Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Khujand Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Khujand

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $691 in Khujand, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,354 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,010 in Khujand, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,857 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,329 in Khujand, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 23% more than Khujand, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Khujand are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Khujand 48% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿64.0

$5.99 TJS 56.4

-67.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.81 ฿615

$14.73 TJS 139

27.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.92 ฿259

$7.91 TJS 74.5

0.13%

Cappuccino

$1.91 ฿62.6

$1.00 TJS 9.45

91.00%

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

$0.84 ฿27.41

$0.49 TJS 4.58

71.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.51

$0.24 TJS 2.25

45.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$1.22 TJS 11.46

81.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 ฿124

$2.02 TJS 19.05

88.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$0.98 TJS 9.27

67.35%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 ฿53.1

$0.37 TJS 3.45

337.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.62

$2.01 TJS 18.93

-41.29%

Eggs

$2.01 ฿65.8

$1.63 TJS 15.36

23.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.89 ฿520

$9.13 TJS 86.0

74.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.01 ฿98.5

$2.93 TJS 27.65

2.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.77 ฿352

$8.81 TJS 83.0

22.25%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 ฿85.5

$1.58 TJS 14.86

65.19%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿39.88

$1.71 TJS 16.14

-28.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.7

$2.54 TJS 23.89

-33.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 ฿51.5

$0.75 TJS 7.09

110.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 ฿43.14

$0.62 TJS 5.87

112.90%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.23

$0.33 TJS 3.15

254.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿21.98

$0.78 TJS 7.38

-14.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.32

$0.49 TJS 4.61

14.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.53 ฿148

$2.54 TJS 23.96

78.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.20 ฿595

$10.06 TJS 94.8

80.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿60.0

$1.50 TJS 14.13

22.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$2.26 TJS 21.32

42.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ฿29.00

$0.29 TJS 2.71

206.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.38 ฿634

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.35 ฿44.20

$1.00 TJS 9.46

35.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 ฿44.05

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.25 ฿270

$5.86 TJS 55.2

40.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.64

$0.97 TJS 9.14

30.93%

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

$21.2K ฿691.8K

$18.5K TJS 174.0K

14.56%

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

$22.5K ฿735.3K

$11.9K TJS 112.1K

88.93%

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

$70.2 ฿2,294

$39.33 TJS 371

78.36%

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

$13.77 ฿450

$5.84 TJS 55.0

135.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.60 ฿575

$24.37 TJS 230

-27.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.57 ฿1,360

$18.94 TJS 178

119.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.60 ฿216

$25.05 TJS 236

-73.65%

Cinema Ticket

$5.78 ฿189

$4.04 TJS 38.02

43.07%

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

$306 ฿10.0K

$78.2 TJS 737

291.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿484.8K

$6,953 TJS 65.5K

113.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.4 ฿1,778

$19.31 TJS 182

181.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.14 ฿855

$30.11 TJS 284

-13.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.5 ฿2,764

$39.61 TJS 373

113.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.4 ฿2,270

$48.12 TJS 453

44.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$424 ฿13.9K

$321 TJS 3,023

32.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$238 ฿7,788

$246 TJS 2,322

-3.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$825 ฿27.0K

$603 TJS 5,683

36.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$405 TJS 3,813

27.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,049 ฿67.0K

$696 TJS 6,559

194.33%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,523 ฿49.8K

$493 TJS 4,647

208.70%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$635 ฿20.8K

$454 TJS 4,279

39.85%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

-79.17%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 27, 2026

Last update for Khujand: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $424 in Chiang Mai versus $321 in Khujand. 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 40% 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 $15.00 in Khujand. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $243 vs $172 – making Khujand the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Khujand: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 23% more than Khujand, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,278 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,037 in Khujand. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai and $15.00 in Khujand. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 41% 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.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $852 in Chiang Mai and $691 in Khujand, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Khujand costs $691 versus $852 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 Khujand. 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.