Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Dharan and Chiang Mai

Name: Chiang Mai
Address: Chiang Mai, TH

For one person, living is cheaper in Dharan: $58.7 a month against $938 in Chiang Mai, rent and utilities included – about $10,600 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

17

Cost of Living Index in Dharan
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Dharan Living Index
45

Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
Learn more

Chiang Mai Living Index

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Dharan

🇳🇵 Nepal

$58.7

/mo nomad

Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$938

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Dharan and in Chiang Mai

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Dharan and in Chiang Mai actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $58.7 per month in Dharan vs $938 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Dharan $58.7
Chiang Mai $938

A couple spends around $92.5 per month in Dharan vs $1,426 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Dharan $92.5
Chiang Mai $1,426

A family of three spends $126 per month in Dharan vs $1,914 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Dharan $126
Chiang Mai $1,914

Dharan is about 94% cheaper than Chiang Mai, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Dharan and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Dharan 96% lower, Chiang Mai 30% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.98 NPR 302

$2.26 ฿75.4

-12.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.18 ฿641

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.59 ฿187

Cappuccino

$1.67 NPR 253

$1.72 ฿57.6

-2.91%

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

$0.41 NPR 61.6

$0.64 ฿21.54

-35.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.13 NPR 19.14

$0.33 ฿11.18

-60.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.36 ฿78.7

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.90 ฿130

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 ฿68.6

White Bread (500g)

$0.40 NPR 61.2

$1.40 ฿46.70

-71.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.89

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.3

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.94 ฿566

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.56 NPR 389

$2.74 ฿91.6

-6.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.36 ฿313

Apples (1kg)

$2.40 ฿80.3

Banana (1kg)

$1.01 ฿33.92

Oranges (1kg)

$1.61 ฿53.9

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿50.7

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.90

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 ฿37.22

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿24.09

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.54

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.33 ฿145

Wine (Bottle)

$17.73 ฿593

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ฿54.4

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.85 ฿95.3

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 ฿28.31

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.9 ฿1,801

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 ฿39.18

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.57 ฿19.00

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.37 ฿79.2

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.08 NPR 165

$1.45 ฿48.32

-25.52%

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

$20.5K ฿684.3K

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

$26.5K ฿886.1K

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

$62.3 ฿2,083

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

$12.27 ฿410

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.97 ฿668

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.91 ฿1,267

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.76 ฿126

Cinema Ticket

$1.95 NPR 296

$6.71 ฿224

-70.94%

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

$797 ฿26.6K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿495.7K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.3 ฿1,780

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.05 ฿837

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.6 ฿3,062

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.5 ฿2,455

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$464 ฿15.5K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$305 ฿10.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$915 ฿30.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$552 ฿18.5K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,912 ฿63.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,438 ฿48.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

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

Last update for Dharan: October 10, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Eating Out

Dharan

$38 * 64.7%

Chiang Mai

$79 8.4% 108% $41

Groceries & Markets

Dharan

$17 * 28.7%

Chiang Mai

$238 25.4% 1314% $221

Sport & Entertainment

Dharan

$3.9 * 6.6%

Chiang Mai

$51 5.5% 1220% $47

Getting Around

Dharan

- * 0%

Chiang Mai

$61 6.5%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Dharan

- * 0%

Chiang Mai

$95 10.1%

Clothing & Footwear

Dharan

- * 0%

Chiang Mai

$110 11.7%

Accommodation & Living

Dharan

- * 0%

Chiang Mai

$305 32.5%

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Good to know

🇳🇵 Dharan

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🕒 Local time

18:13 6:13 PM

19:28 7:28 PM

1 h 15 min ahead of Dharan

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

173,096

127,240

💱 Currency

Nepalese Rupee NPR रु

Thai Baht THB ฿

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 NPR = 6.58 USD

1,000 NPR = 5.85 EUR

100 THB = 2.99 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

THB, USD, EUR to NPR – Nepalese Rupee Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇳🇵 Nepalese Rupee (रु)

Nepalese Rupee exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 152 NPR (1,000 NPR = 6.58 USD). 1 EUR = 171 NPR (1,000 NPR = 5.85 EUR).

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 33.42 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.57 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

USD to NPR in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Dharan Chiang Mai 1,490 km ≈ 2 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Dharan
Chiang Mai

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

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

Chiang Mai costs about 1498% more than Dharan, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $88.1 per month in Dharan and $1,408 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $58.7 in Dharan and $938 in Chiang Mai. That's a gap of about 1498%.

Groceries cost about 1314% 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 Dharan, where all-in costs run around $58.7, than in Chiang Mai at $938. In Dharan 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. Dharan costs $58.7 versus $938 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 Dharan. 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.