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 71.6% more expensive than Chennai (Madras) without rent, and 85% more expensive with rent.

😐 Family of 3: Chiang Mai is 75% more expensive than Chennai (Madras) without rent, and 75.7% more expensive with rent.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.01 ฿64.4

$2.21 ₹206

-9.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.23 ฿583

$11.70 ₹1,087

55.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.65 ฿245

$4.17 ₹387

83.45%

Cappuccino

$1.92 ฿61.4

$2.15 ₹199

-10.70%

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

$0.84 ฿26.91

$0.48 ₹45.03

75.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.39

$0.20 ₹18.93

80.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.19 ฿70.0

$2.15 ₹200

1.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿121

$3.99 ₹371

-5.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 ฿52.4

$0.63 ₹58.4

160.32%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 ฿51.8

$0.54 ₹49.71

200.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.15 ฿36.89

$0.71 ₹66.3

61.97%

Eggs

$1.94 ฿62.0

$0.91 ₹84.9

113.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.94 ฿510

$6.97 ₹647

128.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.10 ฿99.2

$3.59 ₹334

-13.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.07 ฿354

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 ฿86.6

$2.85 ₹265

-4.91%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 ฿37.70

$0.86 ₹79.7

37.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 ฿54.5

$1.28 ₹119

33.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.61 ฿51.3

$0.48 ₹44.86

235.42%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 ฿44.54

$0.56 ₹51.7

148.21%

Onion (1kg)

$1.15 ฿36.72

$0.50 ₹46.13

130.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 ฿22.77

$0.59 ₹55.3

20.34%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ฿17.60

$0.35 ₹32.66

57.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.57 ฿146

$4.00 ₹372

14.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.87 ฿604

$7.90 ₹734

138.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.82 ฿58.2

$1.91 ₹177

-4.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.21 ฿103

$3.40 ₹316

-5.59%

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

$6.30 ₹586

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿28.17

$0.36 ₹33.55

144.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.89 ฿604

$11.73 ₹1,090

61.04%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.18

$1.59 ₹148

-11.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.30 ฿41.60

$0.28 ₹25.68

364.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.20 ฿262

$1.72 ₹160

376.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿39.19

$1.22 ₹113

0.82%

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

$21.2K ฿677.2K

$17.4K ₹1.6M

21.74%

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

$22.3K ฿713.5K

$24.7K ₹2.3M

-9.64%

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

$69.9 ฿2,234

$47.86 ₹4,447

45.99%

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

$14.07 ฿450

$4.71 ₹438

198.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.70 ฿566

$9.76 ₹907

81.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.41 ฿1,324

$17.69 ₹1,644

134.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.69 ฿214

$6.85 ₹636

-2.34%

Cinema Ticket

$5.74 ฿184

$2.86 ₹266

100.70%

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

$299 ฿9,569

$78.9 ₹7,331

279.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿480.0K

$1,776 ₹165.1K

744.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.8 ฿1,753

$26.04 ₹2,419

110.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.35 ฿843

$23.73 ₹2,205

11.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.7 ฿2,707

$49.33 ₹4,584

71.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.7 ฿2,230

$36.06 ₹3,351

93.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$427 ฿13.7K

$189 ₹17.5K

126.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$241 ฿7,699

$117 ₹10.9K

105.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$811 ฿25.9K

$432 ₹40.2K

87.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$498 ฿15.9K

$264 ₹24.5K

88.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,022 ฿64.7K

$1,734 ₹161.1K

16.62%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,524 ฿48.7K

$709 ₹65.9K

114.86%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$639 ฿20.4K

$723 ₹67.1K

-11.53%

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: April 13, 2026

Last update for Chennai (Madras): April 12, 2026

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 other spots: cost of living compared

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