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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $338 in Allahabad, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,351 per month in Chiang Mai vs $548 in Allahabad, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,835 per month in Chiang Mai vs $758 in Allahabad, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 156% more than Allahabad, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Allahabad are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Allahabad 75% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ฿63.6

$1.77 ₹170

9.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 ฿609

$11.51 ₹1,102

61.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 ฿256

$2.89 ₹276

170.59%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.9

$1.02 ₹97.9

91.18%

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

$0.85 ฿27.80

$0.33 ₹31.84

157.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.60

$0.15 ₹14.04

133.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.7

$1.72 ₹165

23.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

$2.53 ₹242

47.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿56.0

$0.77 ₹73.5

122.08%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.3

$0.46 ₹43.91

254.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ฿37.18

$0.65 ₹62.4

75.38%

Eggs

$1.93 ฿63.2

$0.99 ₹94.4

94.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ฿530

$3.78 ₹362

328.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿102

$2.63 ₹251

18.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿356

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ฿90.1

$1.45 ₹139

89.66%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.56

$0.65 ₹62.0

86.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.0

$0.87 ₹83.4

86.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.9

$0.56 ₹53.6

183.93%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿45.75

$0.33 ₹31.15

324.24%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.20

$0.48 ₹46.14

143.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.62

$0.37 ₹35.79

78.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.24

$0.33 ₹31.12

60.61%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿153

$3.95 ₹378

18.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿610

$3.56 ₹341

424.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.8

$1.67 ₹160

7.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$2.82 ₹270

14.54%

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

$5.76 ₹551

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.28

$0.22 ₹20.93

309.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

$7.04 ₹674

172.87%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.96

$1.14 ₹109

23.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.16

$0.11 ₹10.17

1072.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$1.43 ₹137

448.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.62

$1.15 ₹110

10.43%

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

$21.3K ฿695.5K

$15.5K ₹1.5M

36.95%

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

$22.2K ฿726.1K

$23.4K ₹2.2M

-4.91%

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

$69.1 ฿2,258

$44.31 ₹4,240

55.88%

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

$14.08 ฿460

$3.10 ₹296

354.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿588

$6.80 ₹651

164.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,342

$11.81 ₹1,130

247.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$8.03 ₹769

-13.33%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿193

$3.43 ₹328

72.59%

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

$299 ฿9,775

$27.07 ₹2,590

1004.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿488.8K

$695 ₹66.5K

2050.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,788

$26.73 ₹2,558

104.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.77 ฿875

$24.68 ₹2,362

8.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 ฿2,778

$27.39 ₹2,621

210.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,308

$24.61 ₹2,355

186.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

$125 ₹11.9K

243.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,759

$73.9 ₹7,072

221.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.2K

$236 ₹22.5K

240.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.9K

$170 ₹16.3K

203.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

$954 ₹91.3K

106.88%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

$521 ₹49.9K

182.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

$380 ₹36.4K

62.32%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.72

-42.66%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Last update for Allahabad: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $428 in Chiang Mai versus $125 in Allahabad. 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 62% higher in Chiang Mai, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $12.00 in Allahabad. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $246 vs $89.0 – making Allahabad the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Allahabad: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 156% more than Allahabad, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,300 per month in Chiang Mai and $507 in Allahabad. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Allahabad, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 176% more in Chiang Mai, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai and $12.00 in Allahabad. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $866 in Chiang Mai and $338 in Allahabad, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Allahabad costs $338 versus $866 in Chiang Mai. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Allahabad. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chiang Mai makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.