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 $866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $459 in Hyderabad, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,351 per month in Chiang Mai vs $685 in Hyderabad, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,835 per month in Chiang Mai vs $911 in Hyderabad, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 89% more than Hyderabad, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Hyderabad are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Hyderabad 66% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ฿63.6

$1.79 PKR 498

8.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 ฿609

$10.75 PKR 2,991

73.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 ฿256

$4.16 PKR 1,158

87.98%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.89 PKR 527

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.46 PKR 1,518

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.9

$0.95 PKR 264

105.26%

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

$0.85 ฿27.80

$0.34 PKR 94.1

150.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.60

$0.23 PKR 64.3

52.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.7

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿56.0

$0.72 PKR 201

137.50%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.3

$0.53 PKR 148

207.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ฿37.18

$1.16 PKR 323

-1.72%

Eggs

$1.93 ฿63.2

$1.15 PKR 321

67.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ฿530

$6.11 PKR 1,700

165.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿102

$2.75 PKR 765

13.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿356

$4.00 PKR 1,111

172.50%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ฿90.1

$1.09 PKR 303

152.29%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.56

$0.58 PKR 162

108.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.0

$0.85 PKR 237

90.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.9

$0.56 PKR 155

183.93%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿45.75

$0.36 PKR 98.9

288.89%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.20

$0.48 PKR 133

143.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.62

$0.38 PKR 106

73.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.24

$0.41 PKR 114

29.27%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$0.91 PKR 254

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.26 PKR 351

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.12 PKR 588

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿153

$2.17 PKR 603

116.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿610

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.8

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.28

$0.18 PKR 50.3

400.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

$9.84 PKR 2,737

95.22%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.96

$0.65 PKR 181

116.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.16

$0.19 PKR 52.4

578.95%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$0.69 PKR 192

1036.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.62

$0.87 PKR 243

45.98%

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

$21.3K ฿695.5K

$16.6K PKR 4.6M

27.83%

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

$22.2K ฿726.1K

$23.0K PKR 6.4M

-3.53%

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

$69.1 ฿2,258

$135 PKR 37.5K

-48.70%

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

$14.08 ฿460

$4.64 PKR 1,292

203.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿588

$13.73 PKR 3,820

31.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,342

$20.28 PKR 5,641

102.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$3.59 PKR 997

93.87%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿193

$3.43 PKR 955

72.59%

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

$299 ฿9,775

$41.18 PKR 11.5K

626.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿488.8K

$1,094 PKR 304.4K

1266.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,788

$17.79 PKR 4,948

207.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.77 ฿875

$24.99 PKR 6,951

7.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 ฿2,778

$64.4 PKR 17.9K

32.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,308

$36.32 PKR 10.1K

94.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

$119 PKR 33.2K

259.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,759

$68.1 PKR 18.9K

248.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.2K

$296 PKR 82.3K

170.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.9K

$198 PKR 55.2K

159.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

$580 PKR 161.4K

240.29%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

$195 PKR 54.2K

657.58%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

$171 PKR 47.5K

261.91%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Hyderabad: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $428 in Chiang Mai versus $119 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 262% 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 Hyderabad. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $246 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 89% 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 $1,300 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 $299 per month in Chiang Mai and $41.18 in Hyderabad. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 175% 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 $866 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 $866 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.