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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $861 per month in Chiang Mai vs $424 in Indore, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,350 per month in Chiang Mai vs $675 in Indore, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,838 per month in Chiang Mai vs $927 in Indore, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 103% more than Indore, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Indore are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Indore 68% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿65.8

$2.56 ₹247

-23.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.35 ฿617

$11.51 ₹1,110

59.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.48 ฿252

$3.44 ₹332

117.44%

Cappuccino

$2.02 ฿67.8

$1.55 ₹149

30.32%

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

$0.85 ฿28.50

$0.48 ₹46.64

77.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.96

$0.19 ₹18.43

89.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.8

$1.70 ₹164

25.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 ฿121

$3.14 ₹303

14.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿55.5

$0.76 ₹72.8

117.11%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.7

$0.43 ₹41.89

265.12%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿40.02

$0.82 ₹79.0

45.12%

Eggs

$1.94 ฿65.1

$1.06 ₹102

83.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿544

$5.63 ₹543

187.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.99 ฿101

$2.73 ₹263

9.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿368

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 ฿91.2

$1.99 ₹192

36.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿39.25

$0.56 ₹54.1

108.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 ฿56.7

$1.00 ₹96.3

69.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 ฿54.0

$0.62 ₹60.0

158.06%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.54

$0.37 ₹35.39

272.97%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.45

$0.42 ₹40.58

185.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿22.50

$0.53 ₹51.2

26.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.73

$0.36 ₹34.97

55.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.64 ฿156

$4.72 ₹455

-1.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.62 ฿593

$7.72 ₹744

128.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.5

$2.15 ₹208

-13.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 ฿111

$3.82 ₹368

-13.61%

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

$4.36 ₹421

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.68

$0.22 ₹21.10

300.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ฿650

$5.68 ₹548

240.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿45.90

$0.60 ₹58.1

126.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.98

$0.22 ₹21.12

509.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.21 ฿276

$1.49 ₹143

451.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ฿41.18

$1.22 ₹117

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

$21.4K ฿718.1K

$11.8K ₹1.1M

81.52%

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

$22.5K ฿757.7K

$16.8K ₹1.6M

34.45%

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

$70.7 ฿2,376

$32.79 ₹3,162

115.52%

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

$14.04 ฿472

$3.55 ₹342

295.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.49 ฿588

$8.79 ₹848

98.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.15 ฿1,417

$19.86 ₹1,915

112.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

$6.39 ₹616

7.67%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿199

$3.50 ₹338

69.14%

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

$309 ฿10.4K

$50.7 ₹4,889

508.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K ฿500.4K

$1,577 ₹152.1K

843.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,875

$21.56 ₹2,079

158.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.11 ฿878

$27.26 ₹2,628

-4.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.0 ฿2,792

$55.2 ₹5,322

50.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 ฿2,369

$35.61 ₹3,434

97.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$432 ฿14.5K

$160 ₹15.4K

170.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿8,035

$98.3 ₹9,482

142.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$822 ฿27.7K

$390 ₹37.6K

110.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$512 ฿17.2K

$226 ₹21.8K

126.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,915 ฿64.4K

$1,275 ₹123.0K

50.17%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 ฿49.3K

$540 ₹52.1K

171.70%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$579 ฿19.5K

$352 ₹34.0K

64.38%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.21

-45.71%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Last update for Indore: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $432 in Chiang Mai versus $160 in Indore. 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 64% 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 $12.00 in Indore. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $243 vs $113 – making Indore 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 Indore: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 103% more than Indore, 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 $636 in Indore. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Indore, 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 $50.7 in Indore. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 116% 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 $861 in Chiang Mai and $424 in Indore, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Indore costs $424 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 Indore. 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.