Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Kollam

For one person, living is cheaper in Kollam: $284 a month against $936 in Chiang Mai, rent and utilities included – about $7,800 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

45

Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
Learn more

Chiang Mai Living Index
14

Cost of Living Index in Kollam
Learn more

Kollam Living Index

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Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$936

/mo nomad

Kollam

🇮🇳 India

$284

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

A single person spends $936 per month in Chiang Mai vs $284 in Kollam, rent included.

Chiang Mai $936
Kollam $284

A couple spends around $1,457 per month in Chiang Mai vs $446 in Kollam, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,457
Kollam $446

A family of three spends $1,979 per month in Chiang Mai vs $609 in Kollam, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,979
Kollam $609

Chiang Mai costs about 230% more than Kollam, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chiang Mai and Kollam are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 31% lower, Kollam 79% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.24 ฿75.6

$1.03 ₹97.5

117.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.00 ฿641

$6.14 ₹583

209.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.55 ฿187

$3.23 ₹307

71.83%

Cappuccino

$1.67 ฿56.5

$1.37 ₹130

21.90%

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

$0.64 ฿21.55

$0.34 ₹31.98

88.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.31

$0.12 ₹11.54

158.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.36 ฿79.6

$1.33 ₹126

77.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿124

$1.86 ₹177

96.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 ฿65.8

$0.60 ₹57.4

225.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.44 ฿48.48

$0.48 ₹45.65

200.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 ฿45.04

$0.51 ₹47.98

160.78%

Eggs

$2.28 ฿77.1

$0.78 ₹74.1

192.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.45 ฿555

$3.59 ₹341

358.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.78 ฿93.9

$2.13 ₹202

30.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.31 ฿314

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 ฿79.4

$1.57 ₹149

49.68%

Banana (1kg)

$0.97 ฿32.80

$0.59 ₹56.2

64.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.60 ฿53.9

$0.70 ₹66.1

128.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.6

$0.41 ₹38.63

265.85%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿43.12

$0.35 ₹32.95

265.71%

Onion (1kg)

$1.10 ฿37.19

$0.35 ₹33.53

214.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 ฿23.82

$0.61 ₹57.8

16.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.37

$0.27 ₹25.68

81.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.14 ฿140

$5.17 ₹491

-19.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.52 ฿591

$2.70 ₹256

548.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.61 ฿54.5

$2.05 ₹195

-21.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿94.0

$2.72 ₹258

2.21%

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

$3.35 ₹318

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.87 ฿29.31

$0.17 ₹15.88

411.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.1 ฿1,826

$7.20 ₹684

651.25%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.16 ฿39.06

$0.81 ₹76.8

43.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ฿17.80

$0.33 ₹31.55

60.61%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.42 ฿81.8

$2.05 ₹195

18.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.90

$1.11 ₹106

30.63%

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

$21.1K ฿710.7K

$9,035 ₹857.7K

133.09%

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

$26.9K ฿909.3K

$16.6K ₹1.6M

62.27%

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

$62.2 ฿2,098

$32.12 ₹3,050

93.56%

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

$12.17 ฿411

$2.97 ₹282

309.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.12 ฿679

$5.04 ₹479

299.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.31 ฿1,259

$13.44 ₹1,276

177.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.77 ฿127

$10.44 ₹991

-63.89%

Cinema Ticket

$6.49 ฿219

$1.54 ₹146

321.43%

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

$736 ฿24.8K

$21.19 ₹2,012

3374.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿498.3K

$2,630 ₹249.7K

461.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.4 ฿1,801

$16.30 ₹1,548

227.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.64 ฿831

$23.34 ₹2,215

5.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.5 ฿3,087

$25.49 ₹2,420

258.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.9 ฿2,428

$24.42 ₹2,318

194.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.3K

$82.2 ₹7,800

486.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$309 ฿10.4K

$47.79 ₹4,537

546.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 ฿33.9K

$182 ₹17.3K

452.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$633 ฿21.4K

$115 ₹10.9K

451.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,363 ฿79.8K

$834 ₹79.2K

183.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,589 ฿53.6K

$449 ₹42.6K

253.99%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$590 ฿19.9K

$525 ₹49.9K

12.25%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

9.13

-38.99%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 26, 2026

Last update for Kollam: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$309 33%

Kollam

$48 16.8% 84.5% $261

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$234 25.1%

Kollam

$82 28.9% 64.9% $152

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$109 11.6%

Kollam

$40 14.2% 62.9% $68

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$94 10.1%

Kollam

$40 14.1% 57.5% $54

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$78 8.3%

Kollam

$47 16.4% 39.9% $31

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$61 6.6%

Kollam

$10 3.6% 83.1% $51

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$50 5.4%

Kollam

$17 5.8% 67.1% $34

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Chiang Mai versus $82 in Kollam. 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 12% 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 $6 in Kollam. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $234 vs $82 – making Kollam the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇮🇳 Kollam

🕒 Local time

07:49 7:49 AM

06:19 6:19 AM

1 h 30 min behind Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

367,107

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Indian Rupee INR ₹

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.96 USD

100 THB = 2.65 EUR

1,000 INR = 10.53 USD

1,000 INR = 9.43 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 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).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Chiang Mai Kollam 2,650 km ≈ 3 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
Kollam

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 Kollam: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 230% more than Kollam, 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 $1,403 per month in Chiang Mai and $426 in Kollam. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Kollam, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $82 there versus $482 in Chiang Mai.

Kindergarten costs $736 per month in Chiang Mai and $21 in Kollam. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 185% more in Chiang Mai, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A $800 monthly budget goes further in Kollam, where all-in costs run around $284, than in Chiang Mai at $936. In Kollam it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiang Mai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Kollam – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.

If budget matters most, go with Kollam. 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.