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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $307 in Bhilai versus $866 in Chiang Mai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $503 in Bhilai versus $1,351 in Chiang Mai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $698 in Bhilai versus $1,835 in Chiang Mai.

Living in Bhilai costs roughly 65% less than in Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bhilai 77% lower, Chiang Mai 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.60 ₹248

$1.94 ฿63.5

34.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$8.24 ₹785

$18.64 ฿609

-55.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.25 ₹310

$7.82 ฿255

-58.44%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ₹172

$1.95 ฿63.8

-7.18%

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

$0.28 ₹26.61

$0.85 ฿27.77

-67.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.21 ₹20.30

$0.35 ฿11.58

-40.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.52 ₹145

$2.13 ฿69.6

-28.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 ₹296

$3.73 ฿122

-16.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.67 ₹64.2

$1.71 ฿56.0

-60.82%

White Bread (500g)

$0.32 ₹30.60

$1.63 ฿53.2

-80.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.68 ₹64.9

$1.14 ฿37.15

-40.35%

Eggs

$0.93 ₹88.2

$1.93 ฿63.1

-51.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.60 ₹439

$16.21 ฿530

-71.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.76 ₹262

$3.12 ฿102

-11.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿356

Apples (1kg)

$2.13 ₹203

$2.75 ฿90.0

-22.55%

Banana (1kg)

$0.56 ₹53.1

$1.21 ฿39.52

-53.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.61 ₹58.0

$1.62 ฿53.0

-62.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.43 ₹40.48

$1.59 ฿51.8

-72.96%

Potato (1kg)

$0.39 ₹37.20

$1.40 ฿45.70

-72.14%

Onion (1kg)

$0.47 ₹44.74

$1.17 ฿38.17

-59.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.24 ₹22.87

$0.66 ฿21.60

-63.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.27 ₹25.66

$0.53 ฿17.22

-49.06%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.35 ₹224

$4.69 ฿153

-49.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.62 ₹440

$18.66 ฿609

-75.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.95 ₹90.5

$1.80 ฿58.8

-47.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.30 ₹219

$3.23 ฿106

-28.79%

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

$4.09 ₹390

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.24 ₹22.99

$0.90 ฿29.26

-73.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$2.95 ₹281

$19.21 ฿628

-84.64%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.14 ₹108

$1.41 ฿45.91

-19.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.24 ₹22.89

$1.29 ฿42.12

-81.40%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.73 ₹165

$7.84 ฿256

-77.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.18 ₹112

$1.27 ฿41.58

-7.09%

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

$11.7K ₹1.1M

$21.3K ฿694.9K

-45.07%

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

$19.8K ₹1.9M

$22.2K ฿725.4K

-10.78%

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

$23.59 ₹2,247

$69.1 ฿2,256

-65.85%

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

$3.76 ₹358

$14.08 ฿460

-73.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$6.08 ₹579

$18.00 ฿588

-66.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$3.40 ₹324

$41.06 ฿1,341

-91.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.83 ₹651

$6.96 ฿227

-1.87%

Cinema Ticket

$1.70 ₹162

$5.92 ฿193

-71.28%

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

$57.1 ₹5,440

$299 ฿9,766

-80.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,503 ₹143.2K

$15.0K ฿488.3K

-89.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$17.31 ₹1,649

$54.7 ฿1,787

-68.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$17.68 ₹1,684

$26.77 ฿874

-33.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$17.11 ₹1,630

$85.0 ฿2,776

-79.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$27.43 ₹2,613

$70.6 ฿2,306

-61.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$124 ₹11.8K

$428 ฿14.0K

-71.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$68.9 ₹6,561

$237 ฿7,752

-70.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$271 ₹25.8K

$801 ฿26.2K

-66.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$179 ₹17.0K

$515 ฿16.8K

-65.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$647 ₹61.6K

$617 ฿20.2K

4.77%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

60.00%

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

Last update for Bhilai: June 2, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $124 in Bhilai and $428 in Chiang Mai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bhilai pays 5% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $8.00 in Bhilai vs $19.00 in Chiang Mai for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $87.0 vs $246 per month, with Bhilai 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

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

Bhilai and Chiang Mai differ by about 182% in total monthly costs ($307 vs $866 including rent). Bhilai is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Bhilai pays 5% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $124 in Bhilai versus $428 in Chiang Mai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $57.1 in Bhilai 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 182% 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 Bhilai 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, Bhilai 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 Bhilai gentler on the wallet – expenses run 182% less than in Chiang Mai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.