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

Name: Chiang Mai
Address: Chiang Mai, TH

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $307 per month in Janakpur vs $869 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $517 per month in Janakpur vs $1,362 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $728 per month in Janakpur vs $1,855 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Janakpur is about 65% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Janakpur and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Janakpur 77% lower, Chiang Mai 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.84 NPR 281

$1.98 ฿64.3

-7.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$10.75 NPR 1,636

$18.80 ฿612

-42.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.58 NPR 1,001

$7.75 ฿252

-15.10%

Cappuccino

$1.66 NPR 252

$1.92 ฿62.5

-13.54%

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

$0.53 NPR 81.3

$0.79 ฿25.79

-32.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.15 NPR 22.30

$0.36 ฿11.62

-58.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.27 NPR 346

$2.21 ฿72.1

2.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.60 NPR 396

$3.66 ฿119

-28.96%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.65 NPR 98.9

$1.65 ฿53.8

-60.61%

White Bread (500g)

$0.31 NPR 46.62

$1.63 ฿53.2

-80.98%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.66 NPR 100

$1.19 ฿38.86

-44.54%

Eggs

$1.77 NPR 269

$2.00 ฿65.1

-11.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 NPR 661

$15.98 ฿520

-72.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.15 NPR 479

$3.03 ฿98.5

3.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.68 NPR 560

$10.86 ฿354

-66.11%

Apples (1kg)

$1.68 NPR 256

$2.76 ฿90.0

-39.13%

Banana (1kg)

$0.63 NPR 96.3

$1.18 ฿38.42

-46.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.24 NPR 189

$1.64 ฿53.5

-24.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.64 NPR 97.2

$1.52 ฿49.51

-57.89%

Potato (1kg)

$0.28 NPR 42.43

$1.38 ฿45.10

-79.71%

Onion (1kg)

$0.58 NPR 88.7

$1.19 ฿38.84

-51.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.21 NPR 31.81

$0.70 ฿22.86

-70.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.24 NPR 36.48

$0.56 ฿18.13

-57.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.49 NPR 379

$4.58 ฿149

-45.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.88 NPR 1,199

$16.56 ฿539

-52.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 NPR 279

$1.83 ฿59.5

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 NPR 379

$3.20 ฿104

-22.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.18 NPR 26.92

$0.88 ฿28.56

-79.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.72 ฿610

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.75 NPR 114

$1.36 ฿44.16

-44.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.69 NPR 106

$1.34 ฿43.65

-48.51%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.55 NPR 540

$7.84 ฿256

-54.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 NPR 175

$1.23 ฿39.92

-6.50%

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

$25.9K NPR 3.9M

$21.6K ฿704.3K

19.88%

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

$29.0K NPR 4.4M

$22.5K ฿734.3K

28.50%

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

$14.71 NPR 2,238

$70.5 ฿2,298

-79.15%

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

$4.92 NPR 749

$13.68 ฿445

-64.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$4.50 NPR 685

$17.45 ฿568

-74.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$10.81 NPR 1,644

$41.33 ฿1,346

-73.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.37 NPR 1,122

$6.96 ฿227

5.89%

Cinema Ticket

$3.04 NPR 462

$5.77 ฿188

-47.31%

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

$32.85 NPR 4,999

$307 ฿10.0K

-89.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,787 NPR 576.2K

$14.6K ฿475.9K

-74.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$24.07 NPR 3,663

$55.8 ฿1,817

-56.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$18.53 NPR 2,819

$26.21 ฿854

-29.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$31.16 NPR 4,742

$85.8 ฿2,793

-63.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$30.34 NPR 4,617

$72.2 ฿2,353

-58.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$37.66 NPR 5,730

$430 ฿14.0K

-91.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$22.17 NPR 3,373

$239 ฿7,774

-90.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$116 NPR 17.7K

$817 ฿26.6K

-85.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$87.4 NPR 13.3K

$511 ฿16.6K

-82.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,983 ฿64.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,484 ฿48.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$209 NPR 31.7K

$619 ฿20.2K

-66.29%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

140.00%

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

Last update for Janakpur: June 8, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $37.66 in Janakpur versus $430 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 197% 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 $11.00 in Janakpur versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $115 vs $241 – making Janakpur 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

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

Chiang Mai costs about 183% more than Janakpur, 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 $461 per month in Janakpur and $1,303 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Janakpur, 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 $11.00 in Janakpur 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 109% 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 $307 in Janakpur and $869 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Janakpur costs $307 versus $869 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 Janakpur. 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.