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: $869 in Chiang Mai versus $386 in Birgunj.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,362 in Chiang Mai versus $618 in Birgunj.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,855 in Chiang Mai versus $850 in Birgunj.

Living in Chiang Mai is roughly 125% more expensive than Birgunj, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.98 ฿64.3

$1.48 NPR 225

33.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.80 ฿612

$19.28 NPR 2,933

-2.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.75 ฿252

$6.51 NPR 991

19.05%

Cappuccino

$1.92 ฿62.5

$1.86 NPR 283

3.23%

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

$0.79 ฿25.79

$0.54 NPR 81.8

46.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.62

$0.14 NPR 21.97

157.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$2.62 NPR 399

-15.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

$3.63 NPR 552

0.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿53.8

$0.70 NPR 106

135.71%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$0.28 NPR 42.66

482.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.86

$0.66 NPR 101

80.30%

Eggs

$2.00 ฿65.1

$1.73 NPR 263

15.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.98 ฿520

$8.13 NPR 1,237

96.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.03 ฿98.5

$2.59 NPR 394

16.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 ฿354

$6.23 NPR 948

74.32%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 ฿90.0

$2.28 NPR 347

21.05%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.42

$1.09 NPR 166

8.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$1.25 NPR 190

31.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.51

$0.69 NPR 105

120.29%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿45.10

$0.48 NPR 73.0

187.50%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.84

$0.59 NPR 90.2

101.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ฿22.86

$0.16 NPR 24.20

337.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.13

$0.23 NPR 35.09

143.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.58 ฿149

$1.85 NPR 282

147.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.56 ฿539

$8.03 NPR 1,222

106.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿59.5

$2.29 NPR 348

-20.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 ฿104

$3.25 NPR 495

-1.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿28.56

$0.15 NPR 23.43

486.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.72 ฿610

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿44.16

$2.12 NPR 323

-35.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿43.65

$1.11 NPR 169

20.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$3.63 NPR 552

115.98%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿39.92

$1.18 NPR 179

4.24%

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

$21.6K ฿704.3K

$32.7K NPR 5.0M

-33.79%

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

$22.5K ฿734.3K

$40.7K NPR 6.2M

-44.55%

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

$70.5 ฿2,298

$33.66 NPR 5,123

109.57%

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

$13.68 ฿445

$3.66 NPR 557

273.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.45 ฿568

$9.41 NPR 1,432

85.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.33 ฿1,346

$14.54 NPR 2,212

184.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

Cinema Ticket

$5.77 ฿188

$2.20 NPR 335

162.27%

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

$307 ฿10.0K

$90.7 NPR 13.8K

238.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿475.9K

$3,741 NPR 569.3K

290.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,817

$24.56 NPR 3,737

127.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.21 ฿854

$27.59 NPR 4,198

-5.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 ฿2,793

$29.48 NPR 4,486

190.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.2 ฿2,353

$18.24 NPR 2,775

296.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$430 ฿14.0K

$38.14 NPR 5,804

1026.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿7,774

$42.96 NPR 6,538

455.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$817 ฿26.6K

$137 NPR 20.9K

496.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$511 ฿16.6K

$85.9 NPR 13.1K

494.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,983 ฿64.6K

$645 NPR 98.2K

207.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,484 ฿48.3K

$494 NPR 75.1K

200.69%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$619 ฿20.2K

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Birgunj: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $430 in Chiang Mai and $38.14 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 $241 vs $142, 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 125% 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 $1,303 in Chiang Mai and $580 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: $430 in Chiang Mai versus $38.14 in Birgunj. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $307 in Chiang Mai versus $90.7 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 $386 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 125% less than in Chiang Mai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.