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: $947 in Chiang Mai versus $321 in Biratnagar.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,411 in Chiang Mai versus $525 in Biratnagar.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,874 in Chiang Mai versus $728 in Biratnagar.

Living in Chiang Mai is roughly 195% more expensive than in Biratnagar, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Chiang Mai 31% lower, Biratnagar 77% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿68.5

$1.53 NPR 231

35.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.64 ฿646

$13.97 NPR 2,114

40.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.65 ฿186

$7.77 NPR 1,175

-27.28%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿59.3

$1.20 NPR 181

50.83%

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

$0.71 ฿23.44

$0.34 NPR 51.8

108.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ฿10.38

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.24 ฿73.5

$1.52 NPR 229

47.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ฿119

$2.19 NPR 331

65.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.96 ฿64.4

$0.57 NPR 85.9

243.86%

White Bread (500g)

$1.50 ฿49.38

$0.38 NPR 57.8

294.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 ฿43.92

$0.64 NPR 96.2

109.38%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿74.4

$1.26 NPR 190

79.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.26 ฿534

$4.53 NPR 686

258.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.95 ฿97.1

$2.64 NPR 400

11.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.94 ฿327

$3.18 NPR 481

212.58%

Apples (1kg)

$2.57 ฿84.5

$1.93 NPR 293

33.16%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 ฿34.72

$0.83 NPR 125

27.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.61 ฿53.0

$1.35 NPR 204

19.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.96

$0.48 NPR 72.8

216.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.27 ฿41.76

$0.36 NPR 54.8

252.78%

Onion (1kg)

$1.07 ฿35.05

$0.47 NPR 71.1

127.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.67

$0.27 NPR 41.23

166.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.72

$0.29 NPR 43.87

75.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 ฿138

$2.60 NPR 393

61.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.87 ฿587

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 ฿55.7

$1.67 NPR 253

1.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 ฿93.2

$2.33 NPR 353

21.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.93 ฿30.42

$0.13 NPR 20.13

615.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.9 ฿1,770

$11.90 NPR 1,801

352.61%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.23 ฿40.58

$1.96 NPR 296

-37.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿18.96

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.42 ฿79.7

$2.36 NPR 357

2.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 ฿46.42

$1.19 NPR 180

18.49%

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

$21.4K ฿704.9K

$21.4K NPR 3.2M

-0.03%

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

$27.3K ฿898.5K

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

$63.7 ฿2,093

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

$12.85 ฿423

$4.13 NPR 625

211.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.22 ฿665

$9.32 NPR 1,409

116.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.74 ฿1,274

$28.04 NPR 4,243

38.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.97 ฿130

$1.99 NPR 301

99.50%

Cinema Ticket

$6.74 ฿221

$3.16 NPR 478

113.29%

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

$778 ฿25.6K

$48.06 NPR 7,271

1518.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿480.2K

$1,768 NPR 267.5K

726.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.3 ฿1,785

$20.75 NPR 3,140

161.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.45 ฿836

$32.97 NPR 4,988

-22.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.3 ฿3,101

$24.24 NPR 3,666

289.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.4 ฿2,414

$30.07 NPR 4,549

144.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.1K

$46.58 NPR 7,046

951.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$289 ฿9,510

$51.8 NPR 7,842

458.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$894 ฿29.4K

$132 NPR 20.0K

575.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$517 ฿17.0K

$98.4 NPR 14.9K

425.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,955 ฿64.3K

$388 NPR 58.7K

403.82%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,477 ฿48.5K

$260 NPR 39.4K

467.68%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿19.8K

$163 NPR 24.6K

270.20%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

-60.21%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 31, 2026

Last update for Biratnagar: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $490 in Chiang Mai and $46.58 in Biratnagar. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Chiang Mai pays 270% 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: $20.00 in Chiang Mai vs $14.00 in Biratnagar for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $240 vs $95.0 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, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 195% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 270% 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: $490 in Chiang Mai versus $46.58 in Biratnagar. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 152% 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 $14.00 versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $321 in Biratnagar versus $947 in Chiang Mai, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Biratnagar but tight or insufficient in Chiang Mai. The gap between the two cities makes Biratnagar the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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 195% less than in Chiang Mai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.