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

😐 Solo nomad: Chiang Mai is 98.9% more expensive than Dharamsala without rent, and 121.3% more expensive with rent.
😐 Family of 3: Chiang Mai is 140.3% more expensive than Dharamsala without rent, and 139.3% more expensive with rent.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Chiang Mai
Dharamsala
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.01 ฿64.4
$2.57 ₹239
-21.79%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$18.23 ฿583
$11.41 ₹1,060
59.77%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.65 ฿245
$3.39 ₹315
125.66%
Cappuccino
$1.92 ฿61.4
$1.59 ₹147
20.75%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.84 ฿26.91
$0.36 ₹33.80
133.33%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.36 ฿11.39
$0.18 ₹16.94
100.00%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.19 ฿70.0
$1.64 ₹153
33.54%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.79 ฿121
$2.68 ₹249
41.42%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Chiang Mai
Dharamsala
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.64 ฿52.4
$0.67 ₹62.1
144.78%
White Bread (500g)
$1.62 ฿51.8
$0.54 ₹50.0
200.00%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.15 ฿36.89
$0.84 ₹78.4
36.90%
Eggs
$1.94 ฿62.0
$1.05 ₹97.8
84.76%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$15.94 ฿510
$5.49 ₹511
190.35%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.10 ฿99.2
$2.14 ₹199
44.86%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.07 ฿354
-
-
Apples (1kg)
$2.71 ฿86.6
$1.61 ₹149
68.32%
Banana (1kg)
$1.18 ฿37.70
$0.76 ₹70.8
55.26%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.71 ฿54.5
$0.99 ₹92.4
72.73%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.61 ฿51.3
$0.54 ₹50.1
198.15%
Potato (1kg)
$1.39 ฿44.54
$0.22 ₹20.37
531.82%
Onion (1kg)
$1.15 ฿36.72
$0.49 ₹45.23
134.69%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.71 ฿22.77
$0.43 ₹39.65
65.12%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.55 ฿17.60
$0.32 ₹29.43
71.88%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.57 ฿146
$4.13 ₹384
10.65%
Wine (Bottle)
$18.87 ฿604
$3.09 ₹287
510.68%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.82 ฿58.2
$1.73 ₹161
5.20%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.21 ฿103
$2.72 ₹253
18.01%
Buffalo Round (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) (1kg)
-
$5.16 ₹479
-
🚌 Getting Around
Chiang Mai
Dharamsala
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.88 ฿28.17
$0.28 ₹25.85
214.29%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$18.89 ฿604
$8.66 ₹804
118.13%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.41 ฿45.18
$0.85 ₹78.9
65.88%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.30 ฿41.60
$0.24 ₹22.44
441.67%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.20 ฿262
$1.13 ₹105
625.66%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.23 ฿39.19
$1.19 ₹111
3.36%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.2K ฿677.2K
$14.8K ₹1.4M
42.84%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$22.3K ฿713.5K
$28.8K ₹2.7M
-22.54%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Chiang Mai
Dharamsala
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$69.9 ฿2,234
$47.65 ₹4,428
46.63%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$14.07 ฿450
$2.67 ₹248
426.97%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$17.70 ฿566
$2.93 ₹273
504.10%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Chiang Mai
Dharamsala
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$41.41 ฿1,324
$14.79 ₹1,374
179.99%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$6.69 ฿214
$7.08 ₹658
-5.51%
Cinema Ticket
$5.74 ฿184
$2.98 ₹277
92.62%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Chiang Mai
Dharamsala
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$299 ฿9,569
$60.8 ₹5,652
391.88%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$15.0K ฿480.0K
$2,010 ₹186.7K
646.87%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Chiang Mai
Dharamsala
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$54.8 ฿1,753
$24.19 ₹2,248
126.62%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$26.35 ฿843
$23.70 ₹2,202
11.18%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$84.7 ฿2,707
$48.62 ₹4,517
74.11%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$69.7 ฿2,230
$32.36 ₹3,007
115.51%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Chiang Mai
Dharamsala
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$427 ฿13.7K
$94.7 ₹8,797
350.96%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$241 ฿7,699
$87.8 ₹8,162
174.10%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$811 ฿25.9K
$139 ₹12.9K
483.87%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$498 ฿15.9K
$110 ₹10.2K
353.79%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,022 ฿64.7K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,524 ฿48.7K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Chiang Mai
Dharamsala
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$639 ฿20.4K
$215 ₹20.0K
197.52%
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: April 13, 2026

Last update for Dharamsala: April 14, 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

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