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 $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $297 in Janakpur, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,354 per month in Chiang Mai vs $512 in Janakpur, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,857 per month in Chiang Mai vs $727 in Janakpur, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 187% more than Janakpur, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Janakpur are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Janakpur 78% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿63.6

$1.87 NPR 282

4.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.81 ฿611

$11.13 NPR 1,685

69.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.92 ฿258

$6.74 NPR 1,020

17.51%

Cappuccino

$1.91 ฿62.2

$1.66 NPR 252

15.06%

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

$0.84 ฿27.25

$0.54 NPR 81.6

55.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.44

$0.19 NPR 29.41

84.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿71.7

$2.38 NPR 360

-7.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 ฿124

$2.52 NPR 381

50.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 ฿53.2

$0.64 NPR 96.2

156.25%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 ฿52.8

$0.33 NPR 50.5

390.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.40

$0.69 NPR 105

71.01%

Eggs

$2.01 ฿65.4

$1.78 NPR 270

12.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.89 ฿517

$4.35 NPR 659

265.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.01 ฿98.0

$3.04 NPR 460

-0.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.77 ฿350

$3.57 NPR 541

201.68%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 ฿85.0

$1.65 NPR 250

58.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿39.65

$0.69 NPR 104

76.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.4

$1.20 NPR 182

41.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 ฿51.2

$0.64 NPR 96.5

146.88%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 ฿42.89

$0.30 NPR 45.89

340.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.01

$0.57 NPR 87.0

105.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿21.85

$0.23 NPR 34.95

191.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.21

$0.24 NPR 36.32

133.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.53 ฿147

$2.52 NPR 381

79.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.20 ฿592

$6.47 NPR 980

181.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿59.6

$1.92 NPR 290

-4.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿105

$2.59 NPR 392

24.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ฿28.83

$0.20 NPR 30.05

345.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.38 ฿630

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.35 ฿43.95

$0.71 NPR 108

90.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 ฿43.79

$0.74 NPR 113

82.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.25 ฿268

$3.61 NPR 546

128.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.40

$1.20 NPR 181

5.83%

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

$21.2K ฿687.8K

$25.5K NPR 3.9M

-16.92%

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

$22.5K ฿731.0K

$29.1K NPR 4.4M

-22.63%

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

$70.2 ฿2,281

$14.84 NPR 2,247

372.71%

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

$13.77 ฿448

$4.94 NPR 748

178.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.60 ฿572

$4.46 NPR 675

294.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.57 ฿1,352

$10.75 NPR 1,628

286.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.60 ฿215

$7.13 NPR 1,079

-7.43%

Cinema Ticket

$5.78 ฿188

$3.01 NPR 455

92.03%

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

$306 ฿9,953

$32.63 NPR 4,939

838.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿482.0K

$3,775 NPR 571.5K

292.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.4 ฿1,768

$23.55 NPR 3,566

130.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.14 ฿850

$18.46 NPR 2,794

41.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.5 ฿2,748

$30.92 NPR 4,681

173.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.4 ฿2,257

$31.05 NPR 4,701

123.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$424 ฿13.8K

$38.89 NPR 5,888

989.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$238 ฿7,743

$21.70 NPR 3,286

997.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$825 ฿26.8K

$115 NPR 17.4K

618.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.7K

$88.0 NPR 13.3K

485.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,049 ฿66.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,523 ฿49.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$635 ฿20.6K

$215 NPR 32.6K

195.09%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Janakpur: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $424 in Chiang Mai versus $38.89 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 195% 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: $243 vs $113 – 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 187% 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 $1,278 per month in Chiang Mai and $445 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 116% 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 $852 in Chiang Mai and $297 in Janakpur, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Janakpur costs $297 versus $852 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.