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

🙂 Solo nomad: Thimphu is 37.4% cheaper than Chiang Mai without rent, and 47.2% cheaper with rent.

🙂 Family of 3: Thimphu is 30.9% cheaper than Chiang Mai without rent, and 42% cheaper with rent.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.94 BTN 267

$1.97 ฿62.0

49.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$17.45 BTN 1,583

$18.68 ฿587

-6.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.57 BTN 324

$7.92 ฿249

-54.92%

Cappuccino

$1.41 BTN 128

$2.02 ฿63.7

-30.20%

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

$0.48 BTN 43.59

$0.84 ฿26.45

-42.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.17 BTN 15.34

$0.35 ฿11.07

-51.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.99 BTN 272

$2.22 ฿69.9

34.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.27 BTN 206

$3.59 ฿113

-36.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.82 BTN 74.1

$1.67 ฿52.4

-50.90%

White Bread (500g)

$0.96 BTN 87.1

$1.62 ฿51.1

-40.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.73 BTN 65.9

$1.20 ฿37.83

-39.17%

Eggs

$2.08 BTN 188

$1.93 ฿60.8

7.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.25 BTN 295

$16.00 ฿503

-79.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.90 BTN 354

$3.16 ฿99.2

23.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.20 BTN 381

$10.93 ฿344

-61.57%

Apples (1kg)

$2.48 BTN 225

$2.67 ฿83.8

-7.12%

Banana (1kg)

$1.47 BTN 133

$1.18 ฿36.99

24.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.84 BTN 167

$1.64 ฿51.5

12.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.77 BTN 69.9

$1.59 ฿49.83

-51.57%

Potato (1kg)

$0.49 BTN 44.52

$1.32 ฿41.64

-62.88%

Onion (1kg)

$0.56 BTN 51.3

$1.19 ฿37.49

-52.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.46 BTN 41.38

$0.71 ฿22.20

-35.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.32 BTN 28.92

$0.56 ฿17.75

-42.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.84 BTN 349

$4.64 ฿146

-17.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$3.24 BTN 294

$18.96 ฿596

-82.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.62 BTN 56.6

$1.77 ฿55.7

-64.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.04 BTN 94.0

$3.20 ฿101

-67.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.77 BTN 161

$0.90 ฿28.32

96.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$3.93 BTN 356

$19.24 ฿605

-79.57%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.88 BTN 80.1

$1.36 ฿42.78

-35.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.30 BTN 209

$1.35 ฿42.37

70.37%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.19 BTN 16.83

$8.15 ฿256

-97.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.89 BTN 81.2

$1.22 ฿38.43

-27.05%

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

$21.4K ฿671.8K

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

$21.7K ฿683.8K

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

$23.17 BTN 2,102

$70.3 ฿2,210

-67.04%

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

$38.16 BTN 3,463

$13.91 ฿437

174.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.42 BTN 2,398

$18.00 ฿566

46.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.86 BTN 4,433

$41.78 ฿1,314

16.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.36 BTN 668

$6.80 ฿214

8.24%

Cinema Ticket

$3.56 BTN 323

$5.72 ฿180

-37.76%

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

$242 BTN 21.9K

$308 ฿9,693

-21.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$657 BTN 59.6K

$14.8K ฿465.7K

-95.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$9.06 BTN 822

$55.9 ฿1,756

-83.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$11.71 BTN 1,063

$26.71 ฿840

-56.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$32.32 BTN 2,933

$84.5 ฿2,658

-61.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$32.40 BTN 2,940

$70.8 ฿2,227

-54.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$115 BTN 10.4K

$431 ฿13.5K

-73.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$63.9 BTN 5,800

$237 ฿7,439

-72.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$200 BTN 18.1K

$811 ฿25.5K

-75.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$137 BTN 12.4K

$501 ฿15.7K

-72.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$573 BTN 52.0K

$2,202 ฿69.2K

-73.98%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$111 BTN 10.1K

$1,600 ฿50.3K

-93.08%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$525 BTN 47.7K

$684 ฿21.5K

-23.25%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.75

115.00%

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

Last update for Thimphu: January 11, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: January 13, 2026

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated December 2025)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

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