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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $861 per month in Chiang Mai vs $398 in Gaighat, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,350 per month in Chiang Mai vs $650 in Gaighat, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,838 per month in Chiang Mai vs $902 in Gaighat, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 117% more than Gaighat, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Gaighat are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Gaighat 70% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿65.8

$1.84 NPR 284

6.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.35 ฿617

$19.05 NPR 2,938

-3.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.48 ฿252

$6.56 NPR 1,012

14.02%

Cappuccino

$2.02 ฿67.8

$1.84 NPR 285

9.78%

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

$0.85 ฿28.50

$0.50 NPR 76.7

70.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.96

$0.19 NPR 29.38

89.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.8

$2.53 NPR 390

-15.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 ฿121

$3.60 NPR 554

-0.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿55.5

$0.60 NPR 92.0

175.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.7

$0.21 NPR 32.23

647.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿40.02

$0.37 NPR 57.5

221.62%

Eggs

$1.94 ฿65.1

$1.11 NPR 172

74.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿544

$8.73 NPR 1,347

85.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.99 ฿101

$2.14 NPR 330

39.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿368

$2.98 NPR 459

267.11%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 ฿91.2

$1.80 NPR 278

50.56%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿39.25

$1.09 NPR 167

7.34%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 ฿56.7

$0.70 NPR 108

141.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 ฿54.0

$0.37 NPR 57.8

332.43%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.54

$0.34 NPR 53.0

305.88%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.45

$0.35 NPR 53.4

242.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿22.50

$0.52 NPR 80.5

28.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.73

$0.17 NPR 25.76

229.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.64 ฿156

$2.22 NPR 343

109.01%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.62 ฿593

$3.82 NPR 589

361.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.5

$1.49 NPR 230

24.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 ฿111

$3.25 NPR 501

1.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.68

$0.21 NPR 31.73

319.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ฿650

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿45.90

$2.20 NPR 339

-38.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.98

$1.05 NPR 162

27.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.21 ฿276

$3.73 NPR 575

120.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ฿41.18

$1.27 NPR 196

-3.94%

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

$21.4K ฿718.1K

$32.5K NPR 5.0M

-34.21%

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

$22.5K ฿757.7K

$40.7K NPR 6.3M

-44.65%

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

$70.7 ฿2,376

$32.60 NPR 5,027

116.78%

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

$14.04 ฿472

$4.75 NPR 733

195.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.49 ฿588

$9.76 NPR 1,505

79.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.15 ฿1,417

$18.38 NPR 2,835

129.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿199

$3.20 NPR 494

85.00%

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

$309 ฿10.4K

$91.7 NPR 14.1K

236.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K ฿500.4K

$3,820 NPR 589.1K

289.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,875

$24.43 NPR 3,767

128.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.11 ฿878

$28.49 NPR 4,394

-8.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.0 ฿2,792

$58.6 NPR 9,040

41.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 ฿2,369

$40.33 NPR 6,220

74.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$432 ฿14.5K

$107 NPR 16.5K

304.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿8,035

$62.9 NPR 9,697

279.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$822 ฿27.7K

$204 NPR 31.4K

303.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$512 ฿17.2K

$145 NPR 22.4K

252.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,915 ฿64.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 ฿49.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$579 ฿19.5K

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 Gaighat: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $432 in Chiang Mai versus $107 in Gaighat. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $18.00 in Chiang Mai versus $19.00 in Gaighat. Groceries tell a different story – $243 in Chiang Mai vs $107 in Gaighat – so Gaighat 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 Gaighat: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 117% more than Gaighat, 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 $596 in Gaighat. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 127% 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.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $861 in Chiang Mai and $398 in Gaighat, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

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