Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Kurukshetra

For one person, living is cheaper in Kurukshetra: $365 a month against $936 in Chiang Mai, rent and utilities included – about $6,900 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
17

Cost of Living Index in Kurukshetra
Learn more

Kurukshetra Living Index

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Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$936

/mo nomad

Kurukshetra

🇮🇳 India

$365

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

A single person spends $936 per month in Chiang Mai vs $365 in Kurukshetra, rent included.

Chiang Mai $936
Kurukshetra $365

A couple spends around $1,457 per month in Chiang Mai vs $595 in Kurukshetra, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,457
Kurukshetra $595

A family of three spends $1,979 per month in Chiang Mai vs $825 in Kurukshetra, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,979
Kurukshetra $825

Chiang Mai costs about 156% more than Kurukshetra, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chiang Mai and Kurukshetra are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 31% lower, Kurukshetra 73% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.24 ฿75.7

$1.03 ₹98.4

117.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.00 ฿642

$15.98 ₹1,521

18.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.55 ฿188

$3.10 ₹296

79.03%

Cappuccino

$1.67 ฿56.6

$1.08 ₹103

54.63%

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

$0.64 ฿21.56

$0.20 ₹19.02

220.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.32

$0.14 ₹13.14

121.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.36 ฿79.6

$2.07 ₹197

14.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿124

$2.65 ₹253

38.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 ฿65.8

$0.71 ₹68.0

174.65%

White Bread (500g)

$1.44 ฿48.51

$0.58 ₹55.7

148.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 ฿45.07

$0.65 ₹62.2

104.62%

Eggs

$2.28 ฿77.1

$1.21 ₹115

88.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.45 ฿556

$5.31 ₹506

209.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.78 ฿94.0

$3.19 ₹304

-12.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.31 ฿314

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 ฿79.5

$0.71 ₹67.3

230.99%

Banana (1kg)

$0.97 ฿32.82

$0.51 ₹48.54

90.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.60 ฿53.9

$0.54 ₹51.5

196.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.7

$0.34 ₹31.94

341.18%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿43.15

$0.31 ₹29.41

312.90%

Onion (1kg)

$1.10 ฿37.22

$0.46 ₹43.75

139.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 ฿23.84

$0.60 ₹56.9

18.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.38

$0.33 ₹31.53

48.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.14 ฿140

$4.90 ₹466

-15.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.52 ฿592

$7.32 ₹697

139.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.61 ฿54.5

$1.72 ₹164

-6.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿94.0

$2.64 ₹252

5.30%

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

$5.25 ₹500

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.87 ฿29.33

$0.23 ₹21.95

278.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.1 ฿1,827

$7.15 ₹681

656.50%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.16 ฿39.08

$1.07 ₹101

8.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ฿17.82

$0.25 ₹23.72

112.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.42 ฿81.8

$2.11 ₹201

14.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.93

$1.13 ₹107

28.32%

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

$21.1K ฿711.2K

$11.3K ₹1.1M

85.84%

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

$26.9K ฿909.8K

$24.2K ₹2.3M

11.17%

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

$62.2 ฿2,100

$38.21 ₹3,639

62.71%

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

$12.17 ฿411

$4.10 ₹391

196.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.12 ฿680

$7.62 ₹725

164.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.31 ฿1,260

$16.07 ₹1,531

132.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.77 ฿127

$6.98 ₹664

-45.99%

Cinema Ticket

$6.49 ฿219

$4.84 ₹460

34.09%

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

$736 ฿24.9K

$46.71 ₹4,447

1476.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿498.6K

$1,704 ₹162.3K

766.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.4 ฿1,802

$20.63 ₹1,965

158.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.64 ฿832

$24.56 ₹2,339

0.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.5 ฿3,089

$48.17 ₹4,586

89.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.9 ฿2,429

$26.75 ₹2,548

168.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.3K

$121 ₹11.6K

297.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$309 ฿10.4K

$78.3 ₹7,453

294.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 ฿34.0K

$266 ₹25.3K

278.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$633 ฿21.4K

$190 ₹18.1K

232.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,363 ฿79.8K

$842 ₹80.1K

180.79%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,589 ฿53.7K

$555 ₹52.8K

186.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$590 ฿19.9K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

9.12

-38.93%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 26, 2026

Last update for Kurukshetra: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$309 33%

Kurukshetra

$78 21.4% 74.7% $231

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$234 25.1%

Kurukshetra

$100 27.2% 57.5% $135

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$109 11.6%

Kurukshetra

$54 14.8% 50.2% $55

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$94 10.1%

Kurukshetra

$50 13.7% 47.1% $45

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$78 8.3%

Kurukshetra

$48 13% 38.7% $30

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$61 6.6%

Kurukshetra

$10 2.8% 83.1% $51

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$50 5.4%

Kurukshetra

$26 7% 48.8% $25

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Chiang Mai versus $121 in Kurukshetra. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19 in Chiang Mai versus $16 in Kurukshetra. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $234 vs $100 – making Kurukshetra the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇮🇳 Kurukshetra

🕒 Local time

05:14 5:14 AM

03:44 3:44 AM

1 h 30 min behind Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

1,340,871

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Indian Rupee INR ₹

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.96 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

1,000 INR = 10.5 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 October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 33.77 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.59 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

Indian Rupee exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 95.22 INR (100 INR = 1.05 USD). 1 EUR = 106 INR (1,000 INR = 9.43 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Chiang Mai Kurukshetra 2,560 km ≈ 3 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
Kurukshetra

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 Kurukshetra: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 156% more than Kurukshetra, 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 $548 in Kurukshetra. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Kurukshetra, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $121 there versus $482 in Chiang Mai.

Kindergarten costs $736 per month in Chiang Mai and $47 in Kurukshetra. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 135% more in Chiang Mai, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A $800 monthly budget goes further in Kurukshetra, where all-in costs run around $365, than in Chiang Mai at $936. In Kurukshetra it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiang Mai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Kurukshetra – 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.

For expats, Kurukshetra is the easier option financially – housing and daily costs are lower, and overall it costs about 61% less, which matters a lot on a fixed budget or early-career salary.