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

Name: Chiang Mai
Address: Chiang Mai, TH

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $396 per month in Gaighat vs $866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $643 per month in Gaighat vs $1,351 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $890 per month in Gaighat vs $1,835 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Gaighat is about 54% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Gaighat and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Gaighat 70% lower, Chiang Mai 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.84 NPR 280

$1.94 ฿63.5

-5.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.17 NPR 2,917

$18.64 ฿609

2.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.37 NPR 970

$7.82 ฿255

-18.54%

Cappuccino

$1.83 NPR 278

$1.95 ฿63.8

-6.15%

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

$0.53 NPR 81.0

$0.85 ฿27.77

-37.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.18 NPR 27.01

$0.35 ฿11.58

-48.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.63 NPR 400

$2.13 ฿69.6

23.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 NPR 545

$3.73 ฿122

-4.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.60 NPR 90.7

$1.71 ฿56.0

-64.91%

White Bread (500g)

$0.23 NPR 35.09

$1.63 ฿53.2

-85.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.35 NPR 52.9

$1.14 ฿37.15

-69.30%

Eggs

$1.13 NPR 172

$1.93 ฿63.1

-41.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.82 NPR 1,343

$16.21 ฿530

-45.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.17 NPR 330

$3.12 ฿102

-30.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$2.88 NPR 438

$10.90 ฿356

-73.58%

Apples (1kg)

$1.77 NPR 270

$2.75 ฿90.0

-35.64%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 NPR 165

$1.21 ฿39.52

-10.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.71 NPR 108

$1.62 ฿53.0

-56.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.38 NPR 57.4

$1.59 ฿51.8

-76.10%

Potato (1kg)

$0.37 NPR 56.4

$1.40 ฿45.70

-73.57%

Onion (1kg)

$0.35 NPR 53.1

$1.17 ฿38.17

-70.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.53 NPR 80.4

$0.66 ฿21.60

-19.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.15 NPR 22.61

$0.53 ฿17.22

-71.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.14 NPR 325

$4.69 ฿153

-54.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$3.85 NPR 586

$18.66 ฿609

-79.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.48 NPR 226

$1.80 ฿58.8

-17.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 NPR 487

$3.23 ฿106

-0.93%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.18 NPR 28.13

$0.90 ฿29.26

-80.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.16 NPR 328

$1.41 ฿45.91

53.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.05 NPR 160

$1.29 ฿42.12

-18.60%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.68 NPR 560

$7.84 ฿256

-53.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 NPR 195

$1.27 ฿41.58

0.79%

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

$32.2K NPR 4.9M

$21.3K ฿694.9K

51.22%

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

$41.0K NPR 6.2M

$22.2K ฿725.4K

84.41%

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

$32.56 NPR 4,956

$69.1 ฿2,256

-52.86%

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

$4.78 NPR 727

$14.08 ฿460

-66.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.52 NPR 1,449

$18.00 ฿588

-47.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$17.89 NPR 2,724

$41.06 ฿1,341

-56.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

Cinema Ticket

$3.25 NPR 494

$5.92 ฿193

-45.10%

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

$91.8 NPR 14.0K

$299 ฿9,766

-69.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,832 NPR 583.2K

$15.0K ฿488.3K

-74.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$25.04 NPR 3,811

$54.7 ฿1,787

-54.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.41 NPR 4,325

$26.77 ฿874

6.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$59.1 NPR 8,994

$85.0 ฿2,776

-30.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$40.22 NPR 6,122

$70.6 ฿2,306

-43.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$105 NPR 16.0K

$428 ฿14.0K

-75.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$64.0 NPR 9,744

$237 ฿7,752

-73.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$208 NPR 31.6K

$801 ฿26.2K

-74.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$146 NPR 22.2K

$515 ฿16.8K

-71.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

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 Gaighat: June 1, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $105 in Gaighat versus $428 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Gaighat versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $107 vs $246 – making Gaighat 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

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

Chiang Mai costs about 119% more than Gaighat, 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 $594 per month in Gaighat and $1,300 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Gaighat, 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 Gaighat and $19.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 129% 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.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $396 in Gaighat and $866 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Gaighat costs $396 versus $866 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 Gaighat. 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.