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 $305 per month in Janakpur vs $852 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $522 per month in Janakpur vs $1,360 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $738 per month in Janakpur vs $1,867 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Janakpur is about 64% 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 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.86 NPR 285

$2.04 ฿68.2

-8.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$11.07 NPR 1,689

$18.71 ฿624

-40.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.38 NPR 974

$7.86 ฿262

-18.83%

Cappuccino

$1.73 NPR 264

$2.03 ฿67.7

-14.78%

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

$0.54 NPR 81.9

$0.80 ฿26.64

-32.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.17 NPR 25.24

$0.35 ฿11.68

-51.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.35 NPR 359

$2.14 ฿71.5

9.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 NPR 387

$3.67 ฿122

-31.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.68 NPR 104

$1.73 ฿57.6

-60.69%

White Bread (500g)

$0.33 NPR 50.9

$1.57 ฿52.4

-78.98%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.71 NPR 108

$1.20 ฿39.99

-40.83%

Eggs

$1.82 NPR 278

$1.97 ฿65.8

-7.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.46 NPR 681

$16.23 ฿541

-72.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.17 NPR 484

$3.06 ฿102

3.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.69 NPR 563

$10.80 ฿360

-65.83%

Apples (1kg)

$1.64 NPR 250

$2.77 ฿92.3

-40.79%

Banana (1kg)

$0.69 NPR 105

$1.17 ฿38.94

-41.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.23 NPR 188

$1.71 ฿57.0

-28.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.65 NPR 99.0

$1.59 ฿53.2

-59.12%

Potato (1kg)

$0.30 NPR 46.18

$1.39 ฿46.51

-78.42%

Onion (1kg)

$0.54 NPR 82.2

$1.16 ฿38.56

-53.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.23 NPR 35.17

$0.66 ฿22.05

-65.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.26 NPR 39.98

$0.52 ฿17.31

-50.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.52 NPR 384

$4.65 ฿155

-45.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.70 NPR 1,328

$17.78 ฿593

-51.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.87 NPR 285

$1.79 ฿59.6

4.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.62 NPR 400

$3.34 ฿111

-21.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.23 NPR 34.84

$0.91 ฿30.27

-74.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.64 ฿622

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.71 NPR 109

$1.41 ฿47.04

-49.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.69 NPR 106

$1.34 ฿44.70

-48.51%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.74 NPR 571

$8.11 ฿270

-53.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 NPR 183

$1.23 ฿41.16

-2.44%

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

$25.4K NPR 3.9M

$21.4K ฿715.1K

18.66%

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

$29.3K NPR 4.5M

$21.8K ฿728.0K

34.36%

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

$14.28 NPR 2,179

$71.3 ฿2,379

-79.98%

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

$4.97 NPR 759

$14.01 ฿467

-64.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$4.46 NPR 680

$17.93 ฿598

-75.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$11.06 NPR 1,687

$40.82 ฿1,362

-72.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.37 NPR 1,125

$6.88 ฿230

7.12%

Cinema Ticket

$3.18 NPR 485

$5.72 ฿191

-44.41%

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

$33.39 NPR 5,096

$308 ฿10.3K

-89.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,810 NPR 581.5K

$14.7K ฿489.7K

-74.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$23.57 NPR 3,597

$55.8 ฿1,860

-57.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$18.47 NPR 2,818

$26.04 ฿869

-29.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$31.54 NPR 4,813

$84.8 ฿2,829

-62.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$31.38 NPR 4,789

$71.0 ฿2,368

-55.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$37.60 NPR 5,739

$423 ฿14.1K

-91.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$22.10 NPR 3,374

$242 ฿8,088

-90.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$116 NPR 17.7K

$797 ฿26.6K

-85.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$88.0 NPR 13.4K

$507 ฿16.9K

-82.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,918 ฿64.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,464 ฿48.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$329 NPR 50.3K

$595 ฿19.9K

-44.67%

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: July 26, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $37.60 in Janakpur versus $423 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 81% 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: $119 vs $244 – 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 179% 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 $458 per month in Janakpur and $1,279 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 105% 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 $305 in Janakpur and $852 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Janakpur costs $305 versus $852 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.