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

😐 Solo nomad: Chiang Mai is 99.4% more expensive than Dharamsala without rent, and 119.1% more expensive with rent.
😐 Family of 3: Chiang Mai is 79.4% more expensive than Dharamsala without rent, and 138.3% more expensive with rent.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Chiang Mai
Dharamsala
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.03 ฿64.0
$2.68 ₹247
-24.25%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$18.59 ฿586
$11.60 ₹1,069
60.26%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.48 ฿236
$3.52 ₹325
112.50%
Cappuccino
$2.00 ฿63.0
$1.53 ₹141
30.72%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.85 ฿26.72
$0.39 ₹36.02
117.95%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.35 ฿11.09
$0.15 ₹14.02
133.33%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.21 ฿69.8
$1.60 ₹148
38.12%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.76 ฿118
$2.69 ₹248
39.78%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Chiang Mai
Dharamsala
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.72 ฿54.2
$0.68 ₹62.4
152.94%
White Bread (500g)
$1.63 ฿51.5
$0.53 ₹49.27
207.55%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.16 ฿36.54
$0.90 ₹83.2
28.89%
Eggs
$1.98 ฿62.4
$1.10 ₹102
80.00%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$15.93 ฿502
$5.30 ₹488
200.57%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.17 ฿99.9
$2.14 ₹198
48.13%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.90 ฿344
-
-
Apples (1kg)
$2.65 ฿83.4
$1.52 ₹141
74.34%
Banana (1kg)
$1.22 ฿38.57
$0.76 ₹70.5
60.53%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.70 ฿53.5
$0.93 ₹85.9
82.80%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.59 ฿50.2
$0.57 ₹52.9
178.95%
Potato (1kg)
$1.32 ฿41.76
$0.24 ₹22.22
450.00%
Onion (1kg)
$1.17 ฿36.86
$0.46 ₹42.21
154.35%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.68 ฿21.38
$0.42 ₹38.95
61.90%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.56 ฿17.58
$0.34 ₹31.40
64.71%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.51 ฿142
$3.96 ₹365
13.89%
Wine (Bottle)
$19.07 ฿602
$3.30 ₹304
477.88%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.77 ฿55.8
$1.68 ₹155
5.36%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.18 ฿100
$2.80 ₹258
13.57%
Buffalo Round (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) (1kg)
-
$5.10 ₹470
-
🚌 Getting Around
Chiang Mai
Dharamsala
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.96 ฿30.37
$0.30 ₹27.74
220.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$18.90 ฿596
$8.55 ₹788
121.05%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.36 ฿42.83
$0.83 ₹76.4
63.86%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.35 ฿42.65
$0.22 ₹20.23
513.64%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.03 ฿253
$1.19 ₹109
574.79%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.24 ฿39.20
$1.14 ₹105
8.77%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.2K ฿667.5K
$14.7K ₹1.4M
43.86%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$21.8K ฿686.1K
$29.1K ₹2.7M
-25.15%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Chiang Mai
Dharamsala
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$71.2 ฿2,247
$46.98 ₹4,332
51.64%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$14.09 ฿444
$2.65 ₹244
431.70%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$17.47 ฿551
$2.98 ₹275
486.24%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Chiang Mai
Dharamsala
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$42.07 ฿1,327
$14.43 ₹1,331
191.55%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$6.88 ฿217
$7.16 ₹660
-3.91%
Cinema Ticket
$5.94 ฿187
$2.99 ₹275
98.66%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Chiang Mai
Dharamsala
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$307 ฿9,694
$61.3 ₹5,654
401.17%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$14.8K ฿466.6K
$1,943 ₹179.2K
661.31%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Chiang Mai
Dharamsala
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$55.7 ฿1,756
$24.44 ₹2,253
127.78%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$26.79 ฿845
$23.58 ₹2,174
13.61%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$83.2 ฿2,625
$48.29 ₹4,453
72.33%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$70.1 ฿2,211
$32.99 ₹3,042
112.52%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Chiang Mai
Dharamsala
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$427 ฿13.5K
$94.3 ₹8,699
352.89%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$237 ฿7,478
$88.2 ₹8,133
168.79%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$802 ฿25.3K
$139 ₹12.8K
476.32%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$503 ฿15.9K
$113 ₹10.4K
346.97%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,061 ฿65.0K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,533 ฿48.3K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Chiang Mai
Dharamsala
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$654 ฿20.6K
$221 ₹20.3K
196.41%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5
7.5
-33.33%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: March 1, 2026

Last update for Dharamsala: 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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