Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Jharsuguda

For one person, living is cheaper in Jharsuguda: $357 a month against $936 in Chiang Mai, rent and utilities included – about $6,900 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Chiang Mai, Thailand
Jharsuguda, India
Chiang Mai
🇹🇭 Thailand
$936
/mo nomad
Jharsuguda
🇮🇳 India
$357
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

A single person spends $936 per month in Chiang Mai vs $357 in Jharsuguda, rent included.

  • Chiang Mai $936
  • Jharsuguda $357

A couple spends around $1,457 per month in Chiang Mai vs $565 in Jharsuguda, rent included.

  • Chiang Mai $1,457
  • Jharsuguda $565

A family of three spends $1,979 per month in Chiang Mai vs $772 in Jharsuguda, rent included.

  • Chiang Mai $1,979
  • Jharsuguda $772

Chiang Mai costs about 162% more than Jharsuguda, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

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

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Chiang Mai
Jharsuguda
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.24 ฿75.6
$2.13 ₹202
5.16%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$19.00 ฿641
$10.40 ₹987
82.69%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.55 ฿187
$4.33 ₹411
28.18%
Cappuccino
$1.67 ฿56.5
$1.38 ₹131
21.01%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.64 ฿21.53
$0.44 ₹41.76
45.45%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.31 ฿10.30
$0.16 ₹15.00
93.75%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.36 ฿79.5
$1.60 ₹152
47.50%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.66 ฿124
$3.11 ₹295
17.68%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Chiang Mai
Jharsuguda
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.95 ฿65.7
$0.63 ₹59.3
209.52%
White Bread (500g)
$1.44 ฿48.45
$0.49 ₹46.04
193.88%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.33 ฿45.01
$0.54 ₹51.0
146.30%
Eggs
$2.28 ฿77.0
$0.90 ₹85.0
153.33%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$16.45 ฿555
$3.27 ₹310
403.06%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$2.78 ฿93.8
$2.62 ₹249
6.11%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$9.31 ฿314
-
-
Apples (1kg)
$2.35 ฿79.4
$2.15 ₹204
9.30%
Banana (1kg)
$0.97 ฿32.78
$0.72 ₹68.1
34.72%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.60 ฿53.9
$1.35 ₹128
18.52%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.50 ฿50.6
$0.45 ₹42.69
233.33%
Potato (1kg)
$1.28 ฿43.10
$0.30 ₹28.79
326.67%
Onion (1kg)
$1.10 ฿37.17
$0.42 ₹39.82
161.90%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.71 ฿23.81
$0.53 ₹50.2
33.96%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.49 ฿16.36
$0.32 ₹30.50
53.12%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.14 ฿140
$5.15 ₹488
-19.61%
Wine (Bottle)
$17.52 ฿591
$8.05 ₹764
117.64%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.61 ฿54.5
$1.91 ₹181
-15.71%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.78 ฿93.9
$2.46 ₹234
13.01%
Buffalo Round (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) (1kg)
-
$6.91 ₹655
-
🚌 Getting Around
Chiang Mai
Jharsuguda
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.87 ฿29.29
$0.27 ₹25.74
222.22%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$54.1 ฿1,825
$7.49 ₹711
622.16%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.16 ฿39.03
$1.08 ₹102
7.41%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.53 ฿17.79
$0.20 ₹18.97
165.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$2.42 ฿81.7
$2.17 ₹206
11.52%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.45 ฿48.87
$1.11 ₹106
30.63%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.1K ฿710.3K
$11.3K ₹1.1M
86.59%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.9K ฿908.7K
$20.6K ₹2.0M
30.51%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Chiang Mai
Jharsuguda
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$62.2 ฿2,097
$38.75 ₹3,677
60.44%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$12.17 ฿410
$3.31 ₹314
267.67%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$20.12 ฿679
$7.09 ₹673
183.78%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Chiang Mai
Jharsuguda
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$37.31 ฿1,259
$14.46 ₹1,372
158.02%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$3.77 ฿127
$6.51 ₹618
-42.09%
Cinema Ticket
$6.49 ฿219
$3.25 ₹309
99.69%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Chiang Mai
Jharsuguda
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$736 ฿24.8K
$78.7 ₹7,464
835.98%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$14.8K ฿498.0K
$2,298 ₹218.1K
542.54%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Chiang Mai
Jharsuguda
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$53.4 ฿1,800
$23.20 ₹2,201
130.04%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$24.64 ฿831
$25.54 ₹2,423
-3.52%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$91.5 ฿3,086
$24.33 ₹2,309
276.00%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$71.9 ฿2,426
$11.85 ₹1,125
507.09%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Chiang Mai
Jharsuguda
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$482 ฿16.3K
$80.4 ₹7,631
499.69%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$309 ฿10.4K
$74.0 ₹7,021
317.52%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,006 ฿33.9K
$261 ₹24.8K
284.78%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$633 ฿21.4K
$176 ₹16.7K
259.58%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,363 ฿79.7K
$980 ₹93.0K
141.09%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,589 ฿53.6K
$517 ₹49.1K
207.11%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Chiang Mai
Jharsuguda
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$590 ฿19.9K
$674 ₹64.0K
-12.50%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.57
8.6
-35.23%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 26, 2026

Last update for Jharsuguda: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Chiang Mai
$309
Jharsuguda
$74 76% $235
Groceries & Markets
Chiang Mai
$234
Jharsuguda
$101 57% $134
Clothing & Footwear
Chiang Mai
$109
Jharsuguda
$38 64.8% $70
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Chiang Mai
$94
Jharsuguda
$49 48% $45
Eating Out
Chiang Mai
$78
Jharsuguda
$63 18.6% $14
Getting Around
Chiang Mai
$61
Jharsuguda
$11 82.6% $51
Sport & Entertainment
Chiang Mai
$50
Jharsuguda
$21 58.3% $29

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Chiang Mai versus $80 in Jharsuguda. 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 14% higher in Jharsuguda, 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 $10 in Jharsuguda. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $234 vs $101 – making Jharsuguda the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇹🇭 Chiang Mai
🇮🇳 Jharsuguda
🕒 Local time
20:12 8:12 PM
18:42 6:42 PM
1 h 30 min behind Chiang Mai
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
127,240
50,000
💱 Currency
Thai Baht THB ฿
Exchange rates and currency converter

INR, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

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).

On the map
Between locations
  • Chiang Mai Jharsuguda 1,600 km ≈ 2 h 30 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Chiang Mai
  • Jharsuguda

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 Jharsuguda: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Chiang Mai or Jharsuguda?
Chiang Mai costs about 162% more than Jharsuguda, 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.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Chiang Mai and in Jharsuguda?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,403 per month in Chiang Mai and $535 in Jharsuguda. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Chiang Mai or Jharsuguda?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Jharsuguda, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $80 there versus $482 in Chiang Mai.
How do childcare costs compare in Chiang Mai and in Jharsuguda?
Kindergarten costs $736 per month in Chiang Mai and $79 in Jharsuguda. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Are groceries more expensive in Chiang Mai or in Jharsuguda?
Groceries cost about 133% more in Chiang Mai, though the gap depends on what you buy.
Can you live on $800/month in Chiang Mai or in Jharsuguda?
A $800 monthly budget goes further in Jharsuguda, where all-in costs run around $357, than in Chiang Mai at $936. In Jharsuguda it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiang Mai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for families?
Families tend to lean toward Jharsuguda – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
For expats, Jharsuguda is the easier option financially – housing and daily costs are lower, and overall it costs about 62% less, which matters a lot on a fixed budget or early-career salary.

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