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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $438 in Dibrugarh, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,351 per month in Chiang Mai vs $714 in Dibrugarh, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,835 per month in Chiang Mai vs $990 in Dibrugarh, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 98% more than Dibrugarh, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Dibrugarh are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Dibrugarh 67% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ฿63.6

$3.26 ₹312

-40.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 ฿609

$11.70 ₹1,120

59.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 ฿256

$5.79 ₹554

35.06%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.9

$1.69 ₹162

15.38%

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

$0.85 ฿27.80

$0.50 ₹47.73

70.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.60

$0.17 ₹16.60

105.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.7

$2.38 ₹228

-10.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

$5.12 ₹490

-27.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿56.0

$0.68 ₹64.9

151.47%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.3

$0.62 ₹59.7

162.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ฿37.18

$0.55 ₹52.2

107.27%

Eggs

$1.93 ฿63.2

$1.29 ₹124

49.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ฿530

$4.63 ₹444

250.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿102

$4.89 ₹467

-36.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿356

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ฿90.1

$3.39 ₹324

-18.88%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.56

$1.17 ₹112

3.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.0

$1.84 ₹176

-11.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.9

$0.75 ₹72.0

112.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿45.75

$0.30 ₹28.24

366.67%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.20

$0.52 ₹50.0

125.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.62

$0.49 ₹46.98

34.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.24

$0.45 ₹43.30

17.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿153

$5.83 ₹558

-19.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿610

$3.06 ₹293

509.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.8

$0.92 ₹88.0

95.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$2.77 ₹265

16.61%

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

$4.54 ₹434

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.28

$0.22 ₹21.05

309.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

$8.49 ₹813

126.27%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.96

$0.84 ₹80.7

67.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.16

$0.42 ₹39.82

207.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$1.42 ₹136

452.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.62

$1.20 ₹115

5.83%

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

$21.3K ฿695.5K

$13.3K ₹1.3M

59.42%

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

$22.2K ฿726.1K

$22.0K ₹2.1M

1.00%

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

$69.1 ฿2,258

$19.62 ₹1,878

252.04%

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

$14.08 ฿460

$4.00 ₹383

252.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿588

$7.84 ₹751

129.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,342

$16.05 ₹1,536

155.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$6.96 ₹666

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿193

$5.94 ₹569

-0.34%

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

$299 ฿9,775

$23.28 ₹2,228

1184.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿488.8K

$1,527 ₹146.1K

879.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,788

$41.53 ₹3,975

31.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.77 ฿875

$28.76 ₹2,752

-6.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 ฿2,778

$60.4 ₹5,777

40.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,308

$61.2 ₹5,854

15.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

$172 ₹16.5K

148.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,759

$76.5 ₹7,318

210.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.2K

$345 ₹33.0K

132.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.9K

$183 ₹17.5K

181.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

$985 ₹94.3K

100.42%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

$523 ₹50.0K

182.25%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

$369 ₹35.3K

67.26%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.75

-57.45%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Last update for Dibrugarh: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $428 in Chiang Mai versus $172 in Dibrugarh. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 67% higher in Chiang Mai, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $12.00 in Dibrugarh. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $246 vs $119 – making Dibrugarh the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Dibrugarh: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 98% more than Dibrugarh, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,300 per month in Chiang Mai and $657 in Dibrugarh. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Dibrugarh, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $299 per month in Chiang Mai and $23.28 in Dibrugarh. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 106% more in Chiang Mai, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $866 in Chiang Mai and $438 in Dibrugarh, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Dibrugarh costs $438 versus $866 in Chiang Mai. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Dibrugarh. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chiang Mai makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.