Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Kalyan

For one person, living is cheaper in Kalyan: $438 a month against $936 in Chiang Mai, rent and utilities included – about $6,000 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
21

Cost of Living Index in Kalyan
Learn more

Kalyan Living Index

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Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$936

/mo nomad

Kalyan

🇮🇳 India

$438

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

A single person spends $936 per month in Chiang Mai vs $438 in Kalyan, rent included.

Chiang Mai $936
Kalyan $438

A couple spends around $1,457 per month in Chiang Mai vs $716 in Kalyan, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,457
Kalyan $716

A family of three spends $1,979 per month in Chiang Mai vs $995 in Kalyan, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,979
Kalyan $995

Chiang Mai costs about 114% more than Kalyan, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chiang Mai and Kalyan are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 31% lower, Kalyan 68% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.24 ฿75.6

$3.18 ₹302

-29.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.00 ฿641

$11.74 ₹1,115

61.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.55 ฿187

$4.15 ₹394

33.73%

Cappuccino

$1.67 ฿56.5

$1.79 ₹170

-6.70%

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

$0.64 ฿21.54

$0.40 ₹37.72

60.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.31

$0.14 ₹12.97

121.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.36 ฿79.5

$2.42 ₹230

-2.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿124

$3.44 ₹327

6.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 ฿65.7

$0.70 ₹66.4

178.57%

White Bread (500g)

$1.44 ฿48.46

$0.46 ₹43.88

213.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 ฿45.03

$0.67 ₹63.7

98.51%

Eggs

$2.28 ฿77.1

$0.90 ₹85.8

153.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.45 ฿555

$5.24 ₹497

213.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.78 ฿93.9

$3.25 ₹308

-14.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.31 ฿314

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 ฿79.4

$2.03 ₹193

15.76%

Banana (1kg)

$0.97 ฿32.79

$0.59 ₹55.8

64.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.60 ฿53.9

$0.96 ₹91.6

66.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.6

$0.51 ₹48.39

194.12%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿43.11

$0.35 ₹33.59

265.71%

Onion (1kg)

$1.10 ฿37.18

$0.43 ₹41.03

155.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 ฿23.82

$0.44 ₹41.92

61.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.36

$0.30 ₹28.60

63.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.14 ฿140

$3.75 ₹356

10.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.52 ฿591

$7.60 ₹722

130.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.61 ฿54.5

$1.90 ₹181

-15.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿93.9

$3.05 ₹290

-8.85%

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

$6.41 ₹609

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.87 ฿29.30

$0.18 ₹17.25

383.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.1 ฿1,825

$7.57 ₹719

614.53%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.16 ฿39.04

$0.56 ₹52.8

107.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ฿17.80

$0.22 ₹20.91

140.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.42 ฿81.7

$1.61 ₹153

50.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.88

$1.11 ₹105

30.63%

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

$21.1K ฿710.5K

$11.5K ₹1.1M

83.67%

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

$26.9K ฿909.0K

$22.4K ₹2.1M

20.51%

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

$62.2 ฿2,098

$36.42 ₹3,458

70.70%

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

$12.17 ฿411

$4.40 ₹418

176.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.12 ฿679

$6.30 ₹598

219.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.31 ฿1,259

$12.02 ₹1,141

210.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.77 ฿127

$11.23 ₹1,066

-66.43%

Cinema Ticket

$6.49 ฿219

$3.05 ₹290

112.79%

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

$736 ฿24.8K

$72.5 ₹6,882

915.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿498.2K

$1,478 ₹140.4K

898.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.4 ฿1,801

$21.90 ₹2,079

143.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.64 ฿831

$25.01 ₹2,375

-1.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.5 ฿3,087

$40.51 ₹3,847

125.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.9 ฿2,427

$33.22 ₹3,154

116.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.3K

$182 ₹17.3K

165.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$309 ฿10.4K

$120 ₹11.4K

157.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 ฿33.9K

$448 ₹42.6K

124.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$633 ฿21.4K

$307 ₹29.1K

106.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,363 ฿79.7K

$1,505 ₹142.9K

57.04%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,589 ฿53.6K

$948 ₹90.0K

67.63%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$590 ฿19.9K

$574 ₹54.5K

2.68%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

8.77

-36.49%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 26, 2026

Last update for Kalyan: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$309 33%

Kalyan

$120 27.4% 61.2% $189

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$234 25.1%

Kalyan

$108 24.7% 53.9% $126

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$109 11.6%

Kalyan

$54 12.4% 50% $54

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$94 10.1%

Kalyan

$47 10.8% 50.1% $47

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$78 8.3%

Kalyan

$81 18.4% 3.8% $3

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$61 6.6%

Kalyan

$10 2.3% 83.8% $51

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$50 5.4%

Kalyan

$18 4.1% 64% $32

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Chiang Mai versus $182 in Kalyan. 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 3% 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 in Chiang Mai versus $12 in Kalyan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $234 vs $108 – making Kalyan the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇮🇳 Kalyan

🕒 Local time

02:03 2:03 AM

00:33 12:33 AM

1 h 30 min behind Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

1,262,255

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Indian Rupee INR ₹

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.96 USD

100 THB = 2.65 EUR

1,000 INR = 10.53 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 1, 2026: 1 USD = 33.74 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.67 THB (100 THB = 2.65 EUR).

Indian Rupee exchange rates as of November 1, 2026: 1 USD = 94.95 INR (100 INR = 1.05 USD). 1 EUR = 106 INR (1,000 INR = 9.43 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Chiang Mai Kalyan 2,720 km ≈ 4 h nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
Kalyan

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 Kalyan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 114% more than Kalyan, 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 $657 in Kalyan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Kalyan, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $182 there versus $482 in Chiang Mai.

Kindergarten costs $736 per month in Chiang Mai and $72 in Kalyan. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 117% more in Chiang Mai, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A $800 monthly budget goes further in Kalyan, where all-in costs run around $438, than in Chiang Mai at $936. In Kalyan it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiang Mai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Kalyan – 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 Kalyan. 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.