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 $869 per month in Chiang Mai vs $392 in Dadeldhurā, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,362 per month in Chiang Mai vs $654 in Dadeldhurā, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,855 per month in Chiang Mai vs $916 in Dadeldhurā, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 122% more than Dadeldhurā, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Dadeldhurā are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Dadeldhurā 71% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.98 ฿64.3

$1.87 NPR 285

5.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.80 ฿612

$18.80 NPR 2,861

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.75 ฿252

$6.41 NPR 975

20.90%

Cappuccino

$1.92 ฿62.5

$1.50 NPR 229

28.00%

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

$0.79 ฿25.79

$0.50 NPR 75.6

58.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.62

$0.16 NPR 24.53

125.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$2.53 NPR 385

-12.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

$3.62 NPR 552

1.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿53.8

$0.79 NPR 121

108.86%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$0.55 NPR 83.8

196.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.86

$0.76 NPR 116

56.58%

Eggs

$2.00 ฿65.1

$1.68 NPR 255

19.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.98 ฿520

$7.48 NPR 1,138

113.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.03 ฿98.5

$3.20 NPR 486

-5.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 ฿354

$6.26 NPR 952

73.48%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 ฿90.0

$2.29 NPR 349

20.52%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.42

$1.10 NPR 167

7.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$1.25 NPR 190

31.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.51

$0.68 NPR 104

123.53%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿45.10

$0.49 NPR 74.1

181.63%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.84

$0.69 NPR 104

72.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ฿22.86

$0.49 NPR 74.4

42.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.13

$0.27 NPR 41.37

107.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.58 ฿149

$2.95 NPR 449

55.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.56 ฿539

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿59.5

$2.25 NPR 343

-18.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 ฿104

$3.26 NPR 497

-1.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿28.56

$0.17 NPR 26.23

417.65%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.72 ฿610

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿44.16

$2.14 NPR 325

-36.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿43.65

$0.81 NPR 123

65.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$3.59 NPR 546

118.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿39.92

$1.26 NPR 192

-2.38%

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

$21.6K ฿704.3K

$32.2K NPR 4.9M

-32.83%

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

$22.5K ฿734.3K

$40.2K NPR 6.1M

-43.96%

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

$70.5 ฿2,298

$26.84 NPR 4,084

162.82%

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

$13.68 ฿445

$4.86 NPR 739

181.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.45 ฿568

$9.74 NPR 1,482

79.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.33 ฿1,346

$18.24 NPR 2,776

126.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

Cinema Ticket

$5.77 ฿188

$2.77 NPR 422

108.30%

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

$307 ฿10.0K

$71.3 NPR 10.8K

330.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿475.9K

$2,693 NPR 409.8K

442.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,817

$25.12 NPR 3,823

122.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.21 ฿854

$27.45 NPR 4,177

-4.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 ฿2,793

$44.94 NPR 6,838

90.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.2 ฿2,353

$28.53 NPR 4,341

153.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$430 ฿14.0K

$105 NPR 16.0K

309.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿7,774

$63.0 NPR 9,584

278.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$817 ฿26.6K

$207 NPR 31.6K

294.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$511 ฿16.6K

$146 NPR 22.2K

249.96%

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

$97.0 NPR 14.8K

537.83%

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 Dadeldhurā: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $430 in Chiang Mai versus $105 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 538% 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 – $241 in Chiang Mai vs $133 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 122% 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 $1,303 per month in Chiang Mai and $587 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 82% 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 $869 in Chiang Mai and $392 in Dadeldhurā, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Dadeldhurā costs $392 versus $869 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.