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 $869 per month in Chiang Mai vs $397 in Tulsipur, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,362 per month in Chiang Mai vs $663 in Tulsipur, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,855 per month in Chiang Mai vs $930 in Tulsipur, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 119% more than Tulsipur, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Tulsipur are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Tulsipur 70% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.98 ฿64.3

$1.78 NPR 272

11.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.80 ฿612

$18.81 NPR 2,862

-0.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.75 ฿252

$6.51 NPR 990

19.05%

Cappuccino

$1.92 ฿62.5

$1.48 NPR 225

29.73%

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

$0.79 ฿25.79

$0.54 NPR 81.5

46.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.62

$0.15 NPR 23.33

140.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$2.55 NPR 388

-13.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

$3.61 NPR 549

1.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿53.8

$0.73 NPR 112

126.03%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$0.60 NPR 91.1

171.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.86

$0.76 NPR 116

56.58%

Eggs

$2.00 ฿65.1

$1.71 NPR 260

16.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.98 ฿520

$7.63 NPR 1,161

109.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.03 ฿98.5

$3.20 NPR 487

-5.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 ฿354

$6.09 NPR 926

78.33%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 ฿90.0

$2.18 NPR 332

26.61%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.42

$1.08 NPR 165

9.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$1.21 NPR 184

35.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.51

$0.70 NPR 106

117.14%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿45.10

$0.45 NPR 68.1

206.67%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.84

$0.63 NPR 96.5

88.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ฿22.86

$0.50 NPR 76.0

40.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.13

$0.27 NPR 41.46

107.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.58 ฿149

$2.96 NPR 451

54.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.56 ฿539

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿59.5

$2.28 NPR 347

-19.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 ฿104

$3.25 NPR 495

-1.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿28.56

$0.19 NPR 29.46

363.16%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.72 ฿610

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿44.16

$2.14 NPR 325

-36.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿43.65

$0.83 NPR 126

61.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$3.69 NPR 561

112.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿39.92

$1.27 NPR 193

-3.15%

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

$21.6K ฿704.3K

$32.2K NPR 4.9M

-32.86%

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

$22.5K ฿734.3K

$40.1K NPR 6.1M

-43.74%

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

$70.5 ฿2,298

$26.66 NPR 4,057

164.59%

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

$13.68 ฿445

$4.84 NPR 736

182.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.45 ฿568

$9.66 NPR 1,471

80.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.33 ฿1,346

$18.50 NPR 2,814

123.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

Cinema Ticket

$5.77 ฿188

$2.69 NPR 409

114.50%

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

$307 ฿10.0K

$73.3 NPR 11.2K

318.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿475.9K

$2,775 NPR 422.2K

426.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,817

$25.25 NPR 3,842

120.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.21 ฿854

$27.85 NPR 4,238

-5.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 ฿2,793

$45.25 NPR 6,886

89.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.2 ฿2,353

$28.68 NPR 4,365

151.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$430 ฿14.0K

$103 NPR 15.7K

315.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿7,774

$63.3 NPR 9,629

277.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$817 ฿26.6K

$210 NPR 32.0K

288.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$511 ฿16.6K

$146 NPR 22.2K

250.42%

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

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Tulsipur: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $430 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 – $241 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 119% 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 $1,303 per month in Chiang Mai and $595 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 83% 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 $397 in Tulsipur, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Tulsipur costs $397 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 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.