Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Hardoi

For one person, living is cheaper in Hardoi: $368 a month against $935 in Chiang Mai, rent and utilities included – about $6,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Chiang Mai, Thailand
Hardoi, India
Chiang Mai
🇹🇭 Thailand
$935
/mo nomad
Hardoi
🇮🇳 India
$368
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

A single person spends $935 per month in Chiang Mai vs $368 in Hardoi, rent included.

  • Chiang Mai $935
  • Hardoi $368

A couple spends around $1,467 per month in Chiang Mai vs $588 in Hardoi, rent included.

  • Chiang Mai $1,467
  • Hardoi $588

A family of three spends $1,999 per month in Chiang Mai vs $809 in Hardoi, rent included.

  • Chiang Mai $1,999
  • Hardoi $809

Chiang Mai costs about 154% more than Hardoi, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

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

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Chiang Mai
Hardoi
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.13 ฿71.4
$2.09 ₹197
1.91%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$18.62 ฿623
$10.64 ₹1,005
75.00%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.60 ฿187
$3.75 ₹354
49.33%
Cappuccino
$1.66 ฿55.6
$1.64 ₹154
1.22%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.65 ฿21.63
$0.37 ₹35.06
75.68%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.30 ฿10.20
$0.13 ₹12.39
130.77%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.32 ฿77.7
$1.87 ₹176
24.06%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.67 ฿123
$2.90 ₹274
26.55%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Chiang Mai
Hardoi
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.02 ฿67.4
$0.66 ₹62.8
206.06%
White Bread (500g)
$1.41 ฿47.08
$0.44 ₹42.02
220.45%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.39 ฿46.54
$0.67 ₹63.5
107.46%
Eggs
$2.37 ฿79.2
$0.90 ₹85.3
163.33%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$16.52 ฿552
$4.49 ₹424
267.93%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$2.67 ฿89.3
$2.79 ₹264
-4.30%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$9.02 ฿302
-
-
Apples (1kg)
$2.40 ฿80.2
$1.92 ₹181
25.00%
Banana (1kg)
$1.04 ฿34.82
$0.66 ₹62.7
57.58%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.66 ฿55.5
$0.89 ₹83.8
86.52%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.56 ฿52.1
$0.45 ₹42.42
246.67%
Potato (1kg)
$1.24 ฿41.39
$0.32 ₹30.56
287.50%
Onion (1kg)
$1.09 ฿36.34
$0.38 ₹35.88
186.84%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.76 ฿25.47
$0.47 ₹44.56
61.70%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.51 ฿17.19
$0.29 ₹27.36
75.86%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.12 ฿138
$5.01 ₹473
-17.76%
Wine (Bottle)
$17.93 ฿600
$7.17 ₹677
150.07%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.62 ฿54.3
$1.58 ₹149
2.53%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.82 ฿94.4
$2.69 ₹254
4.83%
Buffalo Round (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) (1kg)
-
$4.98 ₹471
-
🚌 Getting Around
Chiang Mai
Hardoi
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.93 ฿31.25
$0.21 ₹19.77
342.86%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$52.9 ฿1,769
$7.16 ₹676
638.69%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.18 ฿39.35
$0.81 ₹76.6
45.68%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.17 ฿5.73
$0.27 ₹25.66
-37.04%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$1.81 ฿60.6
$1.56 ₹148
16.03%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.47 ฿49.25
$1.11 ₹105
32.43%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.0K ฿702.6K
$11.1K ₹1.0M
89.39%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.5K ฿886.7K
$19.9K ₹1.9M
33.47%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Chiang Mai
Hardoi
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$62.6 ฿2,092
$35.61 ₹3,364
75.68%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.60 ฿388
$3.40 ₹321
241.18%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$20.30 ฿679
$6.42 ₹606
216.20%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Chiang Mai
Hardoi
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$37.88 ฿1,267
$14.38 ₹1,358
163.42%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$3.70 ฿124
$6.47 ₹612
-42.81%
Cinema Ticket
$6.51 ฿218
$2.87 ₹271
126.83%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Chiang Mai
Hardoi
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$727 ฿24.3K
$45.30 ₹4,279
1504.88%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$16.6K ฿554.2K
$1,442 ₹136.2K
1049.76%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Chiang Mai
Hardoi
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$53.5 ฿1,790
$21.67 ₹2,047
147.07%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$24.80 ฿829
$24.03 ₹2,270
3.20%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$90.4 ฿3,023
$38.61 ₹3,648
134.11%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$72.0 ฿2,407
$28.59 ₹2,701
151.73%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Chiang Mai
Hardoi
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$481 ฿16.1K
$122 ₹11.5K
295.15%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$310 ฿10.4K
$78.1 ₹7,380
296.69%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,058 ฿35.4K
$271 ₹25.6K
290.98%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$659 ฿22.0K
$188 ₹17.8K
249.98%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,418 ฿80.8K
$928 ₹87.7K
160.50%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,609 ฿53.8K
$542 ₹51.2K
197.10%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Chiang Mai
Hardoi
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$595 ฿19.9K
$291 ₹27.5K
104.10%
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: November 1, 2026

Last update for Hardoi: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Chiang Mai
$310
Hardoi
$78 74.8% $232
Groceries & Markets
Chiang Mai
$237
Hardoi
$99 58.2% $138
Clothing & Footwear
Chiang Mai
$108
Hardoi
$51 53.1% $58
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Chiang Mai
$94
Hardoi
$45 51.9% $49
Eating Out
Chiang Mai
$77
Hardoi
$65 15.4% $12
Getting Around
Chiang Mai
$59
Hardoi
$10 82.7% $49
Sport & Entertainment
Chiang Mai
$51
Hardoi
$20 60.5% $31

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $481 in Chiang Mai versus $122 in Hardoi. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in Chiang Mai are about 2 times higher, 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 $11 in Hardoi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $237 vs $99 – making Hardoi the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇹🇭 Chiang Mai
🇮🇳 Hardoi
🕒 Local time
16:13 4:13 PM
14:43 2:43 PM
1 h 30 min behind Chiang Mai
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
127,240
126,900
💱 Currency
Thai Baht THB ฿
Exchange rates and currency converter

INR, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

Thai Baht exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 33.44 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.56 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

Indian Rupee exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 94.47 INR (100 INR = 1.06 USD). 1 EUR = 106 INR (1,000 INR = 9.43 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Chiang Mai Hardoi 2,150 km ≈ 3 h 15 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Chiang Mai
  • Hardoi

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 Hardoi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Chiang Mai or Hardoi?
Chiang Mai costs about 154% more than Hardoi, 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 Hardoi?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,403 per month in Chiang Mai and $552 in Hardoi. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Chiang Mai or Hardoi?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Hardoi, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $122 there versus $481 in Chiang Mai.
How do childcare costs compare in Chiang Mai and in Hardoi?
Kindergarten costs $727 per month in Chiang Mai and $45 in Hardoi. 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 Hardoi?
Groceries cost about 139% more in Chiang Mai, though the gap depends on what you buy.
Can you live on $800/month in Chiang Mai or in Hardoi?
A $800 monthly budget goes further in Hardoi, where all-in costs run around $368, than in Chiang Mai at $935. In Hardoi it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiang Mai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for families?
Families tend to lean toward Hardoi – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Should I move to Chiang Mai or to Hardoi?
If budget matters most, go with Hardoi. 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.

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