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 $377 in Birgunj.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,354 in Chiang Mai versus $610 in Birgunj.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,857 in Chiang Mai versus $843 in Birgunj.

Living in Chiang Mai is roughly 126% more expensive than Birgunj, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿64.0

$1.43 NPR 217

37.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.81 ฿615

$19.10 NPR 2,901

-1.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.92 ฿259

$6.73 NPR 1,022

17.68%

Cappuccino

$1.91 ฿62.6

$1.91 NPR 291

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

$0.84 ฿27.41

$0.54 NPR 82.7

55.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.51

$0.15 NPR 22.71

133.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$2.59 NPR 394

-14.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 ฿124

$3.65 NPR 555

4.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$0.76 NPR 116

115.79%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 ฿53.1

$0.26 NPR 39.31

523.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.62

$0.68 NPR 103

73.53%

Eggs

$2.01 ฿65.8

$1.79 NPR 272

12.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.89 ฿520

$8.18 NPR 1,243

94.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.01 ฿98.5

$2.51 NPR 381

19.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.77 ฿352

$6.28 NPR 955

71.50%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 ฿85.5

$2.27 NPR 345

14.98%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿39.88

$1.09 NPR 165

11.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.7

$1.25 NPR 190

36.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 ฿51.5

$0.69 NPR 105

128.99%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 ฿43.14

$0.48 NPR 72.6

175.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.23

$0.63 NPR 95.0

85.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿21.98

$0.17 NPR 25.72

294.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.32

$0.21 NPR 31.89

166.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.53 ฿148

$1.78 NPR 270

154.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.20 ฿595

$6.75 NPR 1,025

169.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿60.0

$2.29 NPR 348

-20.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$3.35 NPR 508

-3.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ฿29.00

$0.13 NPR 20.21

584.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.38 ฿634

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.35 ฿44.20

$2.16 NPR 328

-37.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 ฿44.05

$1.06 NPR 161

27.36%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.25 ฿270

$3.71 NPR 564

122.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.64

$1.22 NPR 186

4.10%

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

$21.2K ฿691.8K

$31.6K NPR 4.8M

-33.08%

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

$22.5K ฿735.3K

$40.3K NPR 6.1M

-44.24%

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

$70.2 ฿2,294

$33.05 NPR 5,021

112.25%

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

$13.77 ฿450

$3.67 NPR 557

275.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.60 ฿575

$9.51 NPR 1,445

85.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.57 ฿1,360

$14.43 NPR 2,193

188.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.60 ฿216

Cinema Ticket

$5.78 ฿189

$2.23 NPR 339

159.19%

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

$306 ฿10.0K

$90.5 NPR 13.7K

238.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿484.8K

$3,794 NPR 576.3K

290.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.4 ฿1,778

$25.20 NPR 3,829

115.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.14 ฿855

$27.92 NPR 4,241

-6.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.5 ฿2,764

$29.48 NPR 4,478

186.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.4 ฿2,270

$18.09 NPR 2,747

283.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$424 ฿13.9K

$38.04 NPR 5,778

1013.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$238 ฿7,788

$43.82 NPR 6,656

443.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$825 ฿27.0K

$140 NPR 21.3K

488.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$89.1 NPR 13.5K

478.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,049 ฿67.0K

$669 NPR 101.7K

206.15%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,523 ฿49.8K

$498 NPR 75.7K

205.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$635 ฿20.8K

$164 NPR 25.0K

286.49%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Birgunj: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $424 in Chiang Mai and $38.04 in Birgunj. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Chiang Mai pays 286% 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 $19.00 in Birgunj. Groceries flip the comparison at $243 vs $140, 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 126% 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.

Chiang Mai pays 286% 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: $424 in Chiang Mai versus $38.04 in Birgunj. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $306 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 $377 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 126% less than in Chiang Mai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.