Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Dibrugarh

For one person, living is cheaper in Dibrugarh: $451 a month against $936 in Chiang Mai, rent and utilities included – about $5,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Chiang Mai, Thailand
Dibrugarh, India
Chiang Mai
🇹🇭 Thailand
$936
/mo nomad
Dibrugarh
🇮🇳 India
$451
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

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 Dibrugarh actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $936 per month in Chiang Mai vs $451 in Dibrugarh, rent included.

  • Chiang Mai $936
  • Dibrugarh $451

A couple spends around $1,457 per month in Chiang Mai vs $725 in Dibrugarh, rent included.

  • Chiang Mai $1,457
  • Dibrugarh $725

A family of three spends $1,979 per month in Chiang Mai vs $999 in Dibrugarh, rent included.

  • Chiang Mai $1,979
  • Dibrugarh $999

Chiang Mai costs about 107% more than Dibrugarh, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chiang Mai and Dibrugarh are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 31% lower, Dibrugarh 67% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Chiang Mai
Dibrugarh
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.24 ฿75.7
$2.87 ₹273
-21.95%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$19.00 ฿642
$10.33 ₹984
83.93%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.55 ฿188
$5.11 ₹487
8.61%
Cappuccino
$1.67 ฿56.6
$1.54 ₹147
8.44%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.64 ฿21.56
$0.44 ₹42.34
45.45%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.31 ฿10.32
$0.19 ₹18.39
63.16%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.36 ฿79.6
$2.05 ₹195
15.12%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.66 ฿124
$4.87 ₹463
-24.85%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Chiang Mai
Dibrugarh
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.95 ฿65.8
$0.66 ₹62.9
195.45%
White Bread (500g)
$1.44 ฿48.51
$0.61 ₹57.6
136.07%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.33 ฿45.07
$0.52 ₹49.49
155.77%
Eggs
$2.28 ฿77.1
$1.26 ₹120
80.95%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$16.45 ฿556
$4.22 ₹402
289.81%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$2.78 ฿94.0
$4.65 ₹442
-40.22%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$9.31 ฿314
-
-
Apples (1kg)
$2.35 ฿79.5
$3.20 ₹305
-26.56%
Banana (1kg)
$0.97 ฿32.82
$1.07 ₹102
-9.35%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.60 ฿53.9
$1.70 ₹162
-5.88%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.50 ฿50.7
$0.70 ₹66.3
114.29%
Potato (1kg)
$1.28 ฿43.15
$0.31 ₹29.13
312.90%
Onion (1kg)
$1.10 ฿37.22
$0.50 ₹47.68
120.00%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.71 ฿23.84
$0.40 ₹38.45
77.50%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.49 ฿16.38
$0.40 ₹38.54
22.50%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.14 ฿140
$5.11 ₹487
-18.98%
Wine (Bottle)
$17.52 ฿592
$3.12 ₹297
461.54%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.61 ฿54.5
$0.81 ₹77.5
98.77%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.78 ฿94.0
$2.71 ₹258
2.58%
Buffalo Round (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) (1kg)
-
$4.10 ₹391
-
🚌 Getting Around
Chiang Mai
Dibrugarh
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.87 ฿29.33
$0.20 ₹19.04
335.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$54.1 ฿1,827
$7.63 ₹727
608.91%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.16 ฿39.08
$0.81 ₹76.8
43.21%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.53 ฿17.82
$0.38 ₹36.21
39.47%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$2.42 ฿81.8
$1.42 ₹135
70.42%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.45 ฿48.93
$1.05 ₹99.8
38.10%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.1K ฿711.2K
$12.2K ₹1.2M
72.58%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.9K ฿909.8K
$19.9K ₹1.9M
35.49%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Chiang Mai
Dibrugarh
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$62.2 ฿2,100
$17.52 ₹1,668
254.85%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$12.17 ฿411
$3.70 ₹353
228.92%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$20.12 ฿680
$7.22 ₹687
178.67%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Chiang Mai
Dibrugarh
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$37.31 ฿1,260
$14.35 ₹1,367
160.00%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$3.77 ฿127
$6.74 ₹642
-44.07%
Cinema Ticket
$6.49 ฿219
$5.34 ₹509
21.54%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Chiang Mai
Dibrugarh
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$736 ฿24.9K
$21.36 ₹2,034
3346.40%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$14.8K ฿498.6K
$1,415 ₹134.7K
943.49%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Chiang Mai
Dibrugarh
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$53.4 ฿1,802
$38.52 ₹3,668
38.55%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$24.64 ฿832
$26.31 ₹2,505
-6.35%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$91.5 ฿3,089
$53.5 ₹5,096
70.96%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$71.9 ฿2,429
$53.9 ₹5,134
33.42%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Chiang Mai
Dibrugarh
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$482 ฿16.3K
$155 ₹14.8K
210.64%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$309 ฿10.4K
$117 ₹11.1K
164.10%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,006 ฿34.0K
$310 ₹29.5K
224.61%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$633 ฿21.4K
$249 ₹23.7K
154.05%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,363 ฿79.8K
$928 ₹88.3K
154.77%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,589 ฿53.7K
$540 ₹51.4K
194.46%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Chiang Mai
Dibrugarh
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$590 ฿19.9K
$358 ₹34.1K
64.64%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.57
11.75
-52.60%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 26, 2026

