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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $393 in Dadeldhurā, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,354 per month in Chiang Mai vs $650 in Dadeldhurā, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,857 per month in Chiang Mai vs $907 in Dadeldhurā, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 117% more than Dadeldhurā, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Dadeldhurā are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Dadeldhurā 71% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿64.0

$1.87 NPR 284

4.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.81 ฿615

$19.27 NPR 2,927

-2.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.92 ฿259

$6.52 NPR 991

21.47%

Cappuccino

$1.91 ฿62.6

$1.54 NPR 234

24.03%

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

$0.84 ฿27.41

$0.54 NPR 82.1

55.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.51

$0.18 NPR 26.98

94.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$2.65 NPR 402

-16.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 ฿124

$3.66 NPR 556

3.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$0.75 NPR 113

118.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 ฿53.1

$0.55 NPR 83.3

194.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.62

$0.83 NPR 126

42.17%

Eggs

$2.01 ฿65.8

$1.67 NPR 254

20.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.89 ฿520

$7.33 NPR 1,114

116.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.01 ฿98.5

$3.14 NPR 476

-4.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.77 ฿352

$5.96 NPR 906

80.70%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 ฿85.5

$2.26 NPR 344

15.49%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿39.88

$1.09 NPR 165

11.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.7

$1.24 NPR 188

37.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 ฿51.5

$0.66 NPR 99.6

139.39%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 ฿43.14

$0.45 NPR 68.5

193.33%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.23

$0.63 NPR 95.6

85.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿21.98

$0.49 NPR 73.8

36.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.32

$0.25 NPR 37.91

124.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.53 ฿148

$2.85 NPR 433

58.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.20 ฿595

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿60.0

$2.35 NPR 356

-22.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$3.29 NPR 500

-1.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ฿29.00

$0.23 NPR 34.34

286.96%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.38 ฿634

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.35 ฿44.20

$2.12 NPR 322

-36.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 ฿44.05

$0.81 NPR 122

66.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.25 ฿270

$3.70 NPR 561

122.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.64

$1.23 NPR 187

3.25%

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

$21.2K ฿691.8K

$32.2K NPR 4.9M

-34.20%

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

$22.5K ฿735.3K

$41.3K NPR 6.3M

-45.55%

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

$70.2 ฿2,294

$26.66 NPR 4,050

163.13%

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

$13.77 ฿450

$4.86 NPR 738

183.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.60 ฿575

$9.87 NPR 1,500

78.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.57 ฿1,360

$18.19 NPR 2,764

128.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.60 ฿216

Cinema Ticket

$5.78 ฿189

$2.78 NPR 423

107.91%

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

$306 ฿10.0K

$72.8 NPR 11.1K

320.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿484.8K

$2,796 NPR 424.8K

430.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.4 ฿1,778

$25.16 NPR 3,823

116.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.14 ฿855

$27.57 NPR 4,188

-5.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.5 ฿2,764

$45.87 NPR 6,968

84.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.4 ฿2,270

$28.38 NPR 4,312

144.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$424 ฿13.9K

$106 NPR 16.0K

301.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$238 ฿7,788

$63.7 NPR 9,683

273.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$825 ฿27.0K

$205 NPR 31.1K

302.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$147 NPR 22.3K

250.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,049 ฿67.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,523 ฿49.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$635 ฿20.8K

$98.3 NPR 14.9K

546.44%

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 Dadeldhurā: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $424 in Chiang Mai versus $106 in Dadeldhurā. 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 546% 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 $19.00 in Dadeldhurā. Groceries tell a different story – $243 in Chiang Mai vs $130 in Dadeldhurā – so Dadeldhurā 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 Dadeldhurā: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 117% more than Dadeldhurā, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,278 per month in Chiang Mai and $590 in Dadeldhurā. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Dadeldhurā, 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 $19.00 in Dadeldhurā. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 86% 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.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $852 in Chiang Mai and $393 in Dadeldhurā, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Dadeldhurā costs $393 versus $852 in Chiang Mai. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Dadeldhurā. 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.