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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $869 per month in Chiang Mai vs $307 in Janakpur, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,362 per month in Chiang Mai vs $517 in Janakpur, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,855 per month in Chiang Mai vs $728 in Janakpur, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 183% more than Janakpur, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Janakpur are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Janakpur 77% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.98 ฿64.3

$1.84 NPR 281

7.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.80 ฿612

$10.75 NPR 1,636

74.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.75 ฿252

$6.58 NPR 1,001

17.78%

Cappuccino

$1.92 ฿62.5

$1.66 NPR 252

15.66%

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

$0.79 ฿25.79

$0.53 NPR 81.3

49.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.62

$0.15 NPR 22.30

140.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$2.27 NPR 346

-2.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

$2.60 NPR 396

40.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿53.8

$0.65 NPR 98.9

153.85%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$0.31 NPR 46.62

425.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.86

$0.66 NPR 100

80.30%

Eggs

$2.00 ฿65.1

$1.77 NPR 269

12.99%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.98 ฿520

$4.35 NPR 661

267.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.03 ฿98.5

$3.15 NPR 479

-3.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 ฿354

$3.68 NPR 560

195.11%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 ฿90.0

$1.68 NPR 256

64.29%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.42

$0.63 NPR 96.3

87.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$1.24 NPR 189

32.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.51

$0.64 NPR 97.2

137.50%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿45.10

$0.28 NPR 42.43

392.86%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.84

$0.58 NPR 88.7

105.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ฿22.86

$0.21 NPR 31.81

233.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.13

$0.24 NPR 36.48

133.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.58 ฿149

$2.49 NPR 379

83.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.56 ฿539

$7.88 NPR 1,199

110.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿59.5

$1.83 NPR 279

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 ฿104

$2.49 NPR 379

28.51%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿28.56

$0.18 NPR 26.92

388.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.72 ฿610

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿44.16

$0.75 NPR 114

81.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿43.65

$0.69 NPR 106

94.20%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$3.55 NPR 540

120.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿39.92

$1.15 NPR 175

6.96%

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

$21.6K ฿704.3K

$25.9K NPR 3.9M

-16.59%

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

$22.5K ฿734.3K

$29.0K NPR 4.4M

-22.18%

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

$70.5 ฿2,298

$14.71 NPR 2,238

379.54%

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

$13.68 ฿445

$4.92 NPR 749

178.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.45 ฿568

$4.50 NPR 685

287.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.33 ฿1,346

$10.81 NPR 1,644

282.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$7.37 NPR 1,122

-5.56%

Cinema Ticket

$5.77 ฿188

$3.04 NPR 462

89.80%

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

$307 ฿10.0K

$32.85 NPR 4,999

834.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿475.9K

$3,787 NPR 576.2K

285.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,817

$24.07 NPR 3,663

131.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.21 ฿854

$18.53 NPR 2,819

41.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 ฿2,793

$31.16 NPR 4,742

175.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.2 ฿2,353

$30.34 NPR 4,617

138.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$430 ฿14.0K

$37.66 NPR 5,730

1041.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿7,774

$22.17 NPR 3,373

976.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$817 ฿26.6K

$116 NPR 17.7K

603.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$511 ฿16.6K

$87.4 NPR 13.3K

484.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,983 ฿64.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,484 ฿48.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$619 ฿20.2K

$209 NPR 31.7K

196.64%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

-58.33%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 7, 2026

Last update for Janakpur: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $430 in Chiang Mai versus $37.66 in Janakpur. 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 197% 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 $11.00 in Janakpur. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $241 vs $115 – making Janakpur the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Janakpur: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 183% more than Janakpur, 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 $1,303 per month in Chiang Mai and $461 in Janakpur. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Janakpur, 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 $11.00 in Janakpur. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 109% 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 $869 in Chiang Mai and $307 in Janakpur, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Janakpur costs $307 versus $869 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 Janakpur. 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.