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

😐 Solo nomad: Chiang Mai is 97.2% more expensive than Manali without rent, and 123.8% more expensive with rent.
😐 Family of 3: Chiang Mai is 78.9% more expensive than Manali without rent, and 111.7% more expensive with rent.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Chiang Mai
Manali
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.03 ฿64.2
$2.40 ₹221
-15.42%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$18.59 ฿588
$7.01 ₹646
165.19%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.48 ฿237
$3.50 ₹322
113.71%
Cappuccino
$2.00 ฿63.2
$1.94 ₹178
3.09%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.85 ฿26.81
$0.27 ₹24.97
214.81%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.35 ฿11.13
$0.20 ₹18.39
75.00%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.21 ฿70.0
$1.54 ₹142
43.51%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.76 ฿119
$2.03 ₹187
85.22%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Chiang Mai
Manali
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.72 ฿54.4
$0.77 ₹71.2
123.38%
White Bread (500g)
$1.63 ฿51.7
$0.54 ₹49.42
201.85%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.16 ฿36.66
$0.82 ₹75.3
41.46%
Eggs
$1.98 ฿62.6
$0.87 ₹80.1
127.59%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$15.93 ฿504
$5.53 ₹509
188.07%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.17 ฿100
$2.96 ₹273
7.09%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.90 ฿345
-
-
Apples (1kg)
$2.65 ฿83.7
$1.97 ₹182
34.52%
Banana (1kg)
$1.22 ฿38.70
$0.75 ₹69.4
62.67%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.70 ฿53.7
$0.92 ₹85.2
84.78%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.59 ฿50.3
$0.56 ₹51.9
183.93%
Potato (1kg)
$1.32 ฿41.90
$0.37 ₹33.67
256.76%
Onion (1kg)
$1.17 ฿36.99
$0.46 ₹42.10
154.35%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.68 ฿21.46
$0.49 ₹45.14
38.78%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.56 ฿17.64
$0.31 ₹28.99
80.65%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.51 ฿143
$4.05 ₹373
11.36%
Wine (Bottle)
$19.07 ฿604
$10.09 ₹930
89.00%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.77 ฿56.0
$1.73 ₹159
2.31%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.18 ฿101
$2.75 ₹253
15.64%
Buffalo Round (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) (1kg)
-
$5.12 ₹472
-
🚌 Getting Around
Chiang Mai
Manali
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.96 ฿30.47
$0.28 ₹25.70
242.86%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$18.90 ฿598
$8.85 ₹815
113.56%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.36 ฿42.98
$0.78 ₹71.5
74.36%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.35 ฿42.80
$0.22 ₹20.26
513.64%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.03 ฿254
$1.26 ₹116
537.30%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.24 ฿39.34
$1.21 ₹111
2.48%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.2K ฿669.8K
$14.5K ₹1.3M
46.43%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$21.8K ฿688.5K
$29.1K ₹2.7M
-25.27%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Chiang Mai
Manali
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$71.2 ฿2,255
$47.59 ₹4,384
49.70%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$14.09 ฿446
$3.47 ₹320
306.05%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$17.47 ฿553
$6.80 ₹626
156.91%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Chiang Mai
Manali
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$42.07 ฿1,332
$15.61 ₹1,438
169.51%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$6.88 ฿218
$7.05 ₹650
-2.41%
Cinema Ticket
$5.94 ฿188
$2.93 ₹270
102.73%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Chiang Mai
Manali
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$307 ฿9,728
$60.1 ₹5,533
411.69%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$14.8K ฿468.2K
$1,942 ₹178.9K
661.62%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Chiang Mai
Manali
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$55.7 ฿1,762
$24.24 ₹2,232
129.66%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$26.79 ฿848
$23.91 ₹2,203
12.05%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$83.2 ฿2,634
$49.08 ₹4,521
69.56%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$70.1 ฿2,219
$33.19 ₹3,057
111.24%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Chiang Mai
Manali
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$427 ฿13.5K
$92.9 ₹8,555
360.01%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$237 ฿7,504
$51.8 ₹4,770
357.90%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$802 ฿25.4K
$237 ₹21.8K
238.89%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$503 ฿15.9K
$172 ₹15.8K
192.95%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,061 ฿65.2K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,533 ฿48.5K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Chiang Mai
Manali
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$654 ฿20.7K
$550 ₹50.7K
18.84%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5
8.3
-39.76%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: March 1, 2026

Last update for Manali: March 2, 2026

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated December 2025)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.
Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

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