Chiang Mai vs Kathmandu Cost of Living
Chiang Mai (Thailand) · Overall index 26.0 — Kathmandu (Nepal) · Overall index 19.7
Summary
- Overall, Kathmandu is 24% cheaper than Chiang Mai.
- Dining out in Kathmandu is 30% cheaper than in Chiang Mai.
- Rent in Kathmandu is 29% cheaper than in Chiang Mai.
| Item | Chiang Mai | Kathmandu | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rent | -29% | ||
| 1-bedroom apartment, city centre (monthly) | $477 | $337 | -29% |
| 1-bedroom apartment, outside centre (monthly) | $325 | $227 | -30% |
| 3-bedroom apartment, city centre (monthly) | $805 | $549 | -32% |
| 3-bedroom apartment, outside centre (monthly) | $542 | $390 | -28% |
| Groceries | -23% | ||
| Milk (1L) | $0.53 | $0.41 | -23% |
| White bread (500g) | $1.44 | $1.06 | -26% |
| Rice (1kg) | $1.68 | $1.36 | -19% |
| Eggs (12) | $1.78 | $1.46 | -18% |
| Local cheese (1kg) | $4.79 | $4.18 | -13% |
| Chicken fillets (1kg) | $4.84 | $3.96 | -18% |
| Beef round (1kg) | $6.72 | $4.88 | -27% |
| Apples (1kg) | $2.14 | $1.41 | -34% |
| Bananas (1kg) | $0.79 | $0.59 | -25% |
| Oranges (1kg) | $1.82 | $1.35 | -26% |
| Tomatoes (1kg) | $2.21 | $1.53 | -31% |
| Potatoes (1kg) | $1.07 | $0.82 | -23% |
| Onions (1kg) | $0.94 | $0.74 | -21% |
| Lettuce (1 head) | $0.93 | $0.76 | -18% |
| Water (1.5L bottle) | $0.87 | $0.74 | -15% |
| Bottle of wine (mid-range) | $5.67 | $4.27 | -25% |
| Transport | -26% | ||
| Public transport, one-way ticket | $0.71 | $0.55 | -23% |
| Public transport, monthly pass | $38.2 | $27.6 | -28% |
| Taxi, base fare | $1.11 | $0.88 | -21% |
| Taxi, per km | $0.56 | $0.4 | -29% |
| Gasoline (1L) | $0.29 | $0.22 | -24% |
| New compact car (e.g., VW Golf) | $8,510 | $5,793 | -32% |
| Dining out | -30% | ||
| Meal, inexpensive restaurant | $6.98 | $5.27 | -24% |
| Meal for 2, mid-range restaurant (3 courses) | $40 | $26.2 | -34% |
| Fast food combo meal | $3.87 | $2.65 | -32% |
| Cappuccino | $1.62 | $1.14 | -30% |
| Coke/Pepsi (0.33L, restaurant) | $0.9 | $0.63 | -30% |
| Domestic beer (0.5L, restaurant) | $2.41 | $1.46 | -39% |
| Imported beer (0.33L, restaurant) | $2.63 | $2 | -24% |
| Water (0.33L, restaurant) | $0.64 | $0.49 | -23% |
| Telecom | -16% | ||
| Mobile plan, calls + 10GB+ data (monthly) | $24.9 | $21.1 | -15% |
| Broadband internet 60Mbps+ (monthly) | $26.6 | $23.7 | -11% |
| Prepaid mobile tariff (1 min) | $0.15 | $0.11 | -27% |
| Video streaming subscription (monthly) | $6.1 | $5.46 | -10% |
| Utilities & household | -24% | ||
| Basic utilities, 85m² apartment (monthly) | $67.6 | $52.8 | -22% |
| Electricity (1 kWh) | $0.08 | $0.06 | -25% |
| Tap water (1m³) | $1.58 | $1.45 | -8% |
| Natural gas (1m³) | $0.56 | $0.43 | -23% |
| Waste collection (monthly) | $8.03 | $6.03 | -25% |
| Fitness club (monthly) | $32.5 | $24.1 | -26% |
| Cinema ticket (1 seat) | $6.4 | $4.8 | -25% |
| Men's haircut | $10.6 | $9.08 | -14% |
| Domestic cleaning (1 hour) | $9.66 | $6.48 | -33% |
| Private kindergarten (monthly) | $810 | $551 | -32% |
3,271 total data points · Price data as of 2026-07-01 · Exchange rates as of 2026-07-15
Keep your standard of living
Estimates for reference only — not official statistics.
Compare other cities
vs