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

Name: Chiang Mai
Address: Chiang Mai, TH

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $339 per month in Dharan vs $861 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $554 per month in Dharan vs $1,350 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $770 per month in Dharan vs $1,838 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

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

Both Dharan and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Dharan 75% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.12 NPR 325

$1.96 ฿65.7

8.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.57 NPR 2,852

$18.35 ฿616

1.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.73 NPR 1,034

$7.48 ฿251

-10.03%

Cappuccino

$1.80 NPR 277

$2.02 ฿67.7

-10.89%

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

$0.33 NPR 49.99

$0.85 ฿28.45

-61.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.13 NPR 20.08

$0.36 ฿11.94

-63.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.55 NPR 392

$2.14 ฿71.7

19.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.57 NPR 548

$3.59 ฿121

-0.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.71 NPR 110

$1.65 ฿55.4

-56.97%

White Bread (500g)

$0.34 NPR 52.7

$1.57 ฿52.6

-78.34%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.74 NPR 114

$1.19 ฿39.95

-37.82%

Eggs

$1.56 NPR 240

$1.94 ฿65.0

-19.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.22 NPR 1,109

$16.19 ฿544

-55.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.00 NPR 460

$2.99 ฿100

0.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.04 NPR 775

$10.94 ฿367

-53.93%

Apples (1kg)

$2.04 NPR 313

$2.71 ฿91.0

-24.72%

Banana (1kg)

$0.54 NPR 82.7

$1.17 ฿39.18

-53.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.64 NPR 98.5

$1.69 ฿56.6

-62.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.39 NPR 59.8

$1.60 ฿53.9

-75.63%

Potato (1kg)

$0.28 NPR 42.99

$1.38 ฿46.45

-79.71%

Onion (1kg)

$0.53 NPR 81.7

$1.20 ฿40.38

-55.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.53 NPR 81.5

$0.67 ฿22.46

-20.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.23 NPR 35.03

$0.56 ฿18.70

-58.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.85 NPR 438

$4.64 ฿156

-38.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$2.92 NPR 448

$17.62 ฿591

-83.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.25 NPR 346

$1.86 ฿62.4

20.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.19 NPR 489

$3.30 ฿111

-3.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.23 NPR 35.25

$0.88 ฿29.63

-73.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ฿649

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.12 NPR 326

$1.36 ฿45.82

55.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.77 NPR 118

$1.34 ฿44.90

-42.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.74 NPR 574

$8.21 ฿276

-54.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.33 NPR 204

$1.22 ฿41.11

9.02%

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

$32.5K NPR 5.0M

$21.4K ฿716.8K

52.36%

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

$40.7K NPR 6.2M

$22.5K ฿756.3K

80.56%

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

$26.71 NPR 4,103

$70.7 ฿2,372

-62.20%

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

$4.74 NPR 729

$14.04 ฿471

-66.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.73 NPR 1,801

$17.49 ฿587

-32.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$12.51 NPR 1,921

$42.15 ฿1,415

-70.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

Cinema Ticket

$2.90 NPR 445

$5.92 ฿199

-51.01%

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

$22.20 NPR 3,410

$309 ฿10.4K

-92.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,760 NPR 424.0K

$14.9K ฿499.5K

-81.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$12.81 NPR 1,967

$55.8 ฿1,872

-77.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.50 NPR 4,224

$26.11 ฿877

5.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$29.15 NPR 4,477

$83.0 ฿2,787

-64.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$32.95 NPR 5,062

$70.5 ฿2,365

-53.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$39.61 NPR 6,085

$432 ฿14.5K

-90.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$20.34 NPR 3,124

$239 ฿8,020

-91.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$88.6 NPR 13.6K

$822 ฿27.6K

-89.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$54.2 NPR 8,322

$512 ฿17.2K

-89.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,915 ฿64.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 ฿49.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$131 NPR 20.2K

$579 ฿19.4K

-77.35%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.08

141.60%

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

Last update for Dharan: July 13, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $39.61 in Dharan versus $432 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 342% 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 $19.00 in Dharan versus $18.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $120 in Dharan vs $243 in Chiang Mai – so Dharan 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

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

Chiang Mai costs about 154% more than Dharan, 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 $508 per month in Dharan and $1,292 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Dharan and $18.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 103% 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 $339 in Dharan and $861 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Dharan costs $339 versus $861 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.