Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Aligarh

For one person, living is cheaper in Aligarh: $367 a month against $936 in Chiang Mai, rent and utilities included – about $6,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

45

Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
Learn more

Chiang Mai Living Index
18

Cost of Living Index in Aligarh
Learn more

Aligarh Living Index

Jump to prices

Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$936

/mo nomad

Aligarh

🇮🇳 India

$367

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chiang Mai and in Aligarh

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Chiang Mai and in Aligarh actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $936 per month in Chiang Mai vs $367 in Aligarh, rent included.

Chiang Mai $936
Aligarh $367

A couple spends around $1,457 per month in Chiang Mai vs $566 in Aligarh, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,457
Aligarh $566

A family of three spends $1,979 per month in Chiang Mai vs $764 in Aligarh, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,979
Aligarh $764

Chiang Mai costs about 155% more than Aligarh, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chiang Mai and Aligarh are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 31% lower, Aligarh 73% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.24 ฿75.6

$4.46 ₹423

-49.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.00 ฿641

$10.97 ₹1,042

73.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.55 ฿187

$3.70 ₹352

50.00%

Cappuccino

$1.67 ฿56.5

$2.49 ₹236

-32.93%

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

$0.64 ฿21.55

$0.46 ₹43.57

39.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.31

$0.09 ₹8.39

244.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.36 ฿79.6

$1.60 ₹152

47.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿124

$3.06 ₹290

19.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 ฿65.8

$0.71 ₹67.5

174.65%

White Bread (500g)

$1.44 ฿48.48

$0.45 ₹42.64

220.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 ฿45.04

$0.73 ₹69.3

82.19%

Eggs

$2.28 ฿77.1

$0.83 ₹78.4

174.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.45 ฿555

$4.83 ₹459

240.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.78 ฿93.9

$2.87 ₹273

-3.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.31 ฿314

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 ฿79.4

$1.21 ₹114

94.21%

Banana (1kg)

$0.97 ฿32.80

$0.52 ₹49.30

86.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.60 ฿53.9

$0.85 ₹80.7

88.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.6

$0.46 ₹43.53

226.09%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿43.12

$0.27 ₹25.89

374.07%

Onion (1kg)

$1.10 ฿37.19

$0.36 ₹34.52

205.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 ฿23.82

$0.58 ₹54.8

22.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.37

$0.29 ₹27.19

68.97%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.14 ฿140

$5.10 ₹484

-18.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.52 ฿591

$10.71 ₹1,017

63.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.61 ฿54.5

$1.44 ₹137

11.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿94.0

$2.91 ₹277

-4.47%

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

$4.00 ₹380

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.87 ฿29.31

$0.31 ₹29.25

180.65%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.1 ฿1,826

$2.57 ₹244

2004.67%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.16 ฿39.06

$0.25 ₹23.65

364.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ฿17.80

$0.20 ₹18.96

165.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.42 ฿81.8

$2.04 ₹194

18.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.90

$1.11 ₹106

30.63%

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

$21.1K ฿710.7K

$12.0K ₹1.1M

75.50%

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

$26.9K ฿909.3K

$19.5K ₹1.9M

37.92%

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

$62.2 ฿2,098

$42.39 ₹4,025

46.66%

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

$12.17 ฿411

$3.34 ₹317

264.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.12 ฿679

$7.41 ₹703

171.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.31 ฿1,259

$10.44 ₹991

257.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.77 ฿127

$3.19 ₹303

18.18%

Cinema Ticket

$6.49 ฿219

$2.56 ₹243

153.52%

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

$736 ฿24.8K

$74.8 ₹7,102

884.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿498.3K

$726 ₹68.9K

1934.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.4 ฿1,801

$19.68 ₹1,869

171.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.64 ฿831

$27.42 ₹2,603

-10.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.5 ฿3,087

$50.4 ₹4,780

81.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.9 ฿2,428

$23.97 ₹2,276

200.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.3K

$61.0 ₹5,789

691.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$309 ฿10.4K

$42.50 ₹4,035

626.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 ฿33.9K

$104 ₹9,871

867.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$633 ฿21.4K

$83.4 ₹7,916

659.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,363 ฿79.8K

$2,013 ₹191.2K

17.37%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,589 ฿53.6K

$257 ₹24.4K

517.31%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$590 ฿19.9K

$1,037 ₹98.5K

-43.15%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

8.76

-36.42%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 26, 2026

Last update for Aligarh: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$309 33%

Aligarh

$43 11.6% 86.2% $266

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$234 25.1%

Aligarh

$103 28.1% 55.9% $131

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$109 11.6%

Aligarh

$55 14.9% 49.7% $54

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$94 10.1%

Aligarh

$53 14.5% 43.8% $41

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$78 8.3%

Aligarh

$93 25.3% 19.8% $15

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$61 6.6%

Aligarh

$5.1 1.4% 91.8% $56

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$50 5.4%

Aligarh

$16 4.2% 69% $35

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Chiang Mai versus $61 in Aligarh. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 76% higher in Aligarh, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19 in Chiang Mai versus $11 in Aligarh. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $234 vs $103 – making Aligarh the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇮🇳 Aligarh

🕒 Local time

20:09 8:09 PM

18:39 6:39 PM

1 h 30 min behind Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

872,575

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Indian Rupee INR ₹

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.96 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

1,000 INR = 10.53 USD

1,000 INR = 9.44 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

INR, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

Thai Baht exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 33.75 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.66 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

Indian Rupee exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 94.94 INR (100 INR = 1.05 USD). 1 EUR = 106 INR (1,000 INR = 9.44 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Chiang Mai Aligarh 2,360 km ≈ 3 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
Aligarh

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Aligarh: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Chiang Mai is pricier by about 155%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,403 per month in Chiang Mai and $551 in Aligarh. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Aligarh, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $61 there versus $482 in Chiang Mai.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19 in Chiang Mai and $11 in Aligarh. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $936 in Chiang Mai and $367 in Aligarh. That makes Aligarh about 61% cheaper.

Families tend to lean toward Aligarh – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

For expats, Aligarh is the easier option financially – housing and daily costs are lower, and overall it costs about 61% less, which matters a lot on a fixed budget or early-career salary.