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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $656 per month in Darkhan vs $852 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,077 per month in Darkhan vs $1,360 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,498 per month in Darkhan vs $1,867 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Darkhan is about 23% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Darkhan and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Darkhan 51% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.61 MNT 20.1K

$2.04 ฿68.2

175.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.06 MNT 104.4K

$18.71 ฿624

55.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.30 MNT 19.0K

$7.86 ฿262

-32.57%

Cappuccino

$2.65 MNT 9,527

$2.03 ฿67.7

30.54%

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

$0.73 MNT 2,609

$0.80 ฿26.64

-8.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.51 MNT 1,819

$0.35 ฿11.68

45.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.03 MNT 7,281

$2.14 ฿71.5

-5.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.40 MNT 8,636

$3.67 ฿122

-34.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.48 MNT 5,334

$1.73 ฿57.6

-14.45%

White Bread (500g)

$0.99 MNT 3,543

$1.57 ฿52.4

-36.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.06 MNT 7,400

$1.20 ฿39.99

71.67%

Eggs

$2.08 MNT 7,460

$1.97 ฿65.8

5.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.62 MNT 56.1K

$16.23 ฿541

-3.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.65 MNT 20.3K

$3.06 ฿102

84.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.21 MNT 22.3K

$10.80 ฿360

-42.50%

Apples (1kg)

$3.10 MNT 11.1K

$2.77 ฿92.3

11.91%

Banana (1kg)

$2.55 MNT 9,154

$1.17 ฿38.94

117.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.30 MNT 15.5K

$1.71 ฿57.0

151.46%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.78 MNT 9,973

$1.59 ฿53.2

74.84%

Potato (1kg)

$0.75 MNT 2,702

$1.39 ฿46.51

-46.04%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 MNT 3,825

$1.16 ฿38.56

-8.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.25 MNT 4,480

$0.66 ฿22.05

89.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.74 MNT 2,665

$0.52 ฿17.31

42.31%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.79 MNT 6,433

$4.65 ฿155

-61.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.23 MNT 36.8K

$17.78 ฿593

-42.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 MNT 4,991

$1.79 ฿59.6

-22.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.72 MNT 6,163

$3.34 ฿111

-48.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.15 MNT 532

$0.91 ฿30.27

-83.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.64 ฿622

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.28 MNT 1,001

$1.41 ฿47.04

-80.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.61 MNT 2,195

$1.34 ฿44.70

-54.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.69 MNT 16.8K

$8.11 ฿270

-42.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.08 MNT 3,879

$1.23 ฿41.16

-12.20%

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

$30.0K MNT 107.6M

$21.4K ฿715.1K

39.76%

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

$18.5K MNT 66.6M

$21.8K ฿728.0K

-15.10%

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

$82.1 MNT 295.0K

$71.3 ฿2,379

15.11%

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

$7.58 MNT 27.2K

$14.01 ฿467

-45.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.92 MNT 60.8K

$17.93 ฿598

-5.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.82 ฿1,362

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿230

Cinema Ticket

$3.78 MNT 13.6K

$5.72 ฿191

-33.92%

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

$180 MNT 646.0K

$308 ฿10.3K

-41.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,578 MNT 23.6M

$14.7K ฿489.7K

-55.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$84.4 MNT 303.4K

$55.8 ฿1,860

51.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$68.5 MNT 246.0K

$26.04 ฿869

162.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 MNT 373.3K

$84.8 ฿2,829

22.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$159 MNT 571.5K

$71.0 ฿2,368

124.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$423 ฿14.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 ฿8,088

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$797 ฿26.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$507 ฿16.9K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,918 ฿64.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,464 ฿48.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

20.00%

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

Last update for Darkhan: July 28, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $29.00 in Darkhan versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $246 vs $244 – making Chiang Mai 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

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

Chiang Mai costs about 30% more than Darkhan, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $983 per month in Darkhan and $1,279 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $29.00 in Darkhan and $19.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 1% cheaper in Chiang Mai – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $656 in Darkhan and $852 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Darkhan costs $656 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 Darkhan. 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.