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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $333 in Dharan, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,351 per month in Chiang Mai vs $554 in Dharan, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,835 per month in Chiang Mai vs $776 in Dharan, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 160% more than Dharan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Dharan are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Dharan 75% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ฿63.5

$2.24 NPR 341

-13.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 ฿609

$18.66 NPR 2,840

-0.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 ฿255

$6.62 NPR 1,007

18.13%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.8

$1.81 NPR 275

7.73%

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

$0.85 ฿27.77

$0.35 NPR 53.5

142.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.58

$0.16 NPR 24.72

118.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.6

$2.62 NPR 399

-18.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

$3.56 NPR 542

4.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿56.0

$0.72 NPR 109

137.50%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$0.35 NPR 52.8

365.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ฿37.15

$0.72 NPR 109

58.33%

Eggs

$1.93 ฿63.1

$1.54 NPR 234

25.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ฿530

$7.55 NPR 1,149

114.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿102

$2.87 NPR 437

8.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿356

$5.25 NPR 800

107.62%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ฿90.0

$1.96 NPR 299

40.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.52

$0.57 NPR 86.8

112.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.0

$0.64 NPR 97.0

153.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$0.38 NPR 58.0

318.42%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿45.70

$0.28 NPR 42.24

400.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.17

$0.49 NPR 73.8

138.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.60

$0.53 NPR 80.5

24.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.22

$0.21 NPR 32.19

152.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿153

$2.97 NPR 453

57.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿609

$2.93 NPR 446

536.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.8

$2.34 NPR 356

-23.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$3.36 NPR 512

-3.87%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.26

$0.19 NPR 29.56

373.68%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.91

$2.21 NPR 336

-36.20%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.12

$0.80 NPR 122

61.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$3.69 NPR 562

112.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.58

$1.32 NPR 201

-3.79%

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

$21.3K ฿694.9K

$32.4K NPR 4.9M

-34.28%

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

$22.2K ฿725.4K

$40.8K NPR 6.2M

-45.50%

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

$69.1 ฿2,256

$27.04 NPR 4,116

155.44%

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

$14.08 ฿460

$4.90 NPR 747

187.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿588

$11.45 NPR 1,743

57.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,341

$12.88 NPR 1,961

218.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿193

$2.88 NPR 438

105.56%

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

$299 ฿9,766

$21.79 NPR 3,317

1272.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿488.3K

$2,694 NPR 410.0K

455.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,787

$12.66 NPR 1,927

332.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.77 ฿874

$27.14 NPR 4,131

-1.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 ฿2,776

$29.17 NPR 4,441

191.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,306

$33.40 NPR 5,083

111.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

$39.47 NPR 6,007

984.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,752

$20.34 NPR 3,096

1066.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.2K

$88.6 NPR 13.5K

804.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$54.1 NPR 8,240

852.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

$184 NPR 28.0K

235.32%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Dharan: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $428 in Chiang Mai versus $39.47 in Dharan. 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 235% 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 Dharan. Groceries tell a different story – $246 in Chiang Mai vs $121 in Dharan – so Dharan 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 Dharan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 160% more than Dharan, 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 $1,300 per month in Chiang Mai and $499 in Dharan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 104% 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 $866 in Chiang Mai and $333 in Dharan, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Dharan costs $333 versus $866 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 Dharan. 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.