Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Tulsipur

For one person, living is cheaper in Tulsipur: $23.49 a month against $906 in Chiang Mai, rent and utilities included – about $10,600 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

45

Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai Living Index
20

Cost of Living Index in Tulsipur
Learn more

Tulsipur Living Index

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Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$906

/mo nomad

Tulsipur

🇳🇵 Nepal

$23.49

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chiang Mai and in Tulsipur

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Chiang Mai and in Tulsipur actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $906 per month in Chiang Mai vs $23.49 in Tulsipur, rent included.

Chiang Mai $906
Tulsipur $23.49

A couple spends around $1,385 per month in Chiang Mai vs $41.90 in Tulsipur, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,385
Tulsipur $41.90

A family of three spends $1,864 per month in Chiang Mai vs $60.3 in Tulsipur, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,864
Tulsipur $60.3

Chiang Mai costs about 3757% more than Tulsipur, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chiang Mai and Tulsipur are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 32% lower, Tulsipur 98% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.13 ฿71.4

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.40 ฿649

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.47 ฿183

Cappuccino

$1.68 ฿56.4

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

$0.66 ฿22.10

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.34 ฿11.52

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.42 ฿81.0

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿125

Milk (1 liter)

$2.06 ฿68.9

$0.62 NPR 96.6

232.26%

White Bread (500g)

$1.46 ฿48.78

$0.27 NPR 41.85

440.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.35 ฿45.09

Eggs

$2.27 ฿76.0

$1.20 NPR 186

89.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.31 ฿546

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.70 ฿90.3

$1.91 NPR 295

41.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.20 ฿308

Apples (1kg)

$2.39 ฿80.1

Banana (1kg)

$1.04 ฿34.66

Oranges (1kg)

$1.60 ฿53.7

Tomato (1kg)

$1.44 ฿48.37

Potato (1kg)

$1.30 ฿43.59

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 ฿37.29

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ฿23.55

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.99

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.13 ฿138

Wine (Bottle)

$17.78 ฿595

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ฿54.7

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 ฿96.0

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 ฿28.76

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.2 ฿1,780

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.22 ฿40.81

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 ฿18.81

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.31 ฿77.5

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.50 ฿50.2

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

$20.9K ฿698.3K

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

$26.7K ฿895.0K

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

$61.3 ฿2,051

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

$12.50 ฿419

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.36 ฿682

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.94 ฿1,270

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.77 ฿126

Cinema Ticket

$6.60 ฿221

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

$774 ฿25.9K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.4K ฿483.2K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.8 ฿1,835

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.26 ฿846

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.6 ฿3,032

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.3 ฿2,453

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$459 ฿15.4K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$294 ฿9,835

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$919 ฿30.8K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$552 ฿18.5K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,917 ฿64.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,445 ฿48.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$592 ฿19.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 5, 2026

Last update for Tulsipur: October 4, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$294 31.8%

Tulsipur

- * 0% 100%

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$236 25.6%

Tulsipur

$23 * 100% 90.1% $213

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$110 11.9%

Tulsipur

- * 0% 100%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$94 10.2%

Tulsipur

- * 0% 100%

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$77 8.4%

Tulsipur

- * 0% 100%

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$61 6.6%

Tulsipur

- * 0% 100%

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$51 5.5%

Tulsipur

- * 0% 100%

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇳🇵 Tulsipur

🕒 Local time

00:58 12:58 AM

23:43 11:43 PM

1 h 15 min behind Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

39,058

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Nepalese Rupee NPR रु

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.99 USD

100 THB = 2.67 EUR

1,000 NPR = 6.46 USD

1,000 NPR = 5.77 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

NPR, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 33.48 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.52 THB (100 THB = 2.67 EUR).

Nepalese Rupee exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 155 NPR (1,000 NPR = 6.46 USD). 1 EUR = 173 NPR (1,000 NPR = 5.77 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Chiang Mai Tulsipur 1,990 km ≈ 3 h nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
Tulsipur

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 3757% more than Tulsipur, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,359 per month in Chiang Mai and $35.24 in Tulsipur. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $906 in Chiang Mai and $23.49 in Tulsipur. That's a gap of about 3757%.

Groceries cost about 914% 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.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Tulsipur, where all-in costs run around $23.49, than in Chiang Mai at $906. In Tulsipur it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiang Mai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Tulsipur costs $23.49 versus $906 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.