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 $398 per month in Gaighat vs $861 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $650 per month in Gaighat vs $1,350 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $902 per month in Gaighat vs $1,838 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 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.84 NPR 283

$1.96 ฿65.9

-6.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.05 NPR 2,927

$18.35 ฿617

3.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.56 NPR 1,008

$7.48 ฿252

-12.30%

Cappuccino

$1.84 NPR 283

$2.02 ฿67.8

-8.91%

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

$0.50 NPR 76.4

$0.85 ฿28.52

-41.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.19 NPR 29.27

$0.36 ฿11.97

-47.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.53 NPR 389

$2.14 ฿71.9

18.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.60 NPR 552

$3.59 ฿121

0.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.60 NPR 91.7

$1.65 ฿55.5

-63.64%

White Bread (500g)

$0.21 NPR 32.11

$1.57 ฿52.7

-86.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.37 NPR 57.3

$1.19 ฿40.05

-68.91%

Eggs

$1.11 NPR 171

$1.94 ฿65.1

-42.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.73 NPR 1,342

$16.19 ฿545

-46.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.14 NPR 328

$2.99 ฿101

-28.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$2.98 NPR 457

$10.94 ฿368

-72.76%

Apples (1kg)

$1.80 NPR 277

$2.71 ฿91.2

-33.58%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 NPR 167

$1.17 ฿39.27

-6.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.70 NPR 108

$1.69 ฿56.8

-58.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.37 NPR 57.5

$1.60 ฿54.0

-76.88%

Potato (1kg)

$0.34 NPR 52.8

$1.38 ฿46.56

-75.36%

Onion (1kg)

$0.35 NPR 53.2

$1.20 ฿40.47

-70.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.52 NPR 80.1

$0.67 ฿22.51

-22.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.17 NPR 25.66

$0.56 ฿18.74

-69.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.22 NPR 341

$4.64 ฿156

-52.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$3.82 NPR 587

$17.62 ฿593

-78.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.49 NPR 229

$1.86 ฿62.6

-19.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.25 NPR 499

$3.30 ฿111

-1.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.21 NPR 31.61

$0.88 ฿29.70

-76.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ฿651

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.20 NPR 338

$1.36 ฿45.92

61.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.05 NPR 162

$1.34 ฿45.00

-21.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.73 NPR 573

$8.21 ฿276

-54.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 NPR 195

$1.22 ฿41.20

4.10%

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

$32.5K NPR 5.0M

$21.4K ฿718.5K

51.99%

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

$40.7K NPR 6.3M

$22.5K ฿758.1K

80.68%

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

$32.60 NPR 5,008

$70.7 ฿2,378

-53.87%

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

$4.75 NPR 730

$14.04 ฿472

-66.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.76 NPR 1,499

$17.49 ฿589

-44.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$18.38 NPR 2,824

$42.15 ฿1,418

-56.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

Cinema Ticket

$3.20 NPR 492

$5.92 ฿199

-45.95%

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

$91.7 NPR 14.1K

$309 ฿10.4K

-70.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,820 NPR 586.7K

$14.9K ฿500.7K

-74.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$24.43 NPR 3,753

$55.8 ฿1,876

-56.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.49 NPR 4,377

$26.11 ฿879

9.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$58.6 NPR 9,005

$83.0 ฿2,793

-29.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$40.33 NPR 6,196

$70.5 ฿2,371

-42.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$107 NPR 16.4K

$432 ฿14.5K

-75.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$62.9 NPR 9,659

$239 ฿8,040

-73.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$204 NPR 31.3K

$822 ฿27.7K

-75.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$145 NPR 22.3K

$512 ฿17.2K

-71.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,915 ฿64.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 ฿49.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$579 ฿19.5K

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: July 11, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $107 in Gaighat 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Gaighat versus $18.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $107 in Gaighat vs $243 in Chiang Mai – so Gaighat 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

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

Chiang Mai costs about 117% 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 $596 per month in Gaighat 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 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 $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 127% 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 $398 in Gaighat and $861 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Gaighat costs $398 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 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.