Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Perinthalmanna, Kerala

For one person, living is cheaper in Perinthalmanna, Kerala: $363 a month against $936 in Chiang Mai, rent and utilities included – about $6,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Chiang Mai, Thailand
Perinthalmanna, Kerala, India
Chiang Mai
🇹🇭 Thailand
$936
/mo nomad
Perinthalmanna, Kerala
🇮🇳 India
$363
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chiang Mai and in Perinthalmanna, Kerala

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

A single person spends $936 per month in Chiang Mai vs $363 in Perinthalmanna, Kerala, rent included.

  • Chiang Mai $936
  • Perinthalmanna, Kerala $363

A couple spends around $1,457 per month in Chiang Mai vs $572 in Perinthalmanna, Kerala, rent included.

  • Chiang Mai $1,457
  • Perinthalmanna, Kerala $572

A family of three spends $1,979 per month in Chiang Mai vs $781 in Perinthalmanna, Kerala, rent included.

  • Chiang Mai $1,979
  • Perinthalmanna, Kerala $781

Chiang Mai costs about 158% more than Perinthalmanna, Kerala, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

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

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Chiang Mai
Perinthalmanna, Kerala
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.24 ฿75.5
$2.15 ₹204
4.19%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$19.00 ฿640
$5.83 ₹555
225.90%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.55 ฿187
$2.96 ₹281
87.50%
Cappuccino
$1.67 ฿56.4
$1.12 ₹107
49.11%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.64 ฿21.51
$0.38 ₹36.58
68.42%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.31 ฿10.29
$0.10 ₹9.72
210.00%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.36 ฿79.5
$2.33 ₹222
1.29%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.66 ฿123
$2.87 ₹274
27.53%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Chiang Mai
Perinthalmanna, Kerala
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.95 ฿65.7
$0.68 ₹64.9
186.76%
White Bread (500g)
$1.44 ฿48.41
$0.48 ₹45.56
200.00%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.33 ฿44.97
$0.64 ₹60.6
107.81%
Eggs
$2.28 ฿77.0
$0.86 ₹82.1
165.12%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$16.45 ฿554
$5.07 ₹482
224.46%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$2.78 ฿93.8
$3.02 ₹288
-7.95%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$9.31 ฿314
-
-
Apples (1kg)
$2.35 ฿79.3
$1.91 ₹182
23.04%
Banana (1kg)
$0.97 ฿32.75
$0.67 ₹63.8
44.78%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.60 ฿53.8
$0.91 ₹87.1
75.82%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.50 ฿50.6
$0.45 ₹43.20
233.33%
Potato (1kg)
$1.28 ฿43.06
$0.32 ₹30.91
300.00%
Onion (1kg)
$1.10 ฿37.14
$0.40 ₹38.49
175.00%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.71 ฿23.79
$0.44 ₹42.03
61.36%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.49 ฿16.34
$0.29 ₹27.60
68.97%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.14 ฿140
$5.36 ₹511
-22.76%
Wine (Bottle)
$17.52 ฿590
$7.31 ₹696
139.67%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.61 ฿54.4
$1.58 ₹150
1.90%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.78 ฿93.8
$2.69 ₹256
3.35%
Buffalo Round (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) (1kg)
-
$3.99 ₹380
-
🚌 Getting Around
Chiang Mai
Perinthalmanna, Kerala
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.87 ฿29.27
$0.25 ₹24.05
248.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$54.1 ฿1,823
$7.25 ₹691
646.07%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.16 ฿39.00
$0.85 ₹81.4
36.47%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.53 ฿17.78
$0.25 ₹23.69
112.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$2.42 ฿81.6
$1.62 ₹154
49.38%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.45 ฿48.82
$1.08 ₹103
34.26%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.1K ฿709.7K
$11.2K ₹1.1M
88.08%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.9K ฿907.9K
$19.6K ₹1.9M
37.19%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Chiang Mai
Perinthalmanna, Kerala
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$62.2 ฿2,095
$34.97 ₹3,330
77.78%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$12.17 ฿410
$3.27 ₹311
272.17%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$20.12 ฿678
$6.66 ₹634
202.10%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Chiang Mai
Perinthalmanna, Kerala
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$37.31 ฿1,257
$14.15 ₹1,347
163.67%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$3.77 ฿127
$6.39 ₹608
-41.00%
Cinema Ticket
$6.49 ฿219
$2.99 ₹285
117.06%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Chiang Mai
Perinthalmanna, Kerala
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$736 ฿24.8K
$46.69 ₹4,445
1476.68%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$14.8K ฿497.6K
$1,407 ₹133.9K
949.67%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Chiang Mai
Perinthalmanna, Kerala
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$53.4 ฿1,799
$21.93 ₹2,088
143.37%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$24.64 ฿830
$23.86 ₹2,272
3.27%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$91.5 ฿3,083
$37.83 ₹3,601
141.82%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$71.9 ฿2,424
$29.07 ₹2,767
147.47%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Chiang Mai
Perinthalmanna, Kerala
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$482 ฿16.3K
$119 ₹11.3K
305.99%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$309 ฿10.4K
$75.8 ₹7,217
307.55%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,006 ฿33.9K
$263 ₹25.1K
282.29%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$633 ฿21.3K
$189 ₹18.0K
235.83%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,363 ฿79.6K
$955 ₹90.9K
147.58%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,589 ฿53.6K
$574 ₹54.6K
176.91%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Chiang Mai
Perinthalmanna, Kerala
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$590 ฿19.9K
$259 ₹24.7K
127.74%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.57
8.86
-37.13%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 26, 2026

