Kathmandu vs Chiang Mai Cost of Living
Kathmandu (Nepal) · Overall index 19.7 — Chiang Mai (Thailand) · Overall index 26.0
Summary
- Overall, Chiang Mai is 32% more expensive than Kathmandu.
- Dining out in Chiang Mai is 43% more expensive than in Kathmandu.
- Rent in Chiang Mai is 42% more expensive than in Kathmandu.
| Item | Kathmandu | Chiang Mai | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rent | +42% | ||
| 1-bedroom apartment, city centre (monthly) | $337 | $477 | +42% |
| 1-bedroom apartment, outside centre (monthly) | $227 | $325 | +43% |
| 3-bedroom apartment, city centre (monthly) | $549 | $805 | +47% |
| 3-bedroom apartment, outside centre (monthly) | $390 | $542 | +39% |
| Groceries | +30% | ||
| Milk (1L) | $0.41 | $0.53 | +29% |
| White bread (500g) | $1.06 | $1.44 | +36% |
| Rice (1kg) | $1.36 | $1.68 | +24% |
| Eggs (12) | $1.46 | $1.78 | +22% |
| Local cheese (1kg) | $4.18 | $4.79 | +15% |
| Chicken fillets (1kg) | $3.96 | $4.84 | +22% |
| Beef round (1kg) | $4.88 | $6.72 | +38% |
| Apples (1kg) | $1.41 | $2.14 | +52% |
| Bananas (1kg) | $0.59 | $0.79 | +34% |
| Oranges (1kg) | $1.35 | $1.82 | +35% |
| Tomatoes (1kg) | $1.53 | $2.21 | +44% |
| Potatoes (1kg) | $0.82 | $1.07 | +30% |
| Onions (1kg) | $0.74 | $0.94 | +27% |
| Lettuce (1 head) | $0.76 | $0.93 | +22% |
| Water (1.5L bottle) | $0.74 | $0.87 | +18% |
| Bottle of wine (mid-range) | $4.27 | $5.67 | +33% |
| Transport | +36% | ||
| Public transport, one-way ticket | $0.55 | $0.71 | +29% |
| Public transport, monthly pass | $27.6 | $38.2 | +38% |
| Taxi, base fare | $0.88 | $1.11 | +26% |
| Taxi, per km | $0.4 | $0.56 | +40% |
| Gasoline (1L) | $0.22 | $0.29 | +32% |
| New compact car (e.g., VW Golf) | $5,793 | $8,510 | +47% |
| Dining out | +43% | ||
| Meal, inexpensive restaurant | $5.27 | $6.98 | +32% |
| Meal for 2, mid-range restaurant (3 courses) | $26.2 | $40 | +53% |
| Fast food combo meal | $2.65 | $3.87 | +46% |
| Cappuccino | $1.14 | $1.62 | +42% |
| Coke/Pepsi (0.33L, restaurant) | $0.63 | $0.9 | +43% |
| Domestic beer (0.5L, restaurant) | $1.46 | $2.41 | +65% |
| Imported beer (0.33L, restaurant) | $2 | $2.63 | +31% |
| Water (0.33L, restaurant) | $0.49 | $0.64 | +31% |
| Telecom | +19% | ||
| Mobile plan, calls + 10GB+ data (monthly) | $21.1 | $24.9 | +18% |
| Broadband internet 60Mbps+ (monthly) | $23.7 | $26.6 | +12% |
| Prepaid mobile tariff (1 min) | $0.11 | $0.15 | +36% |
| Video streaming subscription (monthly) | $5.46 | $6.1 | +12% |
| Utilities & household | +31% | ||
| Basic utilities, 85m² apartment (monthly) | $52.8 | $67.6 | +28% |
| Electricity (1 kWh) | $0.06 | $0.08 | +33% |
| Tap water (1m³) | $1.45 | $1.58 | +9% |
| Natural gas (1m³) | $0.43 | $0.56 | +30% |
| Waste collection (monthly) | $6.03 | $8.03 | +33% |
| Fitness club (monthly) | $24.1 | $32.5 | +35% |
| Cinema ticket (1 seat) | $4.8 | $6.4 | +33% |
| Men's haircut | $9.08 | $10.6 | +17% |
| Domestic cleaning (1 hour) | $6.48 | $9.66 | +49% |
| Private kindergarten (monthly) | $551 | $810 | +47% |
3,271 total data points · Price data as of 2026-07-01 · Exchange rates as of 2026-07-15
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Estimates for reference only — not official statistics.
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