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 $398 in Dadeldhurā, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,360 per month in Chiang Mai vs $665 in Dadeldhurā, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,867 per month in Chiang Mai vs $932 in Dadeldhurā, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 114% 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 70% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.04 ฿68.2

$1.80 NPR 274

13.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.71 ฿624

$18.88 NPR 2,881

-0.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.86 ฿262

$6.45 NPR 985

21.86%

Cappuccino

$2.03 ฿67.7

$1.56 NPR 238

30.13%

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

$0.80 ฿26.64

$0.54 NPR 82.4

48.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.68

$0.15 NPR 22.74

133.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.5

$2.64 NPR 403

-18.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿122

$3.53 NPR 539

3.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 ฿57.6

$0.74 NPR 114

133.78%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.4

$0.56 NPR 84.9

180.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 ฿39.99

$0.80 NPR 123

50.00%

Eggs

$1.97 ฿65.8

$1.65 NPR 253

19.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.23 ฿541

$7.49 NPR 1,143

116.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.06 ฿102

$3.24 NPR 494

-5.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.80 ฿360

$5.98 NPR 913

80.60%

Apples (1kg)

$2.77 ฿92.3

$2.18 NPR 332

27.06%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.94

$1.09 NPR 166

7.34%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 ฿57.0

$1.24 NPR 190

37.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿53.2

$0.64 NPR 97.8

148.44%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.51

$0.45 NPR 68.2

208.89%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 ฿38.56

$0.64 NPR 97.1

81.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿22.05

$0.50 NPR 75.7

32.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.31

$0.27 NPR 41.30

92.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 ฿155

$2.93 NPR 447

58.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.78 ฿593

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ฿59.6

$2.34 NPR 357

-23.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 ฿111

$3.29 NPR 502

1.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿30.27

$0.21 NPR 32.36

333.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.64 ฿622

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿47.04

$2.14 NPR 327

-34.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.70

$0.78 NPR 119

71.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.11 ฿270

$3.62 NPR 552

124.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿41.16

$1.28 NPR 196

-3.91%

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

$21.4K ฿715.1K

$32.3K NPR 4.9M

-33.67%

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

$21.8K ฿728.0K

$39.8K NPR 6.1M

-45.22%

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

$71.3 ฿2,379

$26.78 NPR 4,087

166.36%

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

$14.01 ฿467

$4.85 NPR 740

188.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.93 ฿598

$9.80 NPR 1,495

82.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.82 ฿1,362

$18.12 NPR 2,766

125.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿230

Cinema Ticket

$5.72 ฿191

$2.71 NPR 414

111.07%

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

$308 ฿10.3K

$73.2 NPR 11.2K

321.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿489.7K

$2,735 NPR 417.5K

436.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,860

$24.39 NPR 3,722

128.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.04 ฿869

$27.76 NPR 4,237

-6.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 ฿2,829

$44.94 NPR 6,859

88.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.0 ฿2,368

$28.57 NPR 4,361

148.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$423 ฿14.1K

$106 NPR 16.1K

300.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 ฿8,088

$64.4 NPR 9,824

276.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$797 ฿26.6K

$205 NPR 31.2K

289.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$507 ฿16.9K

$146 NPR 22.3K

246.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,918 ฿64.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,464 ฿48.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

$98.0 NPR 15.0K

507.32%

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 Dadeldhurā: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $423 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 507% 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 – $244 in Chiang Mai vs $131 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 114% 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 $1,279 per month in Chiang Mai and $597 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 $398 in Dadeldhurā, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Dadeldhurā costs $398 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.