Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Dombivli

For one person, living is cheaper in Dombivli: $432 a month against $925 in Chiang Mai, rent and utilities included – about $5,900 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Chiang Mai
🇹🇭 Thailand
$925
/mo nomad
Dombivli
🇮🇳 India
$432
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

A single person spends $925 per month in Chiang Mai vs $432 in Dombivli, rent included.

  • Chiang Mai $925
  • Dombivli $432

A couple spends around $1,414 per month in Chiang Mai vs $674 in Dombivli, rent included.

  • Chiang Mai $1,414
  • Dombivli $674

A family of three spends $1,903 per month in Chiang Mai vs $915 in Dombivli, rent included.

  • Chiang Mai $1,903
  • Dombivli $915

Chiang Mai costs about 114% more than Dombivli, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chiang Mai and Dombivli are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 32% lower, Dombivli 68% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Chiang Mai
Dombivli
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.29 ฿76.5
$2.59 ₹246
-11.58%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$19.64 ฿656
$14.73 ₹1,399
33.33%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.61 ฿188
$3.09 ₹293
81.55%
Cappuccino
$1.66 ฿55.6
$1.68 ₹160
-1.19%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.70 ฿23.40
$0.45 ₹42.83
55.56%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.31 ฿10.24
$0.14 ₹12.98
121.43%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.41 ฿80.4
$2.14 ₹204
12.62%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.71 ฿124
$3.13 ₹297
18.53%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Chiang Mai
Dombivli
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.95 ฿65.3
$0.64 ₹60.7
204.69%
White Bread (500g)
$1.41 ฿47.03
$0.49 ₹46.22
187.76%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.31 ฿43.62
$0.66 ₹62.6
98.48%
Eggs
$2.18 ฿72.9
$1.03 ₹98.1
111.65%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$16.65 ฿556
$6.35 ₹603
162.20%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$2.76 ฿92.2
$3.37 ₹320
-18.10%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$9.11 ฿304
-
-
Apples (1kg)
$2.39 ฿80.0
$2.07 ₹196
15.46%
Banana (1kg)
$1.03 ฿34.26
$0.87 ₹82.2
18.39%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.63 ฿54.4
$1.02 ₹97.0
59.80%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.50 ฿50.0
$0.49 ₹46.67
206.12%
Potato (1kg)
$1.29 ฿43.13
$0.43 ₹40.94
200.00%
Onion (1kg)
$1.11 ฿37.03
$0.47 ₹44.57
136.17%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.72 ฿24.08
$0.51 ₹48.15
41.18%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.53 ฿17.59
$0.33 ₹31.55
60.61%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.31 ฿144
$5.14 ₹488
-16.15%
Wine (Bottle)
$17.95 ฿600
$6.50 ₹617
176.15%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.58 ฿52.9
$1.68 ₹160
-5.95%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.84 ฿95.0
$1.98 ₹188
43.43%
Buffalo Round (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) (1kg)
-
$5.58 ₹530
-
🚌 Getting Around
Chiang Mai
Dombivli
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.86 ฿28.86
$0.20 ₹18.95
330.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$53.3 ฿1,780
$3.80 ₹360
1302.11%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.21 ฿40.29
$0.43 ₹41.29
181.40%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.57 ฿18.99
$0.33 ₹31.48
72.73%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$2.35 ฿78.6
$1.02 ₹97.3
130.39%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.44 ฿47.96
$1.17 ₹111
23.08%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$20.7K ฿692.8K
$11.1K ₹1.0M
87.52%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.8K ฿895.7K
$18.5K ₹1.8M
44.54%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Chiang Mai
Dombivli
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$62.3 ฿2,083
$40.38 ₹3,835
54.36%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$12.11 ฿405
$3.84 ₹365
215.36%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$19.94 ฿666
$7.34 ₹697
171.66%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Chiang Mai
Dombivli
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$37.07 ฿1,239
$11.37 ₹1,080
226.03%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$3.78 ฿126
$3.46 ₹329
9.25%
Cinema Ticket
$6.50 ฿217
$4.49 ₹427
44.77%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Chiang Mai
Dombivli
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$793 ฿26.5K
$114 ₹10.8K
596.34%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$14.8K ฿494.9K
$1,413 ₹134.2K
948.08%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Chiang Mai
Dombivli
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$53.7 ฿1,796
$28.98 ₹2,752
85.44%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$24.62 ฿823
$26.48 ₹2,515
-7.02%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$90.9 ฿3,036
$44.71 ₹4,246
103.20%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$71.1 ฿2,378
$38.01 ₹3,610
87.16%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Chiang Mai
Dombivli
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$455 ฿15.2K
$173 ₹16.5K
162.86%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$298 ฿9,954
$112 ₹10.7K
165.37%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$908 ฿30.4K
$336 ₹31.9K
170.24%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$554 ฿18.5K
$214 ₹20.4K
158.30%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,931 ฿64.5K
$1,369 ₹130.0K
40.99%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,445 ฿48.3K
$540 ₹51.3K
167.28%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Chiang Mai
Dombivli
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$591 ฿19.7K
$453 ₹43.1K
30.32%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.57
9.16
-39.19%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 17, 2026

Last update for Dombivli: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Chiang Mai
$298
Dombivli
$112 62.3% $186
Groceries & Markets
Chiang Mai
$235
Dombivli
$110 53.5% $126
Clothing & Footwear
Chiang Mai
$108
Dombivli
$62 42.5% $46
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Chiang Mai
$94
Dombivli
$52 45.4% $43
Eating Out
Chiang Mai
$79
Dombivli
$70 11.6% $9.1
Getting Around
Chiang Mai
$61
Dombivli
$6.7 89% $54
Sport & Entertainment
Chiang Mai
$50
Dombivli
$20 59.3% $30

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $455 in Chiang Mai versus $173 in Dombivli. 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 30% 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $15.00 in Dombivli. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $235 vs $110 – making Dombivli the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇹🇭 Chiang Mai
🇮🇳 Dombivli
🕒 Local time
00:17 12:17 AM
22:47 10:47 PM
1 h 30 min behind Chiang Mai
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
127,240
1,247,327
💱 Currency
Thai Baht THB ฿
Exchange rates and currency converter

INR, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 22, 2026: 1 USD = 33.42 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.57 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

Indian Rupee exchange rates as of October 22, 2026: 1 USD = 94.96 INR (100 INR = 1.05 USD). 1 EUR = 107 INR (1,000 INR = 9.37 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Chiang Mai Dombivli 2,720 km ≈ 4 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Chiang Mai
  • Dombivli

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 Dombivli: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Chiang Mai or Dombivli?
Chiang Mai costs about 114% more than Dombivli, 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 Dombivli?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,388 per month in Chiang Mai and $648 in Dombivli. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Chiang Mai or Dombivli?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Dombivli, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
How do childcare costs compare in Chiang Mai and in Dombivli?
Kindergarten costs $793 per month in Chiang Mai and $114 in Dombivli. 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 Dombivli?
Groceries cost about 115% 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.
Can you live on $1,500/month in Chiang Mai or in Dombivli?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Dombivli, where all-in costs run around $432, than in Chiang Mai at $925. In Dombivli it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiang Mai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Chiang Mai or Dombivli?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Dombivli costs $432 versus $925 in Chiang Mai. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.
How safe is Chiang Mai compared to Dombivli?
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.
Should I move to Chiang Mai or to Dombivli?
If budget matters most, go with Dombivli. 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.

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