Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Imphal

For one person, living is cheaper in Imphal: $351 a month against $935 in Chiang Mai, rent and utilities included – about $7,000 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

45

Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai Living Index
17

Cost of Living Index in Imphal
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Imphal Living Index

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Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$935

/mo nomad

Imphal

🇮🇳 India

$351

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

A single person spends $935 per month in Chiang Mai vs $351 in Imphal, rent included.

Chiang Mai $935
Imphal $351

A couple spends around $1,467 per month in Chiang Mai vs $572 in Imphal, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,467
Imphal $572

A family of three spends $1,999 per month in Chiang Mai vs $792 in Imphal, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,999
Imphal $792

Chiang Mai costs about 166% more than Imphal, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chiang Mai and Imphal are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 31% lower, Imphal 74% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.13 ฿71.4

$2.15 ₹203

-0.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.62 ฿623

$8.58 ₹810

117.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.60 ฿187

$4.48 ₹423

25.00%

Cappuccino

$1.66 ฿55.6

$0.76 ₹71.5

118.42%

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

$0.65 ฿21.63

$0.42 ₹39.83

54.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 ฿10.20

$0.18 ₹16.78

66.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.32 ฿77.7

$1.03 ₹97.4

125.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿123

$2.83 ₹268

29.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.02 ฿67.4

$0.73 ₹68.8

176.71%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 ฿47.08

$0.80 ₹75.6

76.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.54

$0.40 ₹37.77

247.50%

Eggs

$2.37 ฿79.2

$1.29 ₹121

83.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.52 ฿552

$4.64 ₹439

256.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.67 ฿89.3

$2.88 ₹272

-7.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.02 ฿302

Apples (1kg)

$2.40 ฿80.2

$1.88 ₹177

27.66%

Banana (1kg)

$1.04 ฿34.82

$0.69 ₹65.0

50.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.66 ฿55.5

$0.94 ₹88.9

76.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.56 ฿52.1

$0.45 ₹42.61

246.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 ฿41.39

$0.38 ₹36.13

226.32%

Onion (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.34

$0.41 ₹39.11

165.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.76 ฿25.47

$0.52 ₹48.80

46.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿17.19

$0.25 ₹23.79

104.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.12 ฿138

$4.92 ₹465

-16.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.93 ฿600

$11.32 ₹1,070

58.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 ฿54.3

$1.50 ₹142

8.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.82 ฿94.4

$1.45 ₹137

94.48%

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

$5.40 ₹510

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.93 ฿31.25

$0.31 ₹29.15

200.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$52.9 ฿1,769

$7.60 ₹718

595.92%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.18 ฿39.35

$1.08 ₹102

9.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.17 ฿5.73

$0.33 ₹31.53

-48.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.81 ฿60.6

$1.42 ₹134

27.46%

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

$12.3K ₹1.2M

71.35%

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

$26.5K ฿886.7K

$17.2K ₹1.6M

54.42%

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

$62.6 ฿2,092

$67.6 ₹6,388

-7.50%

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

$11.60 ฿388

$3.20 ₹302

262.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.30 ฿679

$4.88 ₹461

315.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.88 ฿1,267

$5.35 ₹505

608.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.70 ฿124

$1.62 ₹153

128.40%

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 ฿218

$2.65 ₹250

145.66%

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

$727 ฿24.3K

$14.65 ₹1,383

4862.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.6K ฿554.2K

$1,556 ₹147.0K

964.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.5 ฿1,790

$20.87 ₹1,972

156.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.80 ฿829

$20.74 ₹1,959

19.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.4 ฿3,023

$31.35 ₹2,961

188.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.0 ฿2,407

$32.24 ₹3,046

123.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$481 ฿16.1K

$88.9 ₹8,399

441.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$310 ฿10.4K

$42.95 ₹4,058

621.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,058 ฿35.4K

$251 ₹23.7K

321.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$659 ฿22.0K

$181 ₹17.1K

263.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,418 ฿80.8K

$423 ₹39.9K

472.18%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,609 ฿53.8K

$258 ₹24.3K

524.32%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

$184 ₹17.4K

223.47%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

14.35

-61.18%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: November 1, 2026

Last update for Imphal: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$310 33.1%

Imphal

$43 12.2% 86.1% $267

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$237 25.3%

Imphal

$110 31.3% 53.5% $127

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$108 11.6%

Imphal

$47 13.5% 56.3% $61

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$94 10.1%

Imphal

$76 21.6% 19.9% $19

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$77 8.2%

Imphal

$53 15.1% 30.9% $24

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$59 6.3%

Imphal

$12 3.3% 80.2% $47

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$51 5.4%

Imphal

$11 3% 79.1% $40

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $481 in Chiang Mai versus $89 in Imphal. 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 3.2 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19 in Chiang Mai versus $9 in Imphal. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $237 vs $110 – making Imphal the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇮🇳 Imphal

🕒 Local time

11:04 11:04 AM

09:34 9:34 AM

1 h 30 min behind Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

500,000

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Indian Rupee INR ₹

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.99 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

1,000 INR = 10.59 USD

1,000 INR = 9.43 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

INR, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

Thai Baht exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 33.44 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.54 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).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Chiang Mai Imphal 850 km ≈ 1 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
Imphal

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 Imphal: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 166% more than Imphal, 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.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,403 per month in Chiang Mai and $527 in Imphal. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Imphal, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $89 there versus $481 in Chiang Mai.

Kindergarten costs $727 per month in Chiang Mai and $14.65 in Imphal. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 115% more in Chiang Mai, though the gap depends on what you buy.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $935 in Chiang Mai and $351 in Imphal, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Imphal – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Imphal. 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.