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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $320 in Durgapur, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,354 per month in Chiang Mai vs $511 in Durgapur, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,857 per month in Chiang Mai vs $701 in Durgapur, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 166% more than Durgapur, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Durgapur are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Durgapur 76% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿64.0

$2.28 ₹216

-14.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.81 ฿615

$11.41 ₹1,084

64.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.92 ฿259

$3.87 ₹367

104.65%

Cappuccino

$1.91 ฿62.6

$1.46 ₹139

30.82%

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

$0.84 ฿27.41

$0.41 ₹38.62

104.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.51

$0.14 ₹12.83

150.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$1.38 ₹131

60.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 ฿124

$2.33 ₹221

63.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$0.60 ₹56.8

173.33%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 ฿53.1

$0.41 ₹39.04

295.12%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.62

$0.51 ₹48.57

131.37%

Eggs

$2.01 ฿65.8

$0.91 ₹86.1

120.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.89 ฿520

$2.86 ₹271

455.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.01 ฿98.5

$2.49 ₹236

20.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.77 ฿352

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 ฿85.5

$1.36 ₹130

91.91%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿39.88

$0.72 ₹68.8

69.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.7

$1.03 ₹97.7

65.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 ฿51.5

$0.52 ₹49.20

203.85%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 ฿43.14

$0.32 ₹30.03

312.50%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.23

$0.52 ₹49.72

125.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿21.98

$0.44 ₹42.09

52.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.32

$0.32 ₹30.84

75.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.53 ฿148

$3.92 ₹372

15.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.20 ฿595

$9.37 ₹889

94.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿60.0

$1.74 ₹165

5.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$2.36 ₹225

36.86%

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

$6.65 ₹631

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ฿29.00

$0.45 ₹42.89

97.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.38 ฿634

$8.83 ₹838

119.48%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.35 ฿44.20

$0.59 ₹56.3

128.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 ฿44.05

$0.30 ₹28.75

350.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.25 ฿270

$2.08 ₹198

296.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.64

$1.25 ₹119

1.60%

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

$21.2K ฿691.8K

$8,735 ₹829.3K

142.20%

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

$22.5K ฿735.3K

$11.7K ₹1.1M

91.79%

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

$70.2 ฿2,294

$40.08 ₹3,805

75.02%

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

$13.77 ฿450

$2.80 ₹266

391.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.60 ฿575

$7.11 ₹675

147.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.57 ฿1,360

$8.41 ₹799

394.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.60 ฿216

$7.14 ₹678

-7.56%

Cinema Ticket

$5.78 ฿189

$3.70 ₹351

56.22%

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

$306 ฿10.0K

$43.29 ₹4,110

607.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿484.8K

$1,613 ₹153.2K

818.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.4 ฿1,778

$21.54 ₹2,045

152.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.14 ฿855

$29.88 ₹2,837

-12.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.5 ฿2,764

$26.46 ₹2,513

219.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.4 ฿2,270

$26.42 ₹2,508

162.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$424 ฿13.9K

$74.6 ₹7,079

468.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$238 ฿7,788

$37.26 ₹3,537

539.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$825 ฿27.0K

$173 ₹16.5K

375.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$114 ₹10.9K

350.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,049 ฿67.0K

$382 ₹36.3K

436.71%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,523 ฿49.8K

$252 ₹23.9K

505.32%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$635 ฿20.8K

$629 ₹59.7K

1.05%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.75

-35.48%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 27, 2026

Last update for Durgapur: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $424 in Chiang Mai versus $74.6 in Durgapur. 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 1% 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 $11.00 in Durgapur. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $243 vs $95.0 – making Durgapur 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 Durgapur: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 166% more than Durgapur, 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 $1,278 per month in Chiang Mai and $481 in Durgapur. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $306 per month in Chiang Mai and $43.29 in Durgapur. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 157% 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.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $852 in Chiang Mai and $320 in Durgapur, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Durgapur costs $320 versus $852 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 Durgapur. 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.