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

Name: Chiang Mai
Address: Chiang Mai, TH

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $648 per month in Darkhan vs $932 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,065 per month in Darkhan vs $1,399 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,483 per month in Darkhan vs $1,866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Darkhan is about 30% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Darkhan and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Darkhan 53% lower, Chiang Mai 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.60 MNT 20.1K

$2.08 ฿69.2

169.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.41 MNT 116.5K

$19.61 ฿652

65.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.60 MNT 20.1K

$5.67 ฿189

-1.23%

Cappuccino

$2.46 MNT 8,863

$1.81 ฿60.0

35.91%

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

$0.87 MNT 3,146

$0.77 ฿25.55

12.99%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.60 MNT 2,163

$0.35 ฿11.48

71.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.33 MNT 8,377

$2.21 ฿73.6

5.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.27 MNT 11.8K

$3.79 ฿126

-13.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.41 MNT 5,083

$2.05 ฿68.1

-31.22%

White Bread (500g)

$0.97 MNT 3,503

$1.51 ฿50.4

-35.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.02 MNT 7,250

$1.40 ฿46.51

44.29%

Eggs

$2.14 MNT 7,695

$2.26 ฿75.1

-5.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.53 MNT 45.1K

$16.19 ฿538

-22.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.80 MNT 17.3K

$2.90 ฿96.3

65.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.40 MNT 26.6K

$9.42 ฿313

-21.44%

Apples (1kg)

$3.12 MNT 11.2K

$2.68 ฿89.1

16.42%

Banana (1kg)

$2.37 MNT 8,507

$1.09 ฿36.23

117.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.75 MNT 13.5K

$1.62 ฿53.8

131.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.05 MNT 11.0K

$1.46 ฿48.55

108.90%

Potato (1kg)

$0.76 MNT 2,721

$1.28 ฿42.48

-40.63%

Onion (1kg)

$1.04 MNT 3,753

$1.06 ฿35.17

-1.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.69 MNT 6,066

$0.72 ฿23.85

134.72%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.77 MNT 2,771

$0.53 ฿17.49

45.28%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.78 MNT 6,396

$4.23 ฿141

-57.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.22 MNT 36.8K

$18.29 ฿608

-44.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.50 MNT 5,399

$1.63 ฿54.2

-7.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.78 MNT 6,404

$2.90 ฿96.5

-38.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.20

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.8 ฿1,788

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.51 MNT 1,833

$1.17 ฿38.99

-56.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.54 MNT 1,940

$0.58 ฿19.22

-6.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.18 MNT 22.2K

$2.39 ฿79.3

158.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.11 MNT 3,993

$1.45 ฿48.22

-23.45%

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

$27.0K MNT 97.1M

$21.0K ฿698.6K

28.51%

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

$34.5K MNT 123.9M

$26.4K ฿878.6K

30.38%

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

$72.4 MNT 260.3K

$63.7 ฿2,116

13.76%

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

$7.56 MNT 27.2K

$12.89 ฿429

-41.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.84 MNT 49.8K

$20.52 ฿682

-32.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.02 ฿1,297

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.92 ฿130

Cinema Ticket

$4.28 MNT 15.4K

$6.58 ฿219

-34.95%

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

$829 MNT 3.0M

$784 ฿26.1K

5.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,567 MNT 30.8M

$14.7K ฿487.9K

-41.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$80.8 MNT 290.7K

$55.1 ฿1,833

46.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.55 MNT 160.2K

$24.74 ฿823

80.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 MNT 376.1K

$94.1 ฿3,130

11.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$184 MNT 661.5K

$74.0 ฿2,459

148.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.3K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$288 ฿9,582

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$891 ฿29.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$521 ฿17.3K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,974 ฿65.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,444 ฿48.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿20.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.32

5.57

85.28%

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

Last update for Darkhan: September 14, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $32.00 in Darkhan versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $236 in Darkhan vs $241 in Chiang Mai – so Darkhan 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

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

Chiang Mai costs about 44% 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 $973 per month in Darkhan and $1,398 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 $32.00 in Darkhan and $20.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 2% 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 $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Darkhan, where all-in costs run around $648, than in Chiang Mai at $932. In Darkhan 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. Darkhan costs $648 versus $932 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.