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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $852 in Chiang Mai versus $376 in Birgunj.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,360 in Chiang Mai versus $614 in Birgunj.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,867 in Chiang Mai versus $853 in Birgunj.

Living in Chiang Mai is roughly 127% more expensive than in Birgunj, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.04 ฿68.2

$1.43 NPR 219

42.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.71 ฿624

$18.94 NPR 2,891

-1.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.86 ฿262

$6.50 NPR 992

20.92%

Cappuccino

$2.03 ฿67.7

$1.83 NPR 280

10.93%

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

$0.80 ฿26.64

$0.54 NPR 82.6

48.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.68

$0.15 NPR 22.46

133.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.5

$2.50 NPR 382

-14.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿122

$3.66 NPR 558

0.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 ฿57.6

$0.71 NPR 108

143.66%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.4

$0.28 NPR 43.21

460.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 ฿39.99

$0.71 NPR 108

69.01%

Eggs

$1.97 ฿65.8

$1.82 NPR 278

8.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.23 ฿541

$8.14 NPR 1,242

99.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.06 ฿102

$2.62 NPR 400

16.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.80 ฿360

$6.03 NPR 920

79.10%

Apples (1kg)

$2.77 ฿92.3

$2.30 NPR 350

20.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.94

$1.04 NPR 159

12.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 ฿57.0

$1.25 NPR 190

36.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿53.2

$0.70 NPR 107

127.14%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.51

$0.52 NPR 79.0

167.31%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 ฿38.56

$0.58 NPR 89.2

100.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿22.05

$0.17 NPR 25.78

288.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.31

$0.23 NPR 35.18

126.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 ฿155

$1.77 NPR 271

162.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.78 ฿593

$8.70 NPR 1,328

104.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ฿59.6

$2.28 NPR 347

-21.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 ฿111

$3.23 NPR 492

3.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿30.27

$0.17 NPR 25.39

435.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.64 ฿622

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿47.04

$2.16 NPR 329

-34.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.70

$1.05 NPR 160

27.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.11 ฿270

$3.60 NPR 550

125.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿41.16

$1.17 NPR 178

5.13%

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

$21.4K ฿715.1K

$32.5K NPR 5.0M

-34.03%

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

$21.8K ฿728.0K

$41.3K NPR 6.3M

-47.17%

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

$71.3 ฿2,379

$32.49 NPR 4,959

119.54%

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

$14.01 ฿467

$3.54 NPR 540

295.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.93 ฿598

$9.58 NPR 1,463

87.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.82 ฿1,362

$14.69 NPR 2,241

177.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿230

Cinema Ticket

$5.72 ฿191

$2.20 NPR 336

160.00%

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

$308 ฿10.3K

$90.5 NPR 13.8K

240.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿489.7K

$3,708 NPR 565.9K

295.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,860

$24.43 NPR 3,728

128.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.04 ฿869

$27.51 NPR 4,199

-5.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 ฿2,829

$29.60 NPR 4,518

186.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.0 ฿2,368

$18.45 NPR 2,816

284.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$423 ฿14.1K

$37.82 NPR 5,772

1019.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 ฿8,088

$44.56 NPR 6,801

444.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$797 ฿26.6K

$139 NPR 21.3K

472.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$507 ฿16.9K

$88.9 NPR 13.6K

470.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,918 ฿64.0K

$644 NPR 98.2K

198.00%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,464 ฿48.8K

$497 NPR 75.8K

194.76%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

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 27, 2026

Last update for Birgunj: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $423 in Chiang Mai and $37.82 in Birgunj. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $19.00 in Chiang Mai vs $19.00 in Birgunj. Groceries flip the comparison at $244 vs $143, with Birgunj 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 Birgunj: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Birgunj wins on cost – living expenses run 127% lower than in Chiang Mai. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Birgunj the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $1,279 in Chiang Mai and $563 in Birgunj to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $423 in Chiang Mai versus $37.82 in Birgunj. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $308 in Chiang Mai versus $90.5 in Birgunj. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Birgunj – a meal for two runs $19.00 versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Either city works on $800 a month, though Birgunj 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 Birgunj delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $376 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Birgunj hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Chiang Mai and Birgunj 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 Birgunj gentler on the wallet – expenses run 127% less than in Chiang Mai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.