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 $674 per month in Darkhan vs $852 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,075 per month in Darkhan vs $1,354 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,475 per month in Darkhan vs $1,857 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Darkhan is about 21% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Darkhan and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Darkhan 50% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.51 MNT 19.8K

$1.96 ฿63.6

181.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.07 MNT 104.3K

$18.81 ฿611

54.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.41 MNT 19.4K

$7.92 ฿258

-31.69%

Cappuccino

$2.64 MNT 9,463

$1.91 ฿62.2

38.22%

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

$0.76 MNT 2,730

$0.84 ฿27.25

-9.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 MNT 1,706

$0.35 ฿11.44

37.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.04 MNT 7,327

$2.21 ฿71.7

-7.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 MNT 8,301

$3.80 ฿124

-39.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.48 MNT 5,310

$1.64 ฿53.2

-9.76%

White Bread (500g)

$1.03 MNT 3,679

$1.62 ฿52.8

-36.42%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.13 MNT 7,642

$1.18 ฿38.40

80.51%

Eggs

$2.08 MNT 7,453

$2.01 ฿65.4

3.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.76 MNT 56.5K

$15.89 ฿517

-0.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.65 MNT 20.3K

$3.01 ฿98.0

87.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.37 MNT 22.9K

$10.77 ฿350

-40.85%

Apples (1kg)

$3.02 MNT 10.8K

$2.61 ฿85.0

15.71%

Banana (1kg)

$2.64 MNT 9,462

$1.22 ฿39.65

116.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.32 MNT 15.5K

$1.70 ฿55.4

154.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.70 MNT 9,670

$1.58 ฿51.2

70.89%

Potato (1kg)

$0.71 MNT 2,551

$1.32 ฿42.89

-46.21%

Onion (1kg)

$1.07 MNT 3,834

$1.17 ฿38.01

-8.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.30 MNT 4,672

$0.67 ฿21.85

94.03%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.69 MNT 2,489

$0.56 ฿18.21

23.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.77 MNT 6,343

$4.53 ฿147

-60.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.87 MNT 35.4K

$18.20 ฿592

-45.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 MNT 5,022

$1.83 ฿59.6

-23.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.77 MNT 6,363

$3.23 ฿105

-45.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.17 MNT 608

$0.89 ฿28.83

-80.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.38 ฿630

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.28 MNT 992

$1.35 ฿43.95

-79.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.57 MNT 2,037

$1.35 ฿43.79

-57.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.82 MNT 17.3K

$8.25 ฿268

-41.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.03 MNT 3,708

$1.27 ฿41.40

-18.90%

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

$30.8K MNT 110.6M

$21.2K ฿687.8K

45.74%

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

$19.0K MNT 68.2M

$22.5K ฿731.0K

-15.52%

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

$81.1 MNT 291.0K

$70.2 ฿2,281

15.62%

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

$7.76 MNT 27.8K

$13.77 ฿448

-43.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.08 MNT 61.3K

$17.60 ฿572

-2.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.57 ฿1,352

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.60 ฿215

Cinema Ticket

$3.76 MNT 13.5K

$5.78 ฿188

-34.95%

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

$174 MNT 623.5K

$306 ฿9,953

-43.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,450 MNT 23.1M

$14.8K ฿482.0K

-56.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$84.4 MNT 302.8K

$54.4 ฿1,768

55.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$69.4 MNT 249.1K

$26.14 ฿850

165.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 MNT 365.2K

$84.5 ฿2,748

20.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$162 MNT 581.8K

$69.4 ฿2,257

133.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$424 ฿13.8K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$238 ฿7,743

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$825 ฿26.8K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.7K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,049 ฿66.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,523 ฿49.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$635 ฿20.6K

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: April 28, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 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 $243 – 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 26% 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 $1,011 per month in Darkhan and $1,278 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 $674 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 $674 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.