Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Kannur

For one person, living is cheaper in Kannur: $329 a month against $938 in Chiang Mai, rent and utilities included – about $7,300 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
16

Cost of Living Index in Kannur
Learn more

Kannur Living Index

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Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$938

/mo nomad

Kannur

🇮🇳 India

$329

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

A single person spends $938 per month in Chiang Mai vs $329 in Kannur, rent included.

Chiang Mai $938
Kannur $329

A couple spends around $1,426 per month in Chiang Mai vs $519 in Kannur, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,426
Kannur $519

A family of three spends $1,914 per month in Chiang Mai vs $710 in Kannur, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,914
Kannur $710

Chiang Mai costs about 185% more than Kannur, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chiang Mai and Kannur are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 30% lower, Kannur 76% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.26 ฿75.4

$1.00 ₹95.3

126.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.18 ฿641

$8.18 ₹776

134.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.59 ฿187

$3.90 ₹370

43.33%

Cappuccino

$1.72 ฿57.6

$1.26 ₹120

36.51%

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

$0.64 ฿21.54

$0.44 ₹41.38

45.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 ฿11.18

$0.16 ₹15.30

106.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.36 ฿78.7

$1.56 ₹148

51.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.90 ฿130

$2.14 ₹203

82.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 ฿68.6

$0.54 ₹51.7

279.63%

White Bread (500g)

$1.40 ฿46.70

$0.44 ₹41.82

218.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.89

$0.51 ₹48.78

150.98%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.3

$0.75 ₹71.5

200.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.94 ฿566

$5.07 ₹482

234.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.74 ฿91.6

$2.80 ₹266

-2.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.36 ฿313

Apples (1kg)

$2.40 ฿80.3

$2.23 ₹212

7.62%

Banana (1kg)

$1.01 ฿33.92

$0.64 ₹61.1

57.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.61 ฿53.9

$0.75 ₹70.8

114.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿50.7

$0.41 ₹38.84

270.73%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.90

$0.34 ₹31.99

276.47%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 ฿37.22

$0.33 ₹31.29

236.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿24.09

$0.38 ₹35.82

89.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.54

$0.28 ₹26.49

85.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.33 ฿145

$4.13 ₹393

4.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.73 ฿593

$3.20 ₹304

454.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ฿54.4

$1.80 ₹171

-9.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.85 ฿95.3

$2.00 ₹190

42.50%

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

$3.18 ₹302

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 ฿28.31

$0.20 ₹18.97

325.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.9 ฿1,801

$5.37 ₹510

903.72%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 ฿39.18

$1.29 ₹122

-9.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.57 ฿19.00

$0.30 ₹28.57

90.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.37 ฿79.2

$1.02 ₹96.8

132.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.32

$1.09 ₹103

33.03%

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

$20.5K ฿684.3K

$8,990 ₹853.6K

127.75%

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

$26.5K ฿886.1K

$13.8K ₹1.3M

91.69%

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

$62.3 ฿2,083

$31.51 ₹2,992

97.81%

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

$12.27 ฿410

$2.72 ₹258

351.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.97 ฿668

$6.36 ₹604

213.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.91 ฿1,267

$10.20 ₹968

271.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.76 ฿126

$9.23 ₹876

-59.26%

Cinema Ticket

$6.71 ฿224

$2.23 ₹211

200.90%

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

$797 ฿26.6K

$51.2 ₹4,863

1456.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿495.7K

$1,167 ₹110.8K

1171.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.3 ฿1,780

$21.08 ₹2,001

152.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.05 ฿837

$14.80 ₹1,405

69.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.6 ฿3,062

$33.15 ₹3,147

176.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.5 ฿2,455

$31.73 ₹3,013

131.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$464 ฿15.5K

$132 ₹12.6K

250.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$305 ฿10.2K

$80.0 ₹7,595

280.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$915 ฿30.6K

$182 ₹17.3K

403.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$552 ฿18.5K

$177 ₹16.8K

212.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,912 ฿63.9K

$719 ₹68.3K

165.85%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,438 ฿48.1K

$1,791 ₹170.0K

-19.67%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

$267 ₹25.3K

123.08%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

10.33

-46.08%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 13, 2026

Last update for Kannur: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$305 32.5%

Kannur

$80 24.3% 73.7% $225

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$238 25.4%

Kannur

$90 27.4% 62.2% $148

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$110 11.7%

Kannur

$45 13.8% 58.6% $64

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$95 10.1%

Kannur

$41 12.3% 57.1% $54

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$79 8.4%

Kannur

$49 15% 37.6% $30

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$61 6.5%

Kannur

$9 2.7% 85.4% $52

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$51 5.5%

Kannur

$15 4.5% 71.5% $37

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $464 in Chiang Mai versus $132 in Kannur. 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 123% 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $8.00 in Kannur. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $238 vs $90.0 – making Kannur the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇮🇳 Kannur

🕒 Local time

21:59 9:59 PM

20:29 8:29 PM

1 h 30 min behind Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

56,823

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Indian Rupee INR ₹

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.99 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

1,000 INR = 10.53 USD

1,000 INR = 9.37 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 October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 33.42 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.58 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

Indian Rupee exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 94.95 INR (100 INR = 1.05 USD). 1 EUR = 107 INR (1,000 INR = 9.37 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Chiang Mai Kannur 2,640 km ≈ 3 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
Kannur

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 Kannur: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 185% more than Kannur, 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 $1,408 per month in Chiang Mai and $493 in Kannur. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Kannur, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $797 per month in Chiang Mai and $51.2 in Kannur. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 164% 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.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Kannur, where all-in costs run around $329, than in Chiang Mai at $938. In Kannur it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiang Mai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Kannur costs $329 versus $938 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 Kannur. 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.