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

😐 Solo nomad: Chiang Mai is 74% more expensive than Chennai (Madras) without rent, and 76.6% more expensive with rent.

😐 Family of 3: Chiang Mai is 75.2% more expensive than Chennai (Madras) without rent, and 76.7% more expensive with rent.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.03 ฿64.2

$2.27 ₹209

-10.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.59 ฿588

$11.82 ₹1,089

57.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.48 ฿237

$4.12 ₹379

81.55%

Cappuccino

$2.00 ฿63.2

$2.08 ₹191

-3.85%

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

$0.85 ฿26.81

$0.45 ₹41.28

88.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.13

$0.17 ₹15.85

105.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿70.0

$2.04 ₹188

8.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.76 ฿119

$4.08 ₹376

-7.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.72 ฿54.4

$0.63 ₹58.2

173.02%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿51.7

$0.49 ₹45.18

232.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.16 ฿36.66

$0.73 ₹66.9

58.90%

Eggs

$1.98 ฿62.6

$0.88 ₹80.9

125.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.93 ฿504

$6.96 ₹641

128.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.17 ฿100

$3.44 ₹317

-7.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿345

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 ฿83.7

$2.95 ₹272

-10.17%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿38.70

$0.85 ₹78.3

43.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.70 ฿53.7

$1.27 ₹117

33.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿50.3

$0.49 ₹44.96

224.49%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 ฿41.90

$0.51 ₹46.95

158.82%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿36.99

$0.51 ₹46.87

129.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 ฿21.46

$0.59 ₹54.1

15.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿17.64

$0.35 ₹32.52

60.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.51 ฿143

$4.05 ₹373

11.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.07 ฿604

$7.64 ₹704

149.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 ฿56.0

$1.81 ₹167

-2.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 ฿101

$3.48 ₹321

-8.62%

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

$6.04 ₹556

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.96 ฿30.47

$0.36 ₹33.20

166.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.90 ฿598

$11.42 ₹1,052

65.50%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿42.98

$1.61 ₹148

-15.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 ฿42.80

$0.30 ₹27.86

350.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.03 ฿254

$1.71 ₹158

369.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 ฿39.34

$1.22 ₹112

1.64%

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

$21.2K ฿669.8K

$17.2K ₹1.6M

23.35%

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

$21.8K ฿688.5K

$23.9K ₹2.2M

-9.10%

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

$71.2 ฿2,255

$47.91 ₹4,413

48.70%

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

$14.09 ฿446

$4.82 ₹444

192.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.47 ฿553

$9.33 ₹859

87.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.07 ฿1,332

$17.77 ₹1,637

136.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿218

$6.99 ₹644

-1.57%

Cinema Ticket

$5.94 ฿188

$2.84 ₹261

109.15%

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

$307 ฿9,728

$80.1 ₹7,378

283.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿468.2K

$1,742 ₹160.5K

749.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.7 ฿1,762

$25.91 ₹2,386

114.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.79 ฿848

$23.73 ₹2,186

12.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.2 ฿2,634

$48.67 ₹4,483

70.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.1 ฿2,219

$36.53 ₹3,365

91.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$427 ฿13.5K

$194 ₹17.8K

120.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,504

$118 ₹10.9K

101.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$802 ฿25.4K

$432 ₹39.8K

85.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$503 ฿15.9K

$265 ₹24.4K

89.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,061 ฿65.2K

$1,752 ₹161.4K

17.62%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,533 ฿48.5K

$701 ₹64.6K

118.57%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 ฿20.7K

$751 ₹69.2K

-12.96%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.42

-46.92%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: March 1, 2026

Last update for Chennai (Madras): March 1, 2026

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated December 2025)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

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