Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Morbi

For one person, living is cheaper in Morbi: $384 a month against $936 in Chiang Mai, rent and utilities included – about $6,600 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Chiang Mai, Thailand
Morbi, India
Chiang Mai
🇹🇭 Thailand
$936
/mo nomad
Morbi
🇮🇳 India
$384
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

A single person spends $936 per month in Chiang Mai vs $384 in Morbi, rent included.

  • Chiang Mai $936
  • Morbi $384

A couple spends around $1,457 per month in Chiang Mai vs $591 in Morbi, rent included.

  • Chiang Mai $1,457
  • Morbi $591

A family of three spends $1,979 per month in Chiang Mai vs $798 in Morbi, rent included.

  • Chiang Mai $1,979
  • Morbi $798

Chiang Mai costs about 143% more than Morbi, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chiang Mai and Morbi are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 31% lower, Morbi 72% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Chiang Mai
Morbi
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.24 ฿75.6
$1.88 ₹178
19.15%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$19.00 ฿641
$8.58 ₹814
121.45%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.55 ฿187
$2.71 ₹257
104.80%
Cappuccino
$1.67 ฿56.5
$1.59 ₹151
5.03%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.64 ฿21.55
$0.35 ₹32.86
82.86%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.31 ฿10.31
$0.10 ₹9.52
210.00%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.36 ฿79.6
$1.29 ₹122
82.95%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.66 ฿124
$2.15 ₹204
70.23%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Chiang Mai
Morbi
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.95 ฿65.8
$0.68 ₹65.0
186.76%
White Bread (500g)
$1.44 ฿48.48
$0.47 ₹44.38
206.38%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.33 ฿45.04
$0.60 ₹57.3
121.67%
Eggs
$2.28 ฿77.1
$0.91 ₹86.4
150.55%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$16.45 ฿555
$6.10 ₹579
169.67%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$2.78 ฿93.9
$1.64 ₹156
69.51%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$9.31 ฿314
-
-
Apples (1kg)
$2.35 ฿79.4
$2.29 ₹218
2.62%
Banana (1kg)
$0.97 ฿32.80
$0.43 ₹40.79
125.58%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.60 ฿53.9
$1.00 ₹94.6
60.00%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.50 ฿50.6
$0.61 ₹58.1
145.90%
Potato (1kg)
$1.28 ฿43.12
$0.41 ₹38.61
212.20%
Onion (1kg)
$1.10 ฿37.19
$0.45 ₹43.00
144.44%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.71 ฿23.82
$0.53 ₹50.1
33.96%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.49 ฿16.37
$0.31 ₹29.83
58.06%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.14 ฿140
$2.91 ₹277
42.27%
Wine (Bottle)
$17.52 ฿591
$5.64 ₹536
210.64%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.61 ฿54.5
$1.55 ₹147
3.87%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.78 ฿94.0
$1.81 ₹172
53.59%
Buffalo Round (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) (1kg)
-
$5.29 ₹503
-
🚌 Getting Around
Chiang Mai
Morbi
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.87 ฿29.31
$0.33 ₹31.00
163.64%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$54.1 ฿1,826
$7.07 ₹671
665.06%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.16 ฿39.06
$0.51 ₹48.25
127.45%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.53 ฿17.80
$0.27 ₹25.69
96.30%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$2.42 ฿81.8
$1.33 ₹126
81.95%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.45 ฿48.90
$0.89 ₹84.4
62.92%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.1K ฿710.7K
$13.8K ₹1.3M
52.96%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.9K ฿909.3K
$12.5K ₹1.2M
115.14%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Chiang Mai
Morbi
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$62.2 ฿2,098
$56.4 ₹5,355
10.21%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$12.17 ฿411
$3.60 ₹342
238.06%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$20.12 ฿679
$6.34 ₹602
217.35%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Chiang Mai
Morbi
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$37.31 ฿1,259
$20.27 ₹1,925
84.07%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$3.77 ฿127
$6.66 ₹633
-43.39%
Cinema Ticket
$6.49 ฿219
$3.09 ₹293
110.03%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Chiang Mai
Morbi
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$736 ฿24.8K
$67.1 ₹6,367
997.75%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$14.8K ฿498.3K
$1,665 ₹158.1K
786.57%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Chiang Mai
Morbi
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$53.4 ฿1,801
$23.66 ₹2,247
125.57%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$24.64 ฿831
$28.95 ₹2,748
-14.89%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$91.5 ฿3,087
$40.05 ₹3,802
128.41%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$71.9 ฿2,428
$29.77 ₹2,826
141.65%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Chiang Mai
Morbi
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$482 ฿16.3K
$119 ₹11.3K
304.39%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$309 ฿10.4K
$75.7 ₹7,185
308.19%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,006 ฿33.9K
$264 ₹25.1K
280.81%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$633 ฿21.4K
$166 ₹15.8K
281.34%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,363 ฿79.8K
$790 ₹75.0K
199.05%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,589 ฿53.6K
$472 ₹44.8K
236.59%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Chiang Mai
Morbi
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$590 ฿19.9K
$560 ₹53.1K
5.35%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.57
8.73
-36.20%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 26, 2026

Last update for Morbi: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Chiang Mai
$309
Morbi
$76 75.5% $233
Groceries & Markets
Chiang Mai
$234
Morbi
$96 59.1% $139
Clothing & Footwear
Chiang Mai
$109
Morbi
$55 49.3% $54
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Chiang Mai
$94
Morbi
$66 29.8% $28
Eating Out
Chiang Mai
$78
Morbi
$55 29.5% $23
Getting Around
Chiang Mai
$61
Morbi
$10 83.3% $51
Sport & Entertainment
Chiang Mai
$50
Morbi
$26 47.4% $24

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Chiang Mai versus $119 in Morbi. 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 5% 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 $9 in Morbi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $234 vs $96 – making Morbi the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇹🇭 Chiang Mai
🇮🇳 Morbi
🕒 Local time
12:43 12:43 PM
11:13 11:13 AM
1 h 30 min behind Chiang Mai
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
127,240
194,947
💱 Currency
Thai Baht THB ฿
Exchange rates and currency converter

INR, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

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).

On the map
Between locations
  • Chiang Mai Morbi 2,960 km ≈ 4 h 15 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Chiang Mai
  • Morbi

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 Morbi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Chiang Mai or Morbi?
Chiang Mai costs about 143% more than Morbi, 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.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Chiang Mai and in Morbi?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,403 per month in Chiang Mai and $576 in Morbi. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Chiang Mai or Morbi?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Morbi, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $119 there versus $482 in Chiang Mai.
How do childcare costs compare in Chiang Mai and in Morbi?
Kindergarten costs $736 per month in Chiang Mai and $67 in Morbi. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Are groceries more expensive in Chiang Mai or in Morbi?
Groceries cost about 145% more in Chiang Mai, though the gap depends on what you buy.
Can you live on $800/month in Chiang Mai or in Morbi?
A $800 monthly budget goes further in Morbi, where all-in costs run around $384, than in Chiang Mai at $936. In Morbi it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiang Mai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for families?
Families tend to lean toward Morbi – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
How safe is Chiang Mai compared to Morbi?
Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.
Should I move to Chiang Mai or to Morbi?
If budget matters most, go with Morbi. 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.

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