Cost of Living Comparison Between Chennai (Madras) and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between Chennai (Madras) and Chiang Mai

🙂 Solo nomad: Chennai (Madras) is 42.5% cheaper than Chiang Mai without rent, and 45.3% cheaper with rent.
🙂 Family of 3: Chennai (Madras) is 44.2% cheaper than Chiang Mai without rent, and 44.3% cheaper with rent.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Chennai (Madras)
Chiang Mai
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.3 ₹197
$2.02 ฿65.3
13.86%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$11.6 ₹992
$18.78 ฿608
-38.23%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$4.16 ₹356
$7.67 ฿248
-45.76%
Cappuccino
$2.14 ₹183
$1.98 ฿64.2
8.08%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.48 ₹41.24
$0.82 ฿26.64
-41.46%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.23 ₹19.39
$0.33 ฿10.58
-30.30%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.04 ₹175
$2.12 ฿68.6
-3.77%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.04 ₹346
$3.73 ฿121
8.31%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Chennai (Madras)
Chiang Mai
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.63 ₹53.5
$1.64 ฿53.2
-61.59%
White Bread (500g)
$0.53 ₹45.49
$1.57 ฿50.9
-66.24%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$0.78 ₹66.4
$1.19 ฿38.62
-34.45%
Eggs
$0.87 ₹74.6
$1.98 ฿64.1
-56.06%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.04 ₹602
$15.99 ฿517
-55.97%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.58 ₹306
$3.12 ฿101
14.74%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
-
$11.16 ฿361
-
Apples (1kg)
$2.84 ₹243
$2.76 ฿89.2
2.90%
Banana (1kg)
$0.81 ₹69.3
$1.22 ฿39.5
-33.61%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.31 ₹112
$1.71 ฿55.4
-23.39%
Tomato (1kg)
$0.45 ₹38.32
$1.55 ฿50.2
-70.97%
Potato (1kg)
$0.55 ₹46.89
$1.34 ฿43.21
-58.96%
Onion (1kg)
$0.54 ₹46.41
$1.21 ฿39.23
-55.37%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.58 ₹49.63
$0.72 ฿23.2
-19.44%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.35 ₹30.31
$0.53 ฿17.05
-33.96%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.98 ₹340
$4.72 ฿153
-15.68%
Wine (Bottle)
$8.95 ₹765
$18.39 ฿595
-51.33%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.85 ₹158
$1.79 ฿57.9
3.35%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.5 ₹300
$3.21 ฿104
9.03%
Buffalo Round (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) (1kg)
$6.25 ₹534
-
-
🚌 Getting Around
Chennai (Madras)
Chiang Mai
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.36 ₹30.84
$0.94 ฿30.44
-61.70%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$11.64 ₹996
$18.9 ฿612
-38.41%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.56 ₹133
$1.42 ฿46.08
9.86%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.3 ₹25.69
$1.35 ฿43.53
-77.78%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$1.79 ₹153
$7.85 ฿254
-77.20%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.18 ₹101
$1.25 ฿40.4
-5.60%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$17.3K ₹1.5M
$21.2K ฿684.9K
-18.22%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$24.7K ₹2.1M
$21.8K ฿706.8K
12.96%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Chennai (Madras)
Chiang Mai
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$47.28 ₹4,044
$70.6 ฿2,285
-33.04%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$4.65 ₹397
$13.72 ฿444
-66.11%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$9.44 ₹807
$17.56 ฿568
-46.24%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Chennai (Madras)
Chiang Mai
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$17.33 ₹1,482
$41.64 ฿1,347
-58.38%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$7.15 ₹611
$6.9 ฿223
3.62%
Cinema Ticket
$2.86 ₹245
$5.8 ฿188
-50.69%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Chennai (Madras)
Chiang Mai
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$79 ₹6,753
$308 ฿9,963
-74.35%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$1,715 ₹146.7K
$14.7K ฿475.8K
-88.34%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Chennai (Madras)
Chiang Mai
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$25.54 ₹2,184
$55.4 ฿1,793
-53.90%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$23.62 ₹2,020
$26.4 ฿854
-10.53%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$49.62 ₹4,244
$85.1 ฿2,755
-41.71%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$35.85 ₹3,066
$71.8 ฿2,323
-50.06%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Chennai (Madras)
Chiang Mai
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$195 ₹16.7K
$434 ฿14K
-54.98%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$117 ₹10K
$235 ฿7,610
-50.05%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$444 ₹38K
$821 ฿26.6K
-45.88%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$257 ₹22K
$498 ฿16.1K
-48.33%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,883 ₹161K
$2,180 ฿70.6K
-13.66%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$754 ₹64.5K
$1,543 ฿49.9K
-51.14%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Chennai (Madras)
Chiang Mai
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$781 ₹66.8K
$703 ฿22.8K
11.03%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
9.42
5
88.40%

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

Last update for Chennai (Madras): October 27, 2025

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 29, 2025

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