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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $375 in Kozhikode, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,360 per month in Chiang Mai vs $598 in Kozhikode, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,867 per month in Chiang Mai vs $821 in Kozhikode, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 127% more than Kozhikode, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Kozhikode are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Kozhikode 72% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.04 ฿68.1

$1.70 ₹163

20.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.71 ฿624

$11.67 ₹1,117

60.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.86 ฿262

$3.57 ₹341

120.17%

Cappuccino

$2.03 ฿67.6

$1.27 ₹121

59.84%

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

$0.80 ฿26.63

$0.39 ₹37.37

105.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.68

$0.15 ₹14.24

133.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.5

$1.47 ₹141

45.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿122

$2.38 ₹228

54.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 ฿57.6

$0.66 ₹63.4

162.12%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.4

$0.48 ₹46.26

227.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 ฿39.98

$0.53 ₹51.1

126.42%

Eggs

$1.97 ฿65.8

$0.89 ₹85.3

121.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.23 ฿541

$5.11 ₹489

217.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.06 ฿102

$2.51 ₹240

21.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.80 ฿360

Apples (1kg)

$2.77 ฿92.3

$2.10 ₹201

31.90%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.93

$0.65 ₹62.6

80.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 ฿56.9

$1.07 ₹103

59.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿53.2

$0.52 ₹49.99

205.77%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.49

$0.44 ₹41.73

215.91%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 ฿38.55

$0.40 ₹38.37

190.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿22.05

$0.66 ₹63.5

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.30

$0.25 ₹23.81

108.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 ฿155

$4.53 ₹433

2.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.78 ฿593

$5.17 ₹494

243.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ฿59.6

$2.02 ₹194

-11.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 ฿111

$2.61 ₹250

27.97%

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

$3.98 ₹381

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿30.26

$0.12 ₹11.17

658.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.64 ฿622

$5.89 ₹564

216.47%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿47.02

$0.94 ₹90.1

50.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.69

$0.26 ₹24.84

415.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.11 ฿270

$1.76 ₹168

360.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿41.14

$1.23 ₹118

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

$21.4K ฿714.9K

$11.8K ₹1.1M

82.37%

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

$21.8K ฿727.8K

$19.8K ₹1.9M

10.46%

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

$71.3 ฿2,379

$43.43 ₹4,155

64.24%

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

$14.01 ฿467

$3.43 ₹328

308.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.93 ฿598

$6.33 ₹605

183.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.82 ฿1,361

$16.52 ₹1,581

147.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿230

$6.07 ₹581

13.34%

Cinema Ticket

$5.72 ฿191

$2.90 ₹277

97.24%

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

$308 ฿10.3K

$39.48 ₹3,777

680.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿489.5K

$571 ₹54.7K

2468.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,860

$30.81 ₹2,948

81.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.04 ฿868

$29.88 ₹2,859

-12.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 ฿2,828

$55.7 ₹5,332

52.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.0 ฿2,368

$42.39 ₹4,056

67.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$423 ฿14.1K

$95.0 ₹9,093

345.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 ฿8,086

$72.5 ₹6,935

234.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$797 ฿26.6K

$279 ₹26.7K

185.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$507 ฿16.9K

$169 ₹16.2K

199.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,918 ฿64.0K

$898 ₹85.9K

113.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,464 ฿48.8K

$668 ₹64.0K

119.01%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.8K

$253 ₹24.2K

135.43%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.62

-34.38%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 27, 2026

Last update for Kozhikode: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $423 in Chiang Mai versus $95.0 in Kozhikode. 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 135% 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 $12.00 in Kozhikode. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $244 vs $100 – making Kozhikode 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 Kozhikode: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 127% more than Kozhikode, 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 $1,279 per month in Chiang Mai and $563 in Kozhikode. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $308 per month in Chiang Mai and $39.48 in Kozhikode. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 145% 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 $375 in Kozhikode, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Kozhikode costs $375 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 Kozhikode. 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.