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 $866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $396 in Gaighat, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,351 per month in Chiang Mai vs $643 in Gaighat, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,835 per month in Chiang Mai vs $890 in Gaighat, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 119% more than Gaighat, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Gaighat are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Gaighat 70% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ฿63.5

$1.84 NPR 280

5.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 ฿609

$19.17 NPR 2,917

-2.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 ฿255

$6.37 NPR 970

22.76%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.8

$1.83 NPR 278

6.56%

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

$0.85 ฿27.77

$0.53 NPR 81.0

60.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.58

$0.18 NPR 27.01

94.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.6

$2.63 NPR 400

-19.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

$3.58 NPR 545

4.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿56.0

$0.60 NPR 90.7

185.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$0.23 NPR 35.09

608.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ฿37.15

$0.35 NPR 52.9

225.71%

Eggs

$1.93 ฿63.1

$1.13 NPR 172

70.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ฿530

$8.82 NPR 1,343

83.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿102

$2.17 NPR 330

43.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿356

$2.88 NPR 438

278.47%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ฿90.0

$1.77 NPR 270

55.37%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.52

$1.08 NPR 165

12.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.0

$0.71 NPR 108

128.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$0.38 NPR 57.4

318.42%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿45.70

$0.37 NPR 56.4

278.38%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.17

$0.35 NPR 53.1

234.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.60

$0.53 NPR 80.4

24.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.22

$0.15 NPR 22.61

253.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿153

$2.14 NPR 325

119.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿609

$3.85 NPR 586

384.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.8

$1.48 NPR 226

21.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$3.20 NPR 487

0.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.26

$0.18 NPR 28.13

400.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.91

$2.16 NPR 328

-34.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.12

$1.05 NPR 160

22.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$3.68 NPR 560

113.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.58

$1.28 NPR 195

-0.78%

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

$21.3K ฿694.9K

$32.2K NPR 4.9M

-33.87%

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

$22.2K ฿725.4K

$41.0K NPR 6.2M

-45.77%

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

$69.1 ฿2,256

$32.56 NPR 4,956

112.13%

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

$14.08 ฿460

$4.78 NPR 727

194.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿588

$9.52 NPR 1,449

89.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,341

$17.89 NPR 2,724

129.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿193

$3.25 NPR 494

82.15%

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

$299 ฿9,766

$91.8 NPR 14.0K

225.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿488.3K

$3,832 NPR 583.2K

290.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,787

$25.04 NPR 3,811

118.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.77 ฿874

$28.41 NPR 4,325

-5.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 ฿2,776

$59.1 NPR 8,994

43.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,306

$40.22 NPR 6,122

75.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

$105 NPR 16.0K

306.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,752

$64.0 NPR 9,744

270.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.2K

$208 NPR 31.6K

285.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$146 NPR 22.2K

253.60%

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

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 Gaighat: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $428 in Chiang Mai versus $105 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $19.00 in Gaighat. Groceries tell a different story – $246 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 119% 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 $1,300 per month in Chiang Mai and $594 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 $19.00 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 129% 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 $866 in Chiang Mai and $396 in Gaighat, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Gaighat costs $396 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 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.