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

Name: Chiang Mai
Address: Chiang Mai, TH

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $340 per month in Darbhanga vs $866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $540 per month in Darbhanga vs $1,351 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $740 per month in Darbhanga vs $1,835 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Darbhanga is about 61% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Darbhanga and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Darbhanga 75% lower, Chiang Mai 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.69 ₹162

$1.94 ฿63.6

-12.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$9.82 ₹939

$18.64 ฿609

-47.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.55 ₹339

$7.82 ฿256

-54.60%

Cappuccino

$1.41 ₹135

$1.95 ฿63.9

-27.69%

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

$0.36 ₹34.55

$0.85 ฿27.80

-57.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.13 ₹12.33

$0.35 ฿11.60

-62.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.25 ₹215

$2.13 ฿69.7

5.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.08 ₹295

$3.73 ฿122

-17.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.62 ₹58.9

$1.71 ฿56.0

-63.74%

White Bread (500g)

$0.43 ₹40.77

$1.63 ฿53.3

-73.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.43 ₹41.55

$1.14 ฿37.18

-62.28%

Eggs

$0.92 ₹87.8

$1.93 ฿63.2

-52.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$2.96 ₹284

$16.21 ฿530

-81.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.06 ₹197

$3.12 ฿102

-33.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿356

Apples (1kg)

$1.39 ₹133

$2.75 ฿90.1

-49.45%

Banana (1kg)

$0.82 ₹78.6

$1.21 ฿39.56

-32.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.10 ₹105

$1.62 ฿53.0

-32.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.58 ₹55.6

$1.59 ฿51.9

-63.52%

Potato (1kg)

$0.35 ₹33.69

$1.40 ฿45.75

-75.00%

Onion (1kg)

$0.51 ₹49.21

$1.17 ฿38.20

-56.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.51 ₹48.97

$0.66 ฿21.62

-22.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.28 ₹26.48

$0.53 ฿17.24

-47.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.55 ₹244

$4.69 ฿153

-45.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$3.73 ₹357

$18.66 ฿610

-80.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.02 ₹193

$1.80 ฿58.8

12.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.07 ₹103

$3.23 ฿106

-66.87%

Buffalo Round (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) (1kg)

$1.90 ₹182

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.30 ₹28.89

$0.90 ฿29.28

-66.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.83 ₹845

$19.21 ฿628

-54.03%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.19 ₹114

$1.41 ฿45.96

-15.60%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.17 ₹16.69

$1.29 ฿42.16

-86.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.38 ₹227

$7.84 ฿256

-69.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 ₹116

$1.27 ฿41.62

-4.72%

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

$15.2K ₹1.5M

$21.3K ฿695.5K

-28.64%

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

$33.1K ₹3.2M

$22.2K ฿726.1K

49.16%

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

$23.67 ₹2,265

$69.1 ฿2,258

-65.73%

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

$3.23 ₹309

$14.08 ฿460

-77.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$7.59 ₹726

$18.00 ฿588

-57.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$10.32 ₹988

$41.06 ฿1,342

-74.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.04 ₹674

$6.96 ฿227

1.15%

Cinema Ticket

$3.16 ₹302

$5.92 ฿193

-46.62%

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

$28.49 ₹2,726

$299 ฿9,775

-90.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,401 ₹134.1K

$15.0K ฿488.8K

-90.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$17.48 ₹1,672

$54.7 ฿1,788

-68.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.40 ₹2,718

$26.77 ฿875

6.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$42.54 ₹4,070

$85.0 ฿2,778

-49.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$28.89 ₹2,765

$70.6 ฿2,308

-59.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$52.8 ₹5,050

$428 ฿14.0K

-87.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$75.7 ₹7,244

$237 ฿7,759

-68.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$277 ₹26.5K

$801 ฿26.2K

-65.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$180 ₹17.2K

$515 ฿16.9K

-65.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$156 ₹14.9K

$617 ฿20.2K

-74.76%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.05

81.00%

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

Last update for Darbhanga: May 31, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $52.8 in Darbhanga versus $428 in Chiang Mai. 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 296% 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 $10.00 in Darbhanga versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $81.0 vs $246 – making Darbhanga 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

Darbhanga vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 155% more than Darbhanga, 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 $510 per month in Darbhanga and $1,300 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Darbhanga, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $28.49 per month in Darbhanga and $299 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 203% 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.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $340 in Darbhanga and $866 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Darbhanga costs $340 versus $866 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 Darbhanga. 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.