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 $950 per month in Chiang Mai vs $689 in Khujand, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,430 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,093 in Khujand, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,909 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,496 in Khujand, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 38% more than Khujand, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Chiang Mai and Khujand are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 31% lower, Khujand 50% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.10 ฿69.4

$5.00 TJS 46.27

-58.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.84 ฿656

$17.54 TJS 162

13.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.79 ฿192

$5.50 TJS 50.9

5.27%

Cappuccino

$1.83 ฿60.5

$1.65 TJS 15.22

10.91%

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

$0.78 ฿25.63

$0.52 TJS 4.78

50.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.38

$0.33 TJS 3.09

-6.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.34 ฿77.3

$1.17 TJS 10.84

100.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.70 ฿122

$2.32 TJS 21.43

59.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.03 ฿67.1

$1.01 TJS 9.34

100.99%

White Bread (500g)

$1.60 ฿52.8

$0.49 TJS 4.54

226.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.42 ฿46.80

$1.83 TJS 16.96

-22.40%

Eggs

$2.18 ฿72.0

$1.84 TJS 17.06

18.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.91 ฿526

$11.23 TJS 104

41.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.07 ฿102

$3.31 TJS 30.60

-7.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.87 ฿326

$11.42 TJS 106

-13.57%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 ฿86.9

$1.50 TJS 13.83

75.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.10 ฿36.23

$2.26 TJS 20.93

-51.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.63 ฿53.9

$2.67 TJS 24.72

-38.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿50.6

$0.68 TJS 6.26

125.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 ฿41.16

$0.52 TJS 4.82

138.46%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 ฿37.40

$0.35 TJS 3.27

222.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 ฿24.41

$0.88 TJS 8.15

-15.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 ฿16.50

$0.59 TJS 5.48

-15.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.28 ฿142

$2.20 TJS 20.35

94.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.97 ฿594

$11.46 TJS 106

56.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 ฿56.2

$1.46 TJS 13.52

16.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿95.8

$2.13 TJS 19.74

36.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.94 ฿31.15

$0.33 TJS 3.08

184.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.3 ฿1,828

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.23 ฿40.80

$1.06 TJS 9.85

16.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ฿17.67

$0.31 TJS 2.84

70.97%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.40 ฿79.4

$5.39 TJS 49.91

-55.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 ฿47.60

$1.15 TJS 10.60

25.22%

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

$21.2K ฿700.9K

$16.5K TJS 152.3K

28.72%

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

$27.3K ฿903.0K

$17.3K TJS 159.8K

58.11%

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

$64.9 ฿2,147

$46.69 TJS 432

39.07%

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

$13.35 ฿442

$6.31 TJS 58.3

111.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.83 ฿689

$16.85 TJS 156

23.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.42 ฿1,337

$27.97 TJS 259

44.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.95 ฿131

$15.99 TJS 148

-75.30%

Cinema Ticket

$6.71 ฿222

$4.29 TJS 39.68

56.41%

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

$787 ฿26.0K

$82.0 TJS 758

860.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.1K ฿500.1K

$5,734 TJS 53.1K

163.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.2 ฿1,859

$21.09 TJS 195

166.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.95 ฿825

$35.41 TJS 328

-29.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.7 ฿3,066

$50.8 TJS 470

82.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.1 ฿2,484

$56.3 TJS 521

33.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$484 ฿16.0K

$270 TJS 2,494

79.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$287 ฿9,500

$216 TJS 1,995

33.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$910 ฿30.1K

$518 TJS 4,788

75.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$531 ฿17.5K

$430 TJS 3,974

23.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,980 ฿65.5K

$871 TJS 8,062

127.19%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,451 ฿48.0K

$550 TJS 5,085

163.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$605 ฿20.0K

$356 TJS 3,292

70.09%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

-74.68%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 7, 2026

Last update for Khujand: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $484 in Chiang Mai versus $270 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 70% 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $18.00 in Khujand. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $242 vs $197 – 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 38% more than Khujand, with the gap driven mainly by Getting Around. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,426 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,034 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai and $18.00 in Khujand. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 23% 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 $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Khujand, where all-in costs run around $689, than in Chiang Mai at $950. In Khujand 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. Khujand costs $689 versus $950 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.