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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $961 in Dupnica, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,354 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,503 in Dupnica, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,857 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,044 in Dupnica, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 11% cheaper than Dupnica, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and Dupnica are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Dupnica 28% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿64.0

$10.41 BGN 17.38

-81.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.81 ฿615

$41.25 BGN 68.9

-54.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.92 ฿259

$9.94 BGN 16.61

-20.32%

Cappuccino

$1.91 ฿62.6

$1.89 BGN 3.15

1.06%

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

$0.84 ฿27.41

$1.33 BGN 2.22

-36.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.51

$1.04 BGN 1.74

-66.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$1.95 BGN 3.26

13.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 ฿124

$2.92 BGN 4.88

30.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$1.95 BGN 3.26

-15.90%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 ฿53.1

$0.54 BGN 0.90

200.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.62

$1.02 BGN 1.70

15.69%

Eggs

$2.01 ฿65.8

$3.84 BGN 6.41

-47.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.89 ฿520

$12.95 BGN 21.62

22.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.01 ฿98.5

$8.49 BGN 14.18

-64.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.77 ฿352

$10.64 BGN 17.76

1.22%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 ฿85.5

$1.17 BGN 1.96

123.08%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿39.88

$1.70 BGN 2.84

-28.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.7

$2.02 BGN 3.37

-15.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 ฿51.5

$2.07 BGN 3.45

-23.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 ฿43.14

$1.07 BGN 1.79

23.36%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.23

$1.13 BGN 1.88

3.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿21.98

$0.49 BGN 0.82

36.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.32

$0.49 BGN 0.81

14.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.53 ฿148

$3.77 BGN 6.30

20.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.20 ฿595

$5.36 BGN 8.95

239.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿60.0

$0.68 BGN 1.14

169.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$1.66 BGN 2.78

94.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ฿29.00

$0.58 BGN 0.97

53.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.38 ฿634

$26.40 BGN 44.10

-26.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.35 ฿44.20

$1.15 BGN 1.92

17.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 ฿44.05

$0.60 BGN 1.01

125.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.25 ฿270

$11.78 BGN 19.67

-29.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.64

$1.56 BGN 2.61

-18.59%

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

$21.2K ฿691.8K

$37.0K BGN 61.9K

-42.88%

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

$22.5K ฿735.3K

$33.9K BGN 56.6K

-33.62%

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

$70.2 ฿2,294

$119 BGN 198

-40.88%

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

$13.77 ฿450

$17.16 BGN 28.66

-19.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.60 ฿575

$13.45 BGN 22.46

30.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.57 ฿1,360

$29.02 BGN 48.47

43.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.60 ฿216

$14.72 BGN 24.58

-55.16%

Cinema Ticket

$5.78 ฿189

$4.60 BGN 7.69

25.65%

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

$306 ฿10.0K

$329 BGN 549

-6.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿484.8K

$5,467 BGN 9,130

171.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.4 ฿1,778

$44.12 BGN 73.7

23.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.14 ฿855

$29.19 BGN 48.75

-10.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.5 ฿2,764

$130 BGN 218

-35.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.4 ฿2,270

$77.4 BGN 129

-10.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$424 ฿13.9K

$285 BGN 477

48.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$238 ฿7,788

$231 BGN 386

3.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$825 ฿27.0K

$480 BGN 801

71.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$349 BGN 583

47.55%

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

$1,100 BGN 1,837

-42.24%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.1

-1.96%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 27, 2026

Last update for Dupnica: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $424 in Chiang Mai versus $285 in Dupnica. 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 73% higher in Dupnica, 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 $41.00 in Dupnica. Groceries tell a different story – $243 in Chiang Mai vs $223 in Dupnica – so Dupnica 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 Dupnica: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Dupnica costs about 13% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. 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 $1,442 in Dupnica. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Chiang Mai, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $306 per month in Chiang Mai and $329 in Dupnica. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 9% cheaper in Dupnica – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $852 in Chiang Mai and $961 in Dupnica, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $852 versus $961 in Dupnica. 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 Chiang Mai. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Dupnica makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.