Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Bulandshahr

For one person, living is cheaper in Bulandshahr: $433 a month against $935 in Chiang Mai, rent and utilities included – about $6,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Chiang Mai, Thailand
Bulandshahr, India
Chiang Mai
🇹🇭 Thailand
$935
/mo nomad
Bulandshahr
🇮🇳 India
$433
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

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 Bulandshahr actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $935 per month in Chiang Mai vs $433 in Bulandshahr, rent included.

  • Chiang Mai $935
  • Bulandshahr $433

A couple spends around $1,467 per month in Chiang Mai vs $697 in Bulandshahr, rent included.

  • Chiang Mai $1,467
  • Bulandshahr $697

A family of three spends $1,999 per month in Chiang Mai vs $961 in Bulandshahr, rent included.

  • Chiang Mai $1,999
  • Bulandshahr $961

Chiang Mai costs about 116% more than Bulandshahr, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chiang Mai and Bulandshahr are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 31% lower, Bulandshahr 68% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Chiang Mai
Bulandshahr
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.13 ฿72.0
$5.39 ₹510
-60.48%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$18.62 ฿628
$14.31 ₹1,356
30.12%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.60 ฿189
$3.96 ₹375
41.41%
Cappuccino
$1.66 ฿56.1
$2.40 ₹227
-30.83%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.65 ฿21.83
$0.40 ₹37.98
62.50%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.30 ฿10.29
$0.20 ₹18.72
50.00%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.32 ฿78.4
$2.16 ₹205
7.41%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.67 ฿124
$3.22 ₹305
13.98%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Chiang Mai
Bulandshahr
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.02 ฿68.0
$0.74 ₹69.6
172.97%
White Bread (500g)
$1.41 ฿47.51
$0.28 ₹26.69
403.57%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.39 ฿46.96
$0.83 ₹79.0
67.47%
Eggs
$2.37 ฿79.9
$1.17 ₹111
102.56%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$16.52 ฿557
$4.22 ₹399
291.47%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$2.67 ฿90.1
$3.24 ₹307
-17.59%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$9.02 ฿304
-
-
Apples (1kg)
$2.40 ฿80.9
$1.22 ₹116
96.72%
Banana (1kg)
$1.04 ฿35.13
$0.70 ₹66.0
48.57%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.66 ฿56.0
$0.85 ₹80.6
95.29%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.56 ฿52.6
$0.56 ₹53.3
178.57%
Potato (1kg)
$1.24 ฿41.76
$0.38 ₹35.90
226.32%
Onion (1kg)
$1.09 ฿36.66
$0.45 ₹42.92
142.22%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.76 ฿25.70
$0.61 ₹57.6
24.59%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.51 ฿17.35
$0.28 ₹26.29
82.14%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.12 ฿139
$2.13 ₹202
93.43%
Wine (Bottle)
$17.93 ฿605
$2.08 ₹197
762.02%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.62 ฿54.8
$2.19 ₹208
-26.03%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.82 ฿95.2
$3.04 ₹288
-7.24%
Buffalo Round (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) (1kg)
-
$5.38 ₹509
-
🚌 Getting Around
Chiang Mai
Bulandshahr
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.93 ฿31.53
$0.35 ₹33.59
165.71%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$52.9 ฿1,785
$7.19 ₹682
635.61%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.18 ฿39.70
$1.14 ₹108
3.51%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.17 ฿5.79
$0.12 ₹11.58
41.67%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$1.81 ฿61.1
$2.16 ₹205
-16.20%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.47 ฿49.69
$0.97 ₹92.0
51.55%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.0K ฿708.9K
$11.8K ₹1.1M
77.81%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.5K ฿894.6K
$22.7K ₹2.1M
16.97%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Chiang Mai
Bulandshahr
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$62.6 ฿2,111
$42.80 ₹4,055
46.17%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.60 ฿392
$4.87 ₹461
138.19%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$20.30 ฿685
$8.13 ₹770
149.69%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Chiang Mai
Bulandshahr
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$37.88 ฿1,278
$14.25 ₹1,350
165.82%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$3.70 ฿125
$6.69 ₹634
-44.69%
Cinema Ticket
$6.51 ฿220
$5.33 ₹505
22.14%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Chiang Mai
Bulandshahr
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$727 ฿24.5K
$45.88 ₹4,347
1484.59%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$16.6K ฿559.2K
$1,452 ₹137.5K
1041.58%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Chiang Mai
Bulandshahr
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$53.5 ฿1,807
$31.24 ₹2,960
71.38%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$24.80 ฿837
$27.91 ₹2,644
-11.14%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$90.4 ฿3,050
$41.55 ₹3,937
117.55%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$72.0 ฿2,428
$50.8 ₹4,809
41.78%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Chiang Mai
Bulandshahr
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$481 ฿16.2K
$119 ₹11.3K
302.93%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$310 ฿10.5K
$77.7 ₹7,356
299.14%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,058 ฿35.7K
$271 ₹25.7K
290.26%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$659 ฿22.2K
$189 ₹17.9K
248.85%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,418 ฿81.6K
$922 ₹87.3K
162.36%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,609 ฿54.3K
$537 ₹50.9K
199.36%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Chiang Mai
Bulandshahr
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$595 ฿20.1K
-
-
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: November 1, 2026

