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 74.5% more expensive than Chennai (Madras) without rent, and 77.2% more expensive with rent.

😐 Family of 3: Chiang Mai is 73.3% more expensive than Chennai (Madras) without rent, and 73.7% more expensive with rent.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.97 ฿62.0

$2.18 ₹198

-9.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.68 ฿587

$11.66 ₹1,058

60.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.92 ฿249

$4.16 ₹378

90.38%

Cappuccino

$2.02 ฿63.7

$2.17 ₹197

-6.91%

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

$0.84 ฿26.45

$0.48 ₹43.74

75.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.07

$0.18 ₹16.11

94.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.22 ฿69.9

$2.06 ₹187

7.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 ฿113

$4.16 ₹378

-13.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.67 ฿52.4

$0.62 ₹56.3

169.35%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 ฿51.1

$0.53 ₹47.95

205.66%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 ฿37.83

$0.73 ₹66.1

64.38%

Eggs

$1.93 ฿60.8

$0.89 ₹80.4

116.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.00 ฿503

$7.32 ₹664

118.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.16 ฿99.2

$3.61 ₹327

-12.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.93 ฿344

Apples (1kg)

$2.67 ฿83.8

$2.82 ₹256

-5.32%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 ฿36.99

$0.82 ₹74.1

43.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 ฿51.5

$1.28 ₹116

28.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿49.83

$0.49 ₹44.33

224.49%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 ฿41.64

$0.51 ₹46.13

158.82%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 ฿37.49

$0.53 ₹48.46

124.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 ฿22.20

$0.60 ₹54.2

18.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿17.75

$0.33 ₹29.56

69.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.64 ฿146

$3.93 ₹357

18.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.96 ฿596

$8.77 ₹796

116.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 ฿55.7

$1.87 ₹170

-5.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 ฿101

$3.43 ₹311

-6.71%

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

$6.15 ₹558

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿28.32

$0.36 ₹32.90

150.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.24 ฿605

$11.74 ₹1,065

63.88%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿42.78

$1.56 ₹141

-12.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 ฿42.37

$0.28 ₹25.24

382.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.15 ฿256

$1.78 ₹162

357.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ฿38.43

$1.17 ₹106

4.27%

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

$21.4K ฿671.8K

$17.6K ₹1.6M

21.11%

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

$21.7K ฿683.8K

$24.7K ₹2.2M

-11.90%

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

$70.3 ฿2,210

$48.22 ₹4,376

45.79%

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

$13.91 ฿437

$4.89 ₹443

184.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿566

$9.53 ₹865

88.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.78 ฿1,314

$17.20 ₹1,561

142.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.80 ฿214

$6.88 ₹625

-1.16%

Cinema Ticket

$5.72 ฿180

$2.92 ₹265

95.89%

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

$308 ฿9,693

$79.9 ₹7,248

285.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿465.7K

$1,739 ₹157.8K

751.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.9 ฿1,756

$25.12 ₹2,280

122.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.71 ฿840

$23.75 ₹2,156

12.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.5 ฿2,658

$48.42 ₹4,394

74.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.8 ฿2,227

$36.44 ₹3,307

94.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$431 ฿13.5K

$193 ₹17.5K

123.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,439

$115 ₹10.4K

106.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$811 ฿25.5K

$431 ₹39.1K

87.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$501 ฿15.7K

$265 ₹24.1K

88.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,202 ฿69.2K

$1,789 ₹162.3K

23.14%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,600 ฿50.3K

$744 ₹67.5K

115.09%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$684 ฿21.5K

$740 ₹67.1K

-7.46%

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: January 13, 2026

Last update for Chennai (Madras): January 12, 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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