Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Khammam

For one person, living is cheaper in Khammam: $294 a month against $936 in Chiang Mai, rent and utilities included – about $7,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Chiang Mai, Thailand
Khammam, India
Chiang Mai
🇹🇭 Thailand
$936
/mo nomad
Khammam
🇮🇳 India
$294
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

A single person spends $936 per month in Chiang Mai vs $294 in Khammam, rent included.

  • Chiang Mai $936
  • Khammam $294

A couple spends around $1,457 per month in Chiang Mai vs $463 in Khammam, rent included.

  • Chiang Mai $1,457
  • Khammam $463

A family of three spends $1,979 per month in Chiang Mai vs $632 in Khammam, rent included.

  • Chiang Mai $1,979
  • Khammam $632

Chiang Mai costs about 219% more than Khammam, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chiang Mai and Khammam are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 31% lower, Khammam 78% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Chiang Mai
Khammam
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.24 ฿75.6
$1.29 ₹123
73.64%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$19.00 ฿641
$12.71 ₹1,207
49.49%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.55 ฿187
$2.30 ₹218
141.30%
Cappuccino
$1.67 ฿56.5
$0.74 ₹70.6
125.68%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.64 ฿21.55
$0.27 ₹25.54
137.04%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.31 ฿10.31
$0.18 ₹17.44
72.22%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.36 ฿79.6
$1.54 ₹146
53.25%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.66 ฿124
$2.57 ₹244
42.41%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Chiang Mai
Khammam
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.95 ฿65.8
$0.67 ₹63.9
191.04%
White Bread (500g)
$1.44 ฿48.48
$0.47 ₹44.65
206.38%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.33 ฿45.04
$0.54 ₹50.9
146.30%
Eggs
$2.28 ฿77.1
$0.76 ₹72.1
200.00%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$16.45 ฿555
$3.42 ₹324
380.99%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$2.78 ฿93.9
$3.28 ₹311
-15.24%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$9.31 ฿314
-
-
Apples (1kg)
$2.35 ฿79.4
$1.54 ₹147
52.60%
Banana (1kg)
$0.97 ฿32.80
$0.64 ₹61.1
51.56%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.60 ฿53.9
$1.14 ₹108
40.35%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.50 ฿50.6
$0.36 ₹33.97
316.67%
Potato (1kg)
$1.28 ฿43.12
$0.40 ₹37.53
220.00%
Onion (1kg)
$1.10 ฿37.19
$0.36 ₹34.48
205.56%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.71 ฿23.82
$0.38 ₹36.23
86.84%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.49 ฿16.37
$0.30 ₹28.04
63.33%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.14 ฿140
$2.95 ₹280
40.34%
Wine (Bottle)
$17.52 ฿591
$5.32 ₹505
229.32%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.61 ฿54.5
$1.63 ₹154
-1.23%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.78 ฿94.0
$1.85 ₹176
50.27%
Buffalo Round (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) (1kg)
-
$3.46 ₹328
-
🚌 Getting Around
Chiang Mai
Khammam
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.87 ฿29.31
$0.36 ₹33.91
141.67%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$54.1 ฿1,826
$15.53 ₹1,474
248.29%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.16 ฿39.06
$0.97 ₹91.8
19.59%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.53 ฿17.80
$0.14 ₹13.12
278.57%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$2.42 ฿81.8
$1.14 ₹108
112.28%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.45 ฿48.90
$1.12 ₹106
29.46%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.1K ฿710.7K
$11.4K ₹1.1M
84.29%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.9K ฿909.3K
$10.4K ₹984.8K
159.73%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Chiang Mai
Khammam
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$62.2 ฿2,098
$34.66 ₹3,291
79.37%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$12.17 ฿411
$2.23 ₹212
445.74%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$20.12 ฿679
$7.88 ₹748
155.33%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Chiang Mai
Khammam
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$37.31 ฿1,259
$10.71 ₹1,016
248.37%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$3.77 ฿127
$4.85 ₹461
-22.27%
Cinema Ticket
$6.49 ฿219
$2.14 ₹203
203.27%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Chiang Mai
Khammam
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$736 ฿24.8K
$28.70 ₹2,725
2464.98%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$14.8K ฿498.3K
$699 ₹66.4K
2012.51%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Chiang Mai
Khammam
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$53.4 ฿1,801
$21.48 ₹2,039
148.46%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$24.64 ฿831
$14.31 ₹1,358
72.19%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$91.5 ฿3,087
$31.20 ₹2,962
193.21%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$71.9 ฿2,428
$15.73 ₹1,494
357.34%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Chiang Mai
Khammam
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$482 ฿16.3K
$74.9 ₹7,107
544.23%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$309 ฿10.4K
$46.53 ₹4,418
563.92%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,006 ฿33.9K
$145 ₹13.8K
591.50%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$633 ฿21.4K
$91.5 ₹8,690
592.06%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,363 ฿79.8K
$1,098 ₹104.2K
115.32%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,589 ฿53.6K
$208 ₹19.7K
663.92%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Chiang Mai
Khammam
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$590 ฿19.9K
$488 ₹46.3K
20.91%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.57
8.55
-34.85%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 26, 2026

Last update for Khammam: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Chiang Mai
$309
Khammam
$47 84.9% $262
Groceries & Markets
Chiang Mai
$234
Khammam
$91 61.3% $144
Clothing & Footwear
Chiang Mai
$109
Khammam
$37 65.7% $71
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Chiang Mai
$94
Khammam
$45 52.6% $50
Eating Out
Chiang Mai
$78
Khammam
$41 47.4% $37
Getting Around
Chiang Mai
$61
Khammam
$19 69.7% $43
Sport & Entertainment
Chiang Mai
$50
Khammam
$15 70.2% $35

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Chiang Mai versus $75 in Khammam. 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 21% 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 $13 in Khammam. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $234 vs $91 – making Khammam the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇹🇭 Chiang Mai
🇮🇳 Khammam
🕒 Local time
11:49 11:49 AM
10:19 10:19 AM
1 h 30 min behind Chiang Mai
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
127,240
184,200
💱 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 = 33.75 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.68 THB (100 THB = 2.65 EUR).

Indian Rupee exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 94.94 INR (100 INR = 1.05 USD). 1 EUR = 106 INR (1,000 INR = 9.43 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Chiang Mai Khammam 2,000 km ≈ 3 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Chiang Mai
  • Khammam

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 Khammam: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Chiang Mai or Khammam?
Chiang Mai costs about 219% more than Khammam, 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 Khammam?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,403 per month in Chiang Mai and $440 in Khammam. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Chiang Mai or Khammam?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Khammam, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $75 there versus $482 in Chiang Mai.
How do childcare costs compare in Chiang Mai and in Khammam?
Kindergarten costs $736 per month in Chiang Mai and $29 in Khammam. 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 Khammam?
Groceries cost about 159% more in Chiang Mai, though the gap depends on what you buy.
Can you live on $1,200/month in Chiang Mai or in Khammam?
$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $936 in Chiang Mai and $294 in Khammam, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.
Which city is better for families?
Families tend to lean toward Khammam – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Should I move to Chiang Mai or to Khammam?
If budget matters most, go with Khammam. 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.

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