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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $869 per month in Chiang Mai vs $398 in Birtamod, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,362 per month in Chiang Mai vs $679 in Birtamod, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,855 per month in Chiang Mai vs $960 in Birtamod, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 118% more than Birtamod, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Birtamod are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Birtamod 70% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.98 ฿64.3

$1.87 NPR 284

5.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.80 ฿612

$23.90 NPR 3,638

-21.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.75 ฿252

$7.50 NPR 1,141

3.33%

Cappuccino

$1.92 ฿62.5

$1.29 NPR 197

48.84%

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

$0.79 ฿25.79

$0.46 NPR 69.4

71.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.62

$0.17 NPR 26.56

111.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$1.93 NPR 293

14.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

$3.62 NPR 550

1.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿53.8

$0.70 NPR 107

135.71%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$0.44 NPR 67.1

270.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.86

$1.55 NPR 236

-23.23%

Eggs

$2.00 ฿65.1

$1.56 NPR 237

28.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.98 ฿520

$7.61 NPR 1,158

109.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.03 ฿98.5

$3.14 NPR 478

-3.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 ฿354

$5.94 NPR 904

82.83%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 ฿90.0

$2.21 NPR 336

24.89%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.42

$1.10 NPR 167

7.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$1.21 NPR 184

35.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.51

$0.65 NPR 98.4

133.85%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿45.10

$0.49 NPR 74.7

181.63%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.84

$0.69 NPR 105

72.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ฿22.86

$0.49 NPR 74.7

42.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.13

$0.25 NPR 37.62

124.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.58 ฿149

$2.96 NPR 451

54.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.56 ฿539

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿59.5

$2.26 NPR 344

-19.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 ฿104

$3.38 NPR 514

-5.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿28.56

$0.23 NPR 34.89

282.61%

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

$0.83 NPR 126

61.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$3.53 NPR 538

122.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿39.92

$1.30 NPR 197

-5.38%

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

$21.6K ฿704.3K

$32.1K NPR 4.9M

-32.59%

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

$22.5K ฿734.3K

$40.6K NPR 6.2M

-44.52%

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

$70.5 ฿2,298

$26.81 NPR 4,079

163.11%

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

$13.68 ฿445

$4.13 NPR 628

231.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.45 ฿568

$9.84 NPR 1,497

77.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.33 ฿1,346

$18.51 NPR 2,816

123.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$7.48 NPR 1,138

-6.95%

Cinema Ticket

$5.77 ฿188

$2.70 NPR 412

113.70%

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

$307 ฿10.0K

$71.6 NPR 10.9K

329.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿475.9K

$2,720 NPR 413.8K

437.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,817

$24.98 NPR 3,801

123.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.21 ฿854

$27.62 NPR 4,203

-5.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 ฿2,793

$46.20 NPR 7,031

85.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.2 ฿2,353

$28.78 NPR 4,379

151.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$430 ฿14.0K

$106 NPR 16.1K

306.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿7,774

$62.5 NPR 9,504

282.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$817 ฿26.6K

$203 NPR 30.9K

302.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$511 ฿16.6K

$144 NPR 22.0K

253.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,983 ฿64.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,484 ฿48.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$619 ฿20.2K

$123 NPR 18.8K

401.43%

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 Birtamod: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $430 in Chiang Mai versus $106 in Birtamod. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 401% higher in Chiang Mai, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $24.00 in Birtamod. Groceries tell a different story – $241 in Chiang Mai vs $132 in Birtamod – so Birtamod wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Birtamod: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $869 in Chiang Mai, $398 in Birtamod – roughly 118% apart. Chiang Mai costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,303 per month in Chiang Mai and $597 in Birtamod. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Birtamod, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai and $24.00 in Birtamod. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 83% more in Chiang Mai, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $869 in Chiang Mai and $398 in Birtamod, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

It depends on your priorities. Chiang Mai has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $398 in Birtamod to $869 in Chiang Mai. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Birtamod. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chiang Mai makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.