Last update for Perinthalmanna, Kerala: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Chiang Mai
$309
Perinthalmanna, Kerala
$76 75.5% $233
Groceries & Markets
Chiang Mai
$234
Perinthalmanna, Kerala
$102 56.3% $132
Clothing & Footwear
Chiang Mai
$109
Perinthalmanna, Kerala
$51 53.3% $58
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Chiang Mai
$94
Perinthalmanna, Kerala
$45 52.5% $50
Eating Out
Chiang Mai
$78
Perinthalmanna, Kerala
$59 24.1% $19
Getting Around
Chiang Mai
$61
Perinthalmanna, Kerala
$10 83.1% $51
Sport & Entertainment
Chiang Mai
$50
Perinthalmanna, Kerala
$20 60% $30

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Chiang Mai versus $119 in Perinthalmanna, Kerala. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in Chiang Mai are about 2.3 times higher, 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 $6 in Perinthalmanna, Kerala. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $234 vs $102 – making Perinthalmanna, Kerala the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇹🇭 Chiang Mai
🇮🇳 Perinthalmanna, Kerala
🕒 Local time
07:18 7:18 AM
05:48 5:48 AM
1 h 30 min behind Chiang Mai
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
127,240
44,613
💱 Currency
Thai Baht THB ฿
Exchange rates and currency converter

INR, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 29, 2026: 1 USD = 33.7 THB (100 THB = 2.97 USD). 1 EUR = 37.52 THB (100 THB = 2.67 EUR).

Indian Rupee exchange rates as of October 29, 2026: 1 USD = 95.21 INR (100 INR = 1.05 USD). 1 EUR = 106 INR (1,000 INR = 9.43 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Chiang Mai Perinthalmanna, Kerala 2,590 km ≈ 3 h 45 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Chiang Mai
  • Perinthalmanna, Kerala

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 Perinthalmanna, Kerala: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Chiang Mai or Perinthalmanna, Kerala?
Chiang Mai costs about 158% more than Perinthalmanna, Kerala, 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 Perinthalmanna, Kerala?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,403 per month in Chiang Mai and $545 in Perinthalmanna, Kerala. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Chiang Mai or Perinthalmanna, Kerala?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Perinthalmanna, Kerala, 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 Perinthalmanna, Kerala?
Kindergarten costs $736 per month in Chiang Mai and $47 in Perinthalmanna, Kerala. 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 Perinthalmanna, Kerala?
Groceries cost about 129% more in Chiang Mai, though the gap depends on what you buy.
Which city is better for families?
Families tend to lean toward Perinthalmanna, Kerala – 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 Perinthalmanna, Kerala?
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 Perinthalmanna, Kerala?
If budget matters most, go with Perinthalmanna, Kerala. 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.

Chiang Mai vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities

Show times on the 12-hour clock, temperatures in °F and distances in miles?