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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $852 in Chiang Mai versus $341 in Chhindwara.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,354 in Chiang Mai versus $589 in Chhindwara.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,857 in Chiang Mai versus $836 in Chhindwara.

Living in Chiang Mai is roughly 150% more expensive than Chhindwara, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Chiang Mai 36% lower, Chhindwara 75% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿64.0

$2.29 ₹218

-14.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.81 ฿615

$10.45 ₹992

80.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.92 ฿259

$3.67 ₹348

115.80%

Cappuccino

$1.91 ฿62.6

$1.57 ₹149

21.66%

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

$0.84 ฿27.41

$0.41 ₹38.78

104.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.51

$0.16 ₹14.90

118.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$1.70 ₹162

30.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 ฿124

$3.08 ₹293

23.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$0.63 ₹59.5

160.32%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 ฿53.1

$0.42 ₹40.14

285.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.62

$0.57 ₹54.2

107.02%

Eggs

$2.01 ฿65.8

$0.96 ₹91.3

109.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.89 ฿520

$4.96 ₹471

220.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.01 ฿98.5

$3.98 ₹378

-24.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.77 ฿352

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 ฿85.5

$2.08 ₹197

25.48%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿39.88

$0.49 ₹46.40

148.98%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.7

$0.90 ₹85.7

88.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 ฿51.5

$0.60 ₹56.9

163.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 ฿43.14

$0.42 ₹40.14

214.29%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.23

$0.50 ₹47.92

134.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿21.98

$0.46 ₹43.66

45.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.32

$0.36 ₹33.97

55.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.53 ฿148

$3.85 ₹366

17.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.20 ฿595

$7.72 ₹733

135.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿60.0

$1.71 ₹162

7.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$2.79 ₹265

15.77%

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

$5.12 ₹486

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ฿29.00

$0.27 ₹25.82

229.63%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.38 ฿634

$8.96 ₹851

116.29%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.35 ฿44.20

$0.83 ₹78.4

62.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 ฿44.05

$0.22 ₹20.87

513.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.25 ฿270

$1.47 ₹140

461.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.64

$1.22 ₹116

4.10%

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

$21.2K ฿691.8K

$13.8K ₹1.3M

53.53%

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

$22.5K ฿735.3K

$21.8K ₹2.1M

3.13%

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

$70.2 ฿2,294

$39.25 ₹3,726

78.73%

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

$13.77 ฿450

$2.96 ₹281

365.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.60 ฿575

$7.36 ₹699

139.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.57 ฿1,360

$9.07 ₹861

358.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.60 ฿216

$7.06 ₹670

-6.52%

Cinema Ticket

$5.78 ฿189

$2.98 ₹283

93.96%

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

$306 ฿10.0K

$35.09 ₹3,331

772.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿484.8K

$1,522 ₹144.5K

873.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.4 ฿1,778

$16.57 ₹1,573

228.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.14 ฿855

$24.81 ₹2,355

5.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.5 ฿2,764

$42.64 ₹4,048

98.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.4 ฿2,270

$32.07 ₹3,045

116.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$424 ฿13.9K

$57.5 ₹5,457

637.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$238 ฿7,788

$34.38 ₹3,264

592.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$825 ฿27.0K

$276 ₹26.2K

198.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$180 ₹17.0K

186.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,049 ฿67.0K

$1,041 ₹98.9K

96.78%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,523 ฿49.8K

$488 ₹46.4K

211.91%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$635 ฿20.8K

$211 ₹20.0K

200.95%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.67

-42.33%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 27, 2026

Last update for Chhindwara: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $424 in Chiang Mai and $57.5 in Chhindwara. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Chiang Mai pays 201% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $19.00 in Chiang Mai vs $10.00 in Chhindwara for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $243 vs $109 per month, with Chhindwara cheaper across the board.

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 Chhindwara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai and Chhindwara differ by about 150% in total monthly costs ($852 vs $341 including rent). Chhindwara is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Chiang Mai pays 201% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $424 in Chiang Mai versus $57.5 in Chhindwara. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $306 in Chiang Mai versus $35.09 in Chhindwara. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 122% higher in Chiang Mai. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Chhindwara gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Chiang Mai and Chhindwara are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Chhindwara gentler on the wallet – expenses run 150% less than in Chiang Mai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.