Last update for Dibrugarh: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Chiang Mai
$309
Dibrugarh
$117 62.1% $192
Groceries & Markets
Chiang Mai
$234
Dibrugarh
$113 52% $122
Clothing & Footwear
Chiang Mai
$109
Dibrugarh
$78 28.6% $31
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Chiang Mai
$94
Dibrugarh
$28 69.9% $66
Eating Out
Chiang Mai
$78
Dibrugarh
$79 2.2% $1.7
Getting Around
Chiang Mai
$61
Dibrugarh
$11 81.8% $50
Sport & Entertainment
Chiang Mai
$50
Dibrugarh
$25 50.2% $25

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Chiang Mai versus $155 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 65% 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 in Chiang Mai versus $10 in Dibrugarh. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $234 vs $113 – making Dibrugarh the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇹🇭 Chiang Mai
🇮🇳 Dibrugarh
🕒 Local time
05:19 5:19 AM
03:49 3:49 AM
1 h 30 min behind Chiang Mai
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
127,240
140,000
💱 Currency
Thai Baht THB ฿
Exchange rates and currency converter

INR, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 33.77 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.59 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

Indian Rupee exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 95.22 INR (100 INR = 1.05 USD). 1 EUR = 106 INR (1,000 INR = 9.43 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Chiang Mai Dibrugarh 1,050 km ≈ 1 h 45 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Chiang Mai
  • Dibrugarh

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 Dibrugarh: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Chiang Mai or Dibrugarh?
Chiang Mai costs about 107% more than Dibrugarh, 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.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Chiang Mai and in Dibrugarh?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,403 per month in Chiang Mai and $676 in Dibrugarh. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Chiang Mai or Dibrugarh?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Dibrugarh, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $155 there versus $482 in Chiang Mai.
How do childcare costs compare in Chiang Mai and in Dibrugarh?
Kindergarten costs $736 per month in Chiang Mai and $21 in Dibrugarh. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Are groceries more expensive in Chiang Mai or in Dibrugarh?
Groceries cost about 108% more in Chiang Mai, though the gap depends on what you buy.
Which city is better for families?
Families tend to lean toward Dibrugarh – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
How safe is Chiang Mai compared to Dibrugarh?
Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.
Should I move to Chiang Mai or to Dibrugarh?
If budget matters most, go with Dibrugarh. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chiang Mai makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

Chiang Mai vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities

Show times on the 12-hour clock, temperatures in °F and distances in miles?