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 $406 in Tulsipur, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,354 per month in Chiang Mai vs $661 in Tulsipur, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,857 per month in Chiang Mai vs $916 in Tulsipur, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 110% 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

$1.96 ฿63.3

$1.87 NPR 283

4.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.81 ฿608

$18.97 NPR 2,861

-0.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.92 ฿256

$6.73 NPR 1,015

17.68%

Cappuccino

$1.91 ฿61.9

$1.48 NPR 224

29.05%

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

$0.84 ฿27.11

$0.54 NPR 82.0

55.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.38

$0.18 NPR 27.67

94.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿71.3

$2.57 NPR 388

-14.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 ฿123

$3.72 NPR 561

2.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 ฿52.9

$0.80 NPR 121

105.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 ฿52.5

$0.58 NPR 87.8

179.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.20

$0.81 NPR 122

45.68%

Eggs

$2.01 ฿65.1

$1.66 NPR 250

21.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.89 ฿514

$7.47 NPR 1,128

112.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.01 ฿97.4

$3.22 NPR 485

-6.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.77 ฿348

$5.96 NPR 899

80.70%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 ฿84.5

$2.27 NPR 343

14.98%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿39.44

$1.10 NPR 166

10.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.1

$1.24 NPR 187

37.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 ฿51.0

$0.64 NPR 96.2

146.88%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 ฿42.67

$0.46 NPR 68.7

186.96%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿37.81

$0.64 NPR 96.1

82.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿21.74

$0.50 NPR 75.0

34.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.11

$0.27 NPR 40.98

107.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.53 ฿147

$2.92 NPR 441

55.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.20 ฿589

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿59.3

$2.35 NPR 354

-22.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿104

$3.31 NPR 500

-2.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ฿28.68

$0.22 NPR 33.23

304.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.38 ฿627

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.35 ฿43.72

$2.13 NPR 322

-36.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 ฿43.56

$0.82 NPR 124

64.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.25 ฿267

$3.73 NPR 562

121.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.18

$1.26 NPR 191

0.79%

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

$21.2K ฿684.2K

$32.3K NPR 4.9M

-34.55%

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

$22.5K ฿727.2K

$40.6K NPR 6.1M

-44.65%

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

$70.2 ฿2,269

$26.85 NPR 4,051

161.27%

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

$13.77 ฿445

$4.93 NPR 743

179.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.60 ฿569

$9.81 NPR 1,479

79.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.57 ฿1,345

$18.23 NPR 2,750

128.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.60 ฿213

Cinema Ticket

$5.78 ฿187

$2.67 NPR 403

116.48%

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

$306 ฿9,901

$71.7 NPR 10.8K

326.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿479.4K

$2,709 NPR 408.7K

447.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.4 ฿1,758

$24.58 NPR 3,708

121.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.14 ฿845

$28.17 NPR 4,249

-7.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.5 ฿2,734

$45.76 NPR 6,903

84.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.4 ฿2,245

$29.04 NPR 4,381

139.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$424 ฿13.7K

$107 NPR 16.1K

297.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$238 ฿7,703

$63.5 NPR 9,576

275.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$825 ฿26.7K

$209 NPR 31.5K

294.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.7K

$144 NPR 21.8K

256.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,049 ฿66.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,523 ฿49.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$635 ฿20.5K

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Tulsipur: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $424 in Chiang Mai versus $107 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 in Chiang Mai versus $19 in Tulsipur. Groceries tell a different story – $243 in Chiang Mai vs $133 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 110% 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 $1,278 per month in Chiang Mai and $609 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 84% 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 $406 in Tulsipur, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Tulsipur costs $406 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.