Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Jalandhar

For one person, living is cheaper in Jalandhar: $425 a month against $936 in Chiang Mai, rent and utilities included – about $6,100 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
21

Cost of Living Index in Jalandhar
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Jalandhar Living Index

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Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$936

/mo nomad

Jalandhar

🇮🇳 India

$425

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

A single person spends $936 per month in Chiang Mai vs $425 in Jalandhar, rent included.

Chiang Mai $936
Jalandhar $425

A couple spends around $1,457 per month in Chiang Mai vs $670 in Jalandhar, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,457
Jalandhar $670

A family of three spends $1,979 per month in Chiang Mai vs $916 in Jalandhar, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,979
Jalandhar $916

Chiang Mai costs about 120% more than Jalandhar, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chiang Mai and Jalandhar are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 31% lower, Jalandhar 69% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.24 ฿75.6

$3.35 ₹318

-33.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.00 ฿641

$11.43 ₹1,084

66.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.55 ฿187

$4.85 ₹460

14.43%

Cappuccino

$1.67 ฿56.5

$2.03 ₹193

-17.73%

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

$0.64 ฿21.53

$0.33 ₹31.49

93.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.30

$0.19 ₹17.86

63.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.36 ฿79.5

$1.72 ₹163

37.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿124

$2.66 ₹253

37.59%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 ฿65.7

$0.71 ₹67.8

174.65%

White Bread (500g)

$1.44 ฿48.45

$0.60 ₹56.7

140.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 ฿45.01

$0.80 ₹75.5

66.25%

Eggs

$2.28 ฿77.0

$1.00 ₹94.9

128.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.45 ฿555

$3.57 ₹339

360.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.78 ฿93.8

$2.95 ₹280

-5.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.31 ฿314

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 ฿79.4

$1.47 ₹139

59.86%

Banana (1kg)

$0.97 ฿32.78

$0.77 ₹73.5

25.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.60 ฿53.9

$0.87 ₹82.2

83.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.6

$0.55 ₹52.4

172.73%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿43.10

$0.26 ₹24.46

392.31%

Onion (1kg)

$1.10 ฿37.17

$0.40 ₹38.18

175.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 ฿23.81

$0.36 ₹33.93

97.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.36

$0.34 ₹31.86

44.12%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.14 ฿140

$3.98 ₹378

4.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.52 ฿591

$4.88 ₹463

259.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.61 ฿54.5

$1.74 ₹166

-7.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿93.9

$2.39 ₹227

16.32%

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

$6.17 ₹586

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.87 ฿29.29

$0.60 ₹57.2

45.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.1 ฿1,825

$4.13 ₹392

1209.69%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.16 ฿39.03

$1.07 ₹102

8.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ฿17.79

$0.23 ₹21.91

130.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.42 ฿81.7

$2.08 ₹197

16.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.87

$1.09 ₹104

33.03%

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

$21.1K ฿710.3K

$14.1K ₹1.3M

49.70%

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

$26.9K ฿908.7K

$20.2K ₹1.9M

33.69%

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

$62.2 ฿2,097

$48.95 ₹4,645

27.01%

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

$12.17 ฿410

$3.02 ₹286

302.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.12 ฿679

$6.59 ₹625

205.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.31 ฿1,259

$16.84 ₹1,598

121.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.77 ฿127

$2.64 ₹251

42.80%

Cinema Ticket

$6.49 ฿219

$3.79 ₹360

71.24%

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

$736 ฿24.8K

$35.00 ₹3,321

2003.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿498.0K

$682 ₹64.7K

2065.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.4 ฿1,800

$30.57 ₹2,901

74.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.64 ฿831

$34.43 ₹3,267

-28.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.5 ฿3,086

$38.33 ₹3,638

138.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.9 ฿2,426

$33.33 ₹3,163

115.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.3K

$131 ₹12.5K

267.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$309 ฿10.4K

$95.4 ₹9,057

223.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 ฿33.9K

$296 ₹28.1K

239.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$633 ฿21.4K

$225 ₹21.3K

181.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,363 ฿79.7K

$1,026 ₹97.3K

130.38%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,589 ฿53.6K

$807 ₹76.6K

96.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$590 ฿19.9K

$684 ₹64.9K

-13.74%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

9.19

-39.39%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 26, 2026

Last update for Jalandhar: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$309 33%

Jalandhar

$95 22.5% 69.1% $213

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$234 25.1%

Jalandhar

$94 22.2% 59.8% $140

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$109 11.6%

Jalandhar

$62 14.5% 43.4% $47

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$94 10.1%

Jalandhar

$59 13.8% 38% $36

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$78 8.3%

Jalandhar

$82 19.2% 5.3% $4.1

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$61 6.6%

Jalandhar

$8.8 2.1% 85.7% $53

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$50 5.4%

Jalandhar

$24 5.8% 51.4% $26

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Chiang Mai versus $131 in Jalandhar. 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 16% higher in Jalandhar, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19 in Chiang Mai versus $11 in Jalandhar. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $234 vs $94 – making Jalandhar the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇮🇳 Jalandhar

🕒 Local time

21:35 9:35 PM

20:05 8:05 PM

1 h 30 min behind Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

903,491

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Indian Rupee INR ₹

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.96 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

1,000 INR = 10.54 USD

1,000 INR = 9.44 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 2, 2026: 1 USD = 33.73 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.64 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

Indian Rupee exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 94.9 INR (100 INR = 1.05 USD). 1 EUR = 106 INR (1,000 INR = 9.44 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Chiang Mai Jalandhar 2,730 km ≈ 4 h nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
Jalandhar

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 Jalandhar: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 120% more than Jalandhar, 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 $637 in Jalandhar. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Jalandhar, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $131 there versus $482 in Chiang Mai.

Kindergarten costs $736 per month in Chiang Mai and $35 in Jalandhar. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 149% more in Chiang Mai, though the gap depends on what you buy.

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

For expats, Jalandhar is the easier option financially – housing and daily costs are lower, and overall it costs about 55% less, which matters a lot on a fixed budget or early-career salary.