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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $861 per month in Chiang Mai vs $459 in Hyderabad, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,350 per month in Chiang Mai vs $699 in Hyderabad, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,838 per month in Chiang Mai vs $939 in Hyderabad, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 88% more than Hyderabad, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Hyderabad are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Hyderabad 66% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿65.8

$1.82 PKR 504

7.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.35 ฿617

$10.42 PKR 2,894

76.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.48 ฿252

$4.05 PKR 1,124

84.69%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.00 PKR 556

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.26 PKR 1,462

Cappuccino

$2.02 ฿67.8

$0.93 PKR 259

117.20%

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

$0.85 ฿28.50

$0.34 PKR 94.1

150.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.96

$0.23 PKR 64.1

56.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.8

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 ฿121

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿55.5

$0.73 PKR 203

126.03%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.7

$0.50 PKR 139

214.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿40.02

$1.16 PKR 323

2.59%

Eggs

$1.94 ฿65.1

$1.11 PKR 308

74.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿544

$6.05 PKR 1,681

167.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.99 ฿101

$2.71 PKR 752

10.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿368

$4.18 PKR 1,161

161.72%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 ฿91.2

$1.08 PKR 301

150.93%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿39.25

$0.55 PKR 152

112.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 ฿56.7

$0.87 PKR 241

94.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 ฿54.0

$0.52 PKR 144

207.69%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.54

$0.36 PKR 98.7

283.33%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.45

$0.51 PKR 140

135.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿22.50

$0.39 PKR 107

71.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.73

$0.44 PKR 122

27.27%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$0.88 PKR 245

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 PKR 348

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.09 PKR 580

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.64 ฿156

$2.17 PKR 603

113.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.62 ฿593

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.5

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 ฿111

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.68

$0.15 PKR 42.60

486.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ฿650

$9.50 PKR 2,638

103.58%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿45.90

$0.65 PKR 180

109.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.98

$0.20 PKR 55.1

570.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.21 ฿276

$0.72 PKR 200

1040.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ฿41.18

$0.88 PKR 244

38.64%

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

$21.4K ฿718.1K

$16.9K PKR 4.7M

26.72%

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

$22.5K ฿757.7K

$23.0K PKR 6.4M

-1.88%

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

$70.7 ฿2,376

$135 PKR 37.4K

-47.54%

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

$14.04 ฿472

$4.61 PKR 1,280

204.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.49 ฿588

$13.27 PKR 3,686

31.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.15 ฿1,417

$20.84 PKR 5,787

102.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

$3.45 PKR 959

99.42%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿199

$3.51 PKR 976

68.66%

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

$309 ฿10.4K

$41.17 PKR 11.4K

649.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K ฿500.4K

$1,109 PKR 307.9K

1241.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,875

$17.58 PKR 4,880

217.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.11 ฿878

$25.02 PKR 6,947

4.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.0 ฿2,792

$64.6 PKR 17.9K

28.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 ฿2,369

$36.40 PKR 10.1K

93.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$432 ฿14.5K

$118 PKR 32.8K

265.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿8,035

$68.0 PKR 18.9K

251.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$822 ฿27.7K

$294 PKR 81.7K

179.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$512 ฿17.2K

$194 PKR 54.0K

163.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,915 ฿64.4K

$590 PKR 163.7K

224.75%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 ฿49.3K

$196 PKR 54.4K

648.68%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$579 ฿19.5K

$174 PKR 48.4K

232.32%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

-66.67%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Last update for Hyderabad: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $432 in Chiang Mai versus $118 in Hyderabad. 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 232% 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 $18.00 in Chiang Mai versus $10.00 in Hyderabad. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $243 vs $89.0 – making Hyderabad 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 Hyderabad: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 88% more than Hyderabad, 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 $1,292 per month in Chiang Mai and $688 in Hyderabad. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $309 per month in Chiang Mai and $41.17 in Hyderabad. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 173% 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.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $861 in Chiang Mai and $459 in Hyderabad, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Hyderabad costs $459 versus $861 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 Hyderabad. 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.