPR 4,055

159.27%

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

$14.08 ฿460

$4.72 NPR 719

198.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿588

$10.10 NPR 1,538

78.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,341

$18.54 NPR 2,821

121.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$2.17 NPR 330

220.74%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿193

$3.43 NPR 522

72.59%

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

$299 ฿9,766

$53.4 NPR 8,128

459.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿488.3K

$1,968 NPR 299.6K

659.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,787

$25.03 NPR 3,811

118.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.77 ฿874

$35.75 NPR 5,441

-25.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 ฿2,776

$27.21 NPR 4,142

212.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,306

$32.65 NPR 4,970

116.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

$106 NPR 16.2K

303.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,752

$58.6 NPR 8,917

305.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.2K

$206 NPR 31.3K

289.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$142 NPR 21.7K

261.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

$388 NPR 59.0K

409.16%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

$261 NPR 39.7K

465.24%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

$164 NPR 25.0K

276.06%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Biratnagar: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $428 in Chiang Mai and $106 in Biratnagar. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Chiang Mai pays 276% 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 Chiang Mai vs $18.00 in Biratnagar for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $246 vs $111 per month, with Biratnagar 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

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 124% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Chiang Mai pays 276% more on average, 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: $428 in Chiang Mai versus $106 in Biratnagar. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 121% 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 $19.00 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 124% less than in Chiang Mai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.