Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Dharwad

For one person, living is cheaper in Dharwad: $372 a month against $936 in Chiang Mai, rent and utilities included – about $6,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

45

Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
Learn more

Chiang Mai Living Index
18

Cost of Living Index in Dharwad
Learn more

Dharwad Living Index

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Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$936

/mo nomad

Dharwad

🇮🇳 India

$372

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chiang Mai and in Dharwad

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Chiang Mai and in Dharwad actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $936 per month in Chiang Mai vs $372 in Dharwad, rent included.

Chiang Mai $936
Dharwad $372

A couple spends around $1,457 per month in Chiang Mai vs $577 in Dharwad, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,457
Dharwad $577

A family of three spends $1,979 per month in Chiang Mai vs $781 in Dharwad, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,979
Dharwad $781

Chiang Mai costs about 151% more than Dharwad, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chiang Mai and Dharwad are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 31% lower, Dharwad 73% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.24 ฿75.6

$3.43 ₹325

-34.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.00 ฿641

$7.45 ₹707

155.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.55 ฿187

$3.71 ₹352

49.60%

Cappuccino

$1.67 ฿56.5

$1.59 ₹151

5.03%

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

$0.64 ฿21.55

$0.41 ₹38.66

56.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.31

$0.14 ₹13.09

121.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.36 ฿79.6

$1.56 ₹148

51.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿124

$3.01 ₹286

21.59%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 ฿65.8

$0.67 ₹63.8

191.04%

White Bread (500g)

$1.44 ฿48.48

$0.46 ₹43.43

213.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 ฿45.04

$0.65 ₹61.3

104.62%

Eggs

$2.28 ฿77.1

$0.85 ₹80.8

168.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.45 ฿555

$4.02 ₹382

309.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.78 ฿93.9

$2.88 ₹273

-3.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.31 ฿314

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 ฿79.4

$1.92 ₹182

22.40%

Banana (1kg)

$0.97 ฿32.80

$0.67 ₹63.3

44.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.60 ฿53.9

$0.95 ₹90.2

68.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.6

$0.45 ₹42.76

233.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿43.12

$0.36 ₹33.83

255.56%

Onion (1kg)

$1.10 ฿37.19

$0.37 ₹35.52

197.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 ฿23.82

$0.40 ₹38.37

77.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.37

$0.29 ₹27.53

68.97%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.14 ฿140

$5.51 ₹523

-24.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.52 ฿591

$6.26 ₹594

179.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.61 ฿54.5

$1.59 ₹151

1.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿94.0

$2.99 ₹284

-7.02%

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

$4.27 ₹405

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.87 ฿29.31

$0.23 ₹21.86

278.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.1 ฿1,826

$7.08 ₹672

663.98%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.16 ฿39.06

$0.86 ₹81.5

34.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ฿17.80

$0.25 ₹24.21

112.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.42 ฿81.8

$1.62 ₹154

49.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.90

$1.13 ₹107

28.32%

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

$21.1K ฿710.7K

$12.1K ₹1.1M

74.17%

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

$26.9K ฿909.3K

$21.7K ₹2.1M

24.44%

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

$62.2 ฿2,098

$34.58 ₹3,283

79.79%

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

$12.17 ฿411

$3.12 ₹297

290.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.12 ฿679

$5.82 ₹552

245.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.31 ฿1,259

$14.37 ₹1,364

159.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.77 ฿127

$5.67 ₹538

-33.51%

Cinema Ticket

$6.49 ฿219

$2.98 ₹283

117.79%

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

$736 ฿24.8K

$46.87 ₹4,450

1470.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿498.3K

$1,442 ₹136.9K

923.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.4 ฿1,801

$19.92 ₹1,892

167.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.64 ฿831

$26.08 ₹2,476

-5.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.5 ฿3,087

$37.85 ₹3,593

141.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.9 ฿2,428

$27.95 ₹2,654

157.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.3K

$121 ₹11.5K

299.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$309 ฿10.4K

$77.8 ₹7,386

297.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 ฿33.9K

$266 ₹25.2K

278.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$633 ฿21.4K

$163 ₹15.4K

289.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,363 ฿79.8K

$967 ₹91.8K

144.35%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,589 ฿53.6K

$538 ₹51.1K

195.27%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$590 ฿19.9K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

8.86

-37.13%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 26, 2026

Last update for Dharwad: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$309 33%

Dharwad

$78 20.9% 74.8% $231

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$234 25.1%

Dharwad

$97 26% 58.7% $138

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$109 11.6%

Dharwad

$50 13.5% 53.7% $58

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$94 10.1%

Dharwad

$44 11.7% 53.9% $51

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$78 8.3%

Dharwad

$74 19.8% 5.1% $4

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$61 6.6%

Dharwad

$10 2.7% 83.5% $51

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$50 5.4%

Dharwad

$20 5.5% 59.6% $30

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Chiang Mai versus $121 in Dharwad. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19 in Chiang Mai versus $7 in Dharwad. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $234 vs $97 – making Dharwad the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇮🇳 Dharwad

🕒 Local time

09:39 9:39 AM

08:09 8:09 AM

1 h 30 min behind Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

100,000

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Indian Rupee INR ₹

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.96 USD

100 THB = 2.65 EUR

1,000 INR = 10.53 USD

1,000 INR = 9.43 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

INR, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

Thai Baht exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 33.75 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.68 THB (100 THB = 2.65 EUR).

Indian Rupee exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 94.94 INR (100 INR = 1.05 USD). 1 EUR = 106 INR (1,000 INR = 9.43 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Chiang Mai Dharwad 2,570 km ≈ 3 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
Dharwad

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Dharwad: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 151% more than Dharwad, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,403 per month in Chiang Mai and $559 in Dharwad. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Dharwad, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $121 there versus $482 in Chiang Mai.

Kindergarten costs $736 per month in Chiang Mai and $47 in Dharwad. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 142% more in Chiang Mai, though the gap depends on what you buy.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $936 in Chiang Mai and $372 in Dharwad, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Dharwad – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.

For expats, Dharwad is the easier option financially – housing and daily costs are lower, and overall it costs about 60% less, which matters a lot on a fixed budget or early-career salary.