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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $393 in Tulsipur, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,360 per month in Chiang Mai vs $650 in Tulsipur, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,867 per month in Chiang Mai vs $907 in Tulsipur, rent included.

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

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.04 ฿68.4

$1.84 NPR 283

10.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.71 ฿626

$18.70 NPR 2,865

0.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.86 ฿263

$6.58 NPR 1,008

19.45%

Cappuccino

$2.03 ฿67.9

$1.48 NPR 227

37.16%

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

$0.80 ฿26.71

$0.50 NPR 76.7

60.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.71

$0.15 NPR 23.61

133.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.7

$2.63 NPR 403

-18.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿123

$3.68 NPR 564

-0.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 ฿57.8

$0.79 NPR 121

118.99%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.5

$0.55 NPR 84.7

185.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.10

$0.80 NPR 123

50.00%

Eggs

$1.97 ฿66.0

$1.71 NPR 262

15.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.23 ฿543

$7.62 NPR 1,167

112.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.06 ฿102

$3.20 NPR 491

-4.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.80 ฿361

$6.01 NPR 921

79.70%

Apples (1kg)

$2.77 ฿92.6

$2.21 NPR 338

25.34%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿39.05

$1.05 NPR 161

11.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 ฿57.1

$1.20 NPR 184

42.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿53.3

$0.68 NPR 104

133.82%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.63

$0.49 NPR 74.6

183.67%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 ฿38.67

$0.68 NPR 105

70.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿22.11

$0.49 NPR 75.4

34.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.35

$0.27 NPR 41.77

92.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 ฿155

$2.88 NPR 441

61.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.78 ฿595

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ฿59.8

$2.29 NPR 351

-21.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 ฿112

$3.36 NPR 515

-0.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿30.35

$0.19 NPR 29.32

378.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.64 ฿624

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿47.17

$2.22 NPR 340

-36.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.82

$0.75 NPR 116

78.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.11 ฿271

$3.58 NPR 548

126.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿41.27

$1.27 NPR 194

-3.15%

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

$21.4K ฿717.0K

$32.0K NPR 4.9M

-32.98%

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

$21.8K ฿730.0K

$41.1K NPR 6.3M

-46.88%

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

$71.3 ฿2,386

$26.90 NPR 4,120

165.17%

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

$14.01 ฿469

$5.02 NPR 769

179.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.93 ฿600

$9.69 NPR 1,485

85.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.82 ฿1,365

$18.05 NPR 2,765

126.15%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿230

Cinema Ticket

$5.72 ฿191

$2.74 NPR 420

108.76%

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

$308 ฿10.3K

$73.4 NPR 11.2K

320.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿491.0K

$2,710 NPR 415.1K

441.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,865

$24.85 NPR 3,807

124.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.04 ฿871

$27.44 NPR 4,203

-5.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 ฿2,837

$46.33 NPR 7,098

83.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.0 ฿2,375

$28.58 NPR 4,378

148.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$423 ฿14.2K

$103 NPR 15.8K

311.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 ฿8,110

$64.2 NPR 9,829

277.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$797 ฿26.7K

$210 NPR 32.1K

280.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$507 ฿17.0K

$143 NPR 21.8K

255.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,918 ฿64.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,464 ฿49.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

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 27, 2026

Last update for Tulsipur: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $423 in Chiang Mai versus $103 in Tulsipur. 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 Tulsipur. Groceries tell a different story – $244 in Chiang Mai vs $132 in Tulsipur – so Tulsipur 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 Tulsipur: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 117% more than Tulsipur, 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 $1,279 per month in Chiang Mai and $590 in Tulsipur. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 85% 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 $393 in Tulsipur, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Tulsipur costs $393 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 Tulsipur. 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.