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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $527 in Ahmedabad versus $872 in Chiang Mai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $803 in Ahmedabad versus $1,337 in Chiang Mai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,079 in Ahmedabad versus $1,802 in Chiang Mai.

Living in Ahmedabad costs roughly 40% less than in Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Ahmedabad 61% lower, Chiang Mai 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.55 ₹330

$2.01 ฿64.5

76.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$16.54 ₹1,535

$18.23 ฿584

-9.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.58 ₹425

$7.65 ฿245

-40.13%

Cappuccino

$2.12 ₹197

$1.92 ฿61.5

10.42%

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

$0.48 ₹44.47

$0.84 ฿26.97

-42.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.15 ₹14.01

$0.36 ฿11.42

-58.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.40 ₹315

$2.19 ฿70.2

55.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.69 ₹528

$3.79 ฿121

50.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.76 ₹70.2

$1.64 ฿52.5

-53.66%

White Bread (500g)

$0.62 ₹57.4

$1.62 ฿52.0

-61.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.82 ₹76.2

$1.15 ฿36.98

-28.70%

Eggs

$1.09 ₹101

$1.94 ฿62.2

-43.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.35 ₹590

$15.94 ฿511

-60.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.83 ₹355

$3.10 ฿99.5

23.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.07 ฿355

Apples (1kg)

$2.11 ₹196

$2.71 ฿86.8

-22.14%

Banana (1kg)

$0.75 ₹69.8

$1.18 ฿37.80

-36.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.34 ₹125

$1.71 ฿54.7

-21.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.62 ₹57.4

$1.61 ฿51.5

-61.49%

Potato (1kg)

$0.46 ₹42.41

$1.39 ฿44.66

-66.91%

Onion (1kg)

$0.46 ₹42.54

$1.15 ฿36.81

-60.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 ₹68.3

$0.71 ฿22.83

4.23%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.32 ₹29.25

$0.55 ฿17.65

-41.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.17 ₹387

$4.57 ฿146

-8.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.76 ₹720

$18.87 ฿605

-58.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.61 ₹242

$1.82 ฿58.4

43.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.82 ₹447

$3.21 ฿103

50.16%

Buffalo Round (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) (1kg)

$6.36 ₹590

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.30 ₹28.02

$0.88 ฿28.24

-65.91%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.40 ₹779

$18.89 ฿606

-55.53%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.19 ₹111

$1.41 ฿45.30

-15.60%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.30 ₹27.92

$1.30 ฿41.71

-76.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.36 ₹219

$8.20 ฿263

-71.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 ₹110

$1.23 ฿39.29

-3.25%

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

$13.9K ₹1.3M

$21.2K ฿678.9K

-34.41%

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

$24.9K ₹2.3M

$22.3K ฿715.3K

11.55%

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

$58.8 ₹5,459

$69.9 ฿2,240

-15.80%

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

$4.48 ₹416

$14.07 ฿451

-68.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$7.49 ₹695

$17.70 ฿567

-57.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$16.95 ₹1,573

$41.41 ฿1,328

-59.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.35 ₹868

$6.69 ฿215

39.76%

Cinema Ticket

$3.40 ₹315

$5.74 ฿184

-40.77%

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

$54.8 ₹5,084

$299 ฿9,593

-81.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,696 ₹157.4K

$15.0K ฿481.2K

-88.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$24.73 ₹2,295

$54.8 ฿1,758

-54.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.12 ₹2,331

$26.35 ฿845

-4.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$54.0 ₹5,008

$84.7 ฿2,714

-36.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$38.87 ₹3,607

$69.7 ฿2,236

-44.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$162 ₹15.0K

$427 ฿13.7K

-62.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$126 ₹11.7K

$241 ฿7,718

-47.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$377 ₹35.0K

$811 ฿26.0K

-53.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ₹22.2K

$498 ฿16.0K

-52.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$848 ₹78.7K

$2,022 ฿64.8K

-58.09%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$588 ₹54.6K

$1,524 ฿48.9K

-61.39%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$472 ₹43.8K

$639 ฿20.5K

-26.16%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.98

79.60%

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

Last update for Ahmedabad: April 12, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $162 in Ahmedabad and $427 in Chiang Mai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Chiang Mai pays 35% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $17 in Ahmedabad vs $18 in Chiang Mai for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $130 vs $246 per month, with Ahmedabad cheaper across the board.

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

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

Ahmedabad and Chiang Mai differ by about 65% in total monthly costs ($527 vs $872 including rent). Ahmedabad is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Chiang Mai earns 35% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $162 in Ahmedabad versus $427 in Chiang Mai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $54.8 in Ahmedabad versus $299 in Chiang Mai. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 89% higher in Chiang Mai. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Ahmedabad gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Ahmedabad and Chiang Mai are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Ahmedabad gentler on the wallet – expenses run 65% less than in Chiang Mai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.