Last update for Bulandshahr: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Chiang Mai
$310
Bulandshahr
$78 74.9% $232
Groceries & Markets
Chiang Mai
$237
Bulandshahr
$93 60.9% $144
Clothing & Footwear
Chiang Mai
$108
Bulandshahr
$68 37.1% $40
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Chiang Mai
$94
Bulandshahr
$56 40.9% $39
Eating Out
Chiang Mai
$77
Bulandshahr
$103 35% $27
Getting Around
Chiang Mai
$59
Bulandshahr
$10 82.3% $48
Sport & Entertainment
Chiang Mai
$51
Bulandshahr
$25 51.1% $26

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $481 in Chiang Mai versus $119 in Bulandshahr. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19 in Chiang Mai versus $14 in Bulandshahr. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $237 vs $93 – making Bulandshahr the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇹🇭 Chiang Mai
🇮🇳 Bulandshahr
🕒 Local time
13:22 1:22 PM
11:52 11:52 AM
1 h 30 min behind Chiang Mai
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
127,240
222,500
💱 Currency
Thai Baht THB ฿
Exchange rates and currency converter

INR, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

Thai Baht exchange rates as of November 4, 2026: 1 USD = 33.74 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.73 THB (100 THB = 2.65 EUR).

Indian Rupee exchange rates as of November 4, 2026: 1 USD = 94.74 INR (100 INR = 1.06 USD). 1 EUR = 106 INR (1,000 INR = 9.44 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Chiang Mai Bulandshahr 2,400 km ≈ 3 h 30 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Chiang Mai
  • Bulandshahr

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 Bulandshahr: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Chiang Mai and in Bulandshahr compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $935 in Chiang Mai, $433 in Bulandshahr – Bulandshahr comes out roughly 54% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.
What salary covers living expenses in Chiang Mai compared to Bulandshahr?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,403 per month in Chiang Mai and $649 in Bulandshahr. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Chiang Mai and Bulandshahr?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Bulandshahr, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $119 there versus $481 in Chiang Mai.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $19 in Chiang Mai and $14 in Bulandshahr. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Which city is more expensive overall: Chiang Mai or Bulandshahr?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $935 in Chiang Mai and $433 in Bulandshahr. That makes Bulandshahr about 54% cheaper.
How far does $1,200 go in Chiang Mai compared to Bulandshahr?
$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $935 in Chiang Mai and $433 in Bulandshahr, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.
Where should families live: Chiang Mai or Bulandshahr?
Families tend to lean toward Bulandshahr – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Where should expats move: Chiang Mai or Bulandshahr?
For expats, Bulandshahr is the easier option financially – housing and daily costs are lower, and overall it costs about 54% less, which matters a lot on a fixed budget or early-career salary.

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