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 $861 per month in Chiang Mai vs $339 in Dharan, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,350 per month in Chiang Mai vs $554 in Dharan, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,838 per month in Chiang Mai vs $770 in Dharan, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 154% more than Dharan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Dharan are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Dharan 75% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿65.9

$2.12 NPR 325

-7.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.35 ฿617

$18.57 NPR 2,852

-1.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.48 ฿252

$6.73 NPR 1,034

11.14%

Cappuccino

$2.02 ฿67.8

$1.80 NPR 277

12.22%

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

$0.85 ฿28.52

$0.33 NPR 49.99

157.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.97

$0.13 NPR 20.08

176.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.9

$2.55 NPR 392

-16.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 ฿121

$3.57 NPR 548

0.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿55.5

$0.71 NPR 110

132.39%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.7

$0.34 NPR 52.7

361.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿40.05

$0.74 NPR 114

60.81%

Eggs

$1.94 ฿65.1

$1.56 NPR 240

24.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿545

$7.22 NPR 1,109

124.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.99 ฿101

$3.00 NPR 460

-0.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿368

$5.04 NPR 775

117.06%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 ฿91.2

$2.04 NPR 313

32.84%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿39.27

$0.54 NPR 82.7

116.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 ฿56.8

$0.64 NPR 98.5

164.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 ฿54.0

$0.39 NPR 59.8

310.26%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.56

$0.28 NPR 42.99

392.86%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.47

$0.53 NPR 81.7

126.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿22.51

$0.53 NPR 81.5

26.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.74

$0.23 NPR 35.03

143.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.64 ฿156

$2.85 NPR 438

62.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.62 ฿593

$2.92 NPR 448

503.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.6

$2.25 NPR 346

-17.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 ฿111

$3.19 NPR 489

3.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.70

$0.23 NPR 35.25

282.61%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ฿651

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿45.92

$2.12 NPR 326

-35.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿45.00

$0.77 NPR 118

74.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.21 ฿276

$3.74 NPR 574

119.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ฿41.20

$1.33 NPR 204

-8.27%

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

$21.4K ฿718.5K

$32.5K NPR 5.0M

-34.36%

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

$22.5K ฿758.1K

$40.7K NPR 6.2M

-44.62%

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

$70.7 ฿2,378

$26.71 NPR 4,103

164.58%

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

$14.04 ฿472

$4.74 NPR 729

196.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.49 ฿589

$11.73 NPR 1,801

49.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.15 ฿1,418

$12.51 NPR 1,921

236.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿199

$2.90 NPR 445

104.14%

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

$309 ฿10.4K

$22.20 NPR 3,410

1289.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K ฿500.7K

$2,760 NPR 424.0K

439.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,876

$12.81 NPR 1,967

335.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.11 ฿879

$27.50 NPR 4,224

-5.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.0 ฿2,793

$29.15 NPR 4,477

184.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 ฿2,371

$32.95 NPR 5,062

113.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$432 ฿14.5K

$39.61 NPR 6,085

990.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿8,040

$20.34 NPR 3,124

1074.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$822 ฿27.7K

$88.6 NPR 13.6K

827.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$512 ฿17.2K

$54.2 NPR 8,322

845.07%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,915 ฿64.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 ฿49.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$579 ฿19.5K

$131 NPR 20.2K

341.56%

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 12, 2026

Last update for Dharan: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $432 in Chiang Mai versus $39.61 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 342% 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 $18.00 in Chiang Mai versus $19.00 in Dharan. Groceries tell a different story – $243 in Chiang Mai vs $120 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 154% 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 $1,292 per month in Chiang Mai and $508 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 $18.00 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 103% 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 $861 in Chiang Mai and $339 in Dharan, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Dharan costs $339 versus $861 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.