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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $866 in Chiang Mai versus $516 in Ahmedabad.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,351 in Chiang Mai versus $810 in Ahmedabad.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,835 in Chiang Mai versus $1,104 in Ahmedabad.

Living in Chiang Mai is roughly 68% more expensive than Ahmedabad, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ฿63.5

$3.44 ₹329

-43.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 ฿609

$16.51 ₹1,581

12.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 ฿255

$4.74 ₹454

64.98%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.8

$2.15 ₹206

-9.30%

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

$0.85 ฿27.77

$0.45 ₹42.96

88.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.58

$0.15 ₹14.07

133.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.6

$3.52 ₹337

-39.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

$5.77 ₹553

-35.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿56.0

$0.72 ₹69.0

137.50%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$0.63 ₹59.9

158.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ฿37.15

$0.87 ₹83.0

31.03%

Eggs

$1.93 ฿63.1

$1.13 ₹108

70.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ฿530

$6.59 ₹632

145.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿102

$3.78 ₹362

-17.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿356

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ฿90.0

$2.00 ₹191

37.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.52

$0.75 ₹72.2

61.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.0

$1.38 ₹133

17.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$0.61 ₹58.2

160.66%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿45.70

$0.43 ₹41.14

225.58%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.17

$0.46 ₹44.08

154.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.60

$0.74 ₹71.1

-10.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.22

$0.32 ₹30.28

65.63%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿153

$4.28 ₹410

9.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿609

$7.59 ₹727

145.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.8

$2.62 ₹251

-31.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$4.88 ₹467

-33.81%

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

$6.29 ₹603

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.26

$0.30 ₹29.06

200.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

$8.40 ₹805

128.69%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.91

$1.15 ₹110

22.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.12

$0.30 ₹28.96

330.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$2.36 ₹226

232.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.58

$1.20 ₹115

5.83%

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

$21.3K ฿694.9K

$13.8K ₹1.3M

54.49%

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

$22.2K ฿725.4K

$25.6K ₹2.5M

-13.29%

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

$69.1 ฿2,256

$57.4 ₹5,502

20.25%

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

$14.08 ฿460

$4.38 ₹419

221.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿588

$7.58 ₹726

137.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,341

$16.98 ₹1,626

141.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$9.30 ₹890

-25.16%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿193

$3.40 ₹326

74.12%

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

$299 ฿9,766

$53.9 ₹5,161

454.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿488.3K

$1,704 ₹163.2K

777.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,787

$24.69 ₹2,364

121.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.77 ฿874

$25.59 ₹2,451

4.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 ฿2,776

$53.0 ₹5,080

60.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,306

$38.85 ₹3,721

81.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

$160 ₹15.3K

167.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,752

$129 ₹12.4K

83.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.2K

$374 ₹35.9K

114.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$241 ₹23.1K

113.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

$847 ₹81.1K

133.14%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

$580 ₹55.5K

154.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

$506 ₹48.4K

22.11%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.98

-44.32%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Last update for Ahmedabad: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $428 in Chiang Mai and $160 in Ahmedabad. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Chiang Mai pays 22% 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: $19.00 in Chiang Mai vs $17.00 in Ahmedabad for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $246 vs $130 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

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

Chiang Mai and Ahmedabad differ by about 68% in total monthly costs ($866 vs $516 including rent). Ahmedabad is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Chiang Mai pays 22% 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: $428 in Chiang Mai versus $160 in Ahmedabad. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $299 in Chiang Mai versus $53.9 in Ahmedabad. 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, Chiang Mai and Ahmedabad 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 68% less than in Chiang Mai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.