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 $869 per month in Chiang Mai vs $677 in Khujand, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,362 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,022 in Khujand, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,855 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,367 in Khujand, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 28% more than Khujand, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Khujand are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Khujand 50% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.98 ฿64.3

$5.98 TJS 55.8

-66.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.80 ฿612

$15.13 TJS 141

24.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.75 ฿252

$7.77 TJS 72.4

-0.26%

Cappuccino

$1.92 ฿62.5

$1.02 TJS 9.48

88.24%

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

$0.79 ฿25.79

$0.48 TJS 4.51

64.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.62

$0.24 TJS 2.23

50.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$1.22 TJS 11.40

81.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

$1.98 TJS 18.42

84.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿53.8

$1.01 TJS 9.39

63.37%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$0.36 TJS 3.38

352.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.86

$1.98 TJS 18.46

-39.90%

Eggs

$2.00 ฿65.1

$1.55 TJS 14.40

29.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.98 ฿520

$8.74 TJS 81.4

82.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.03 ฿98.5

$2.93 TJS 27.27

3.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 ฿354

$8.69 TJS 81.0

24.97%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 ฿90.0

$1.55 TJS 14.42

78.06%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.42

$1.78 TJS 16.58

-33.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$2.48 TJS 23.14

-33.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.51

$0.81 TJS 7.52

87.65%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿45.10

$0.58 TJS 5.41

137.93%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.84

$0.31 TJS 2.87

283.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ฿22.86

$0.78 TJS 7.26

-10.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.13

$0.53 TJS 4.90

5.66%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.58 ฿149

$2.55 TJS 23.77

79.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.56 ฿539

$10.25 TJS 95.5

61.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿59.5

$1.47 TJS 13.70

24.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 ฿104

$2.25 TJS 20.97

42.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿28.56

$0.31 TJS 2.89

183.87%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.72 ฿610

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿44.16

$0.95 TJS 8.87

43.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿43.65

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$6.04 TJS 56.3

29.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿39.92

$0.97 TJS 9.05

26.80%

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

$21.6K ฿704.3K

$18.2K TJS 169.3K

18.99%

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

$22.5K ฿734.3K

$12.1K TJS 112.8K

86.30%

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

$70.5 ฿2,298

$39.86 TJS 371

76.97%

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

$13.68 ฿445

$5.68 TJS 52.9

140.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.45 ฿568

$23.73 TJS 221

-26.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.33 ฿1,346

$18.62 TJS 174

121.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$24.62 TJS 229

-71.73%

Cinema Ticket

$5.77 ฿188

$4.09 TJS 38.07

41.08%

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

$307 ฿10.0K

$78.8 TJS 734

289.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿475.9K

$6,932 TJS 64.6K

110.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,817

$19.16 TJS 179

191.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.21 ฿854

$29.64 TJS 276

-11.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 ฿2,793

$39.78 TJS 371

115.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.2 ฿2,353

$48.15 TJS 449

50.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$430 ฿14.0K

$330 TJS 3,070

30.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿7,774

$250 TJS 2,328

-4.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$817 ฿26.6K

$602 TJS 5,611

35.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$511 ฿16.6K

$402 TJS 3,745

27.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,983 ฿64.6K

$718 TJS 6,690

176.21%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,484 ฿48.3K

$502 TJS 4,674

195.84%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$619 ฿20.2K

$458 TJS 4,263

35.24%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Khujand: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $430 in Chiang Mai versus $330 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 35% 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: $241 vs $171 – 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 28% 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 $1,303 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,016 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 $869 in Chiang Mai and $677 in Khujand, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Khujand costs $677 versus $869 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.