Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Nizamabad

For one person, living is cheaper in Nizamabad: $374 a month against $936 in Chiang Mai, rent and utilities included – about $6,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

45

Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai Living Index
18

Cost of Living Index in Nizamabad
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Nizamabad Living Index

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Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$936

/mo nomad

Nizamabad

🇮🇳 India

$374

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

A single person spends $936 per month in Chiang Mai vs $374 in Nizamabad, rent included.

Chiang Mai $936
Nizamabad $374

A couple spends around $1,457 per month in Chiang Mai vs $587 in Nizamabad, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,457
Nizamabad $587

A family of three spends $1,979 per month in Chiang Mai vs $800 in Nizamabad, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,979
Nizamabad $800

Chiang Mai costs about 150% more than Nizamabad, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.24 ฿75.7

$2.68 ₹255

-16.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.00 ฿642

$10.71 ₹1,020

77.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.55 ฿188

$5.32 ₹507

4.32%

Cappuccino

$1.67 ฿56.6

$2.33 ₹222

-28.33%

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

$0.64 ฿21.56

$0.46 ₹43.59

39.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.32

$0.18 ₹17.28

72.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.36 ฿79.6

$2.11 ₹201

11.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿124

$4.30 ₹409

-14.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 ฿65.8

$0.77 ₹73.7

153.25%

White Bread (500g)

$1.44 ฿48.51

$0.41 ₹38.80

251.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 ฿45.07

$0.69 ₹65.9

92.75%

Eggs

$2.28 ฿77.1

$0.83 ₹79.1

174.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.45 ฿556

$5.31 ₹505

209.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.78 ฿94.0

$2.77 ₹264

0.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.31 ฿314

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 ฿79.5

$2.15 ₹204

9.30%

Banana (1kg)

$0.97 ฿32.82

$0.51 ₹48.35

90.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.60 ฿53.9

$0.88 ₹83.7

81.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.7

$0.22 ₹20.99

581.82%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿43.15

$0.31 ₹29.46

312.90%

Onion (1kg)

$1.10 ฿37.22

$0.18 ₹16.95

511.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 ฿23.84

$0.12 ₹11.53

491.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.38

$0.20 ₹19.04

145.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.14 ฿140

$1.63 ₹155

153.99%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.52 ฿592

$4.18 ₹398

319.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.61 ฿54.5

$1.84 ₹176

-12.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿94.0

$2.71 ₹258

2.58%

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

$2.80 ₹267

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.87 ฿29.33

$0.25 ₹23.55

248.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.1 ฿1,827

$7.72 ₹735

600.65%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.16 ฿39.08

$0.90 ₹86.1

28.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ฿17.82

$0.55 ₹52.8

-3.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.42 ฿81.8

$1.18 ₹112

105.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.93

$1.13 ₹108

28.32%

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

$21.1K ฿711.2K

$11.5K ₹1.1M

82.64%

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

$26.9K ฿909.8K

$22.5K ₹2.1M

19.51%

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

$62.2 ฿2,100

$34.29 ₹3,265

81.31%

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

$12.17 ฿411

$4.32 ₹411

181.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.12 ฿680

$7.88 ₹750

155.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.31 ฿1,260

$14.41 ₹1,372

158.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.77 ฿127

$6.68 ₹636

-43.56%

Cinema Ticket

$6.49 ฿219

$3.14 ₹299

106.69%

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

$736 ฿24.9K

$45.19 ₹4,303

1529.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿498.6K

$416 ₹39.6K

3447.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.4 ฿1,802

$21.77 ₹2,073

145.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.64 ฿832

$21.07 ₹2,007

16.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.5 ฿3,089

$41.99 ₹3,998

117.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.9 ฿2,429

$34.58 ₹3,293

108.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.3K

$79.7 ₹7,587

505.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$309 ฿10.4K

$60.4 ₹5,750

411.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 ฿34.0K

$212 ₹20.2K

373.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$633 ฿21.4K

$130 ₹12.4K

386.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,363 ฿79.8K

$930 ₹88.6K

154.11%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,589 ฿53.7K

$532 ₹50.7K

198.70%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$590 ฿19.9K

$318 ₹30.3K

85.19%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

8.55

-34.85%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 26, 2026

Last update for Nizamabad: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$309 33%

Nizamabad

$60 16.1% 80.5% $249

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$234 25.1%

Nizamabad

$93 24.9% 60.2% $141

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$109 11.6%

Nizamabad

$54 14.4% 50.5% $55

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$94 10.1%

Nizamabad

$46 12.4% 50.8% $48

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$78 8.3%

Nizamabad

$87 23.3% 12.3% $9.6

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$61 6.6%

Nizamabad

$12 3.3% 79.8% $49

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$50 5.4%

Nizamabad

$21 5.5% 58.9% $30

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Chiang Mai versus $80 in Nizamabad. 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 85% 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 $11 in Nizamabad. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $234 vs $93 – making Nizamabad the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇮🇳 Nizamabad

🕒 Local time

09:28 9:28 AM

07:58 7:58 AM

1 h 30 min behind Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

100,000

💱 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 29, 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 29, 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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Highest

Between locations

Chiang Mai Nizamabad 2,200 km ≈ 3 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
Nizamabad

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 Nizamabad: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 150% more than Nizamabad, 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 $561 in Nizamabad. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Nizamabad, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $80 there versus $482 in Chiang Mai.

Kindergarten costs $736 per month in Chiang Mai and $45 in Nizamabad. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 151% more in Chiang Mai, though the gap depends on what you buy.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $936 in Chiang Mai and $374 in Nizamabad, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

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

If budget matters most, go with Nizamabad. 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.