Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Rupnagar

For one person, living is cheaper in Rupnagar: $338 a month against $936 in Chiang Mai, rent and utilities included – about $7,200 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
16

Cost of Living Index in Rupnagar
Learn more

Rupnagar Living Index

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Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$936

/mo nomad

Rupnagar

🇮🇳 India

$338

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

A single person spends $936 per month in Chiang Mai vs $338 in Rupnagar, rent included.

Chiang Mai $936
Rupnagar $338

A couple spends around $1,457 per month in Chiang Mai vs $545 in Rupnagar, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,457
Rupnagar $545

A family of three spends $1,979 per month in Chiang Mai vs $752 in Rupnagar, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,979
Rupnagar $752

Chiang Mai costs about 177% more than Rupnagar, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chiang Mai and Rupnagar are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 31% lower, Rupnagar 75% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.24 ฿75.6

$3.20 ₹304

-30.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.00 ฿641

$8.75 ₹831

117.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.55 ฿187

$3.12 ₹296

77.88%

Cappuccino

$1.67 ฿56.5

$1.23 ₹116

35.77%

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

$0.64 ฿21.55

$0.33 ₹31.49

93.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.31

$0.17 ₹16.07

82.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.36 ฿79.6

$1.25 ₹118

88.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿124

$2.10 ₹199

74.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 ฿65.8

$0.55 ₹51.9

254.55%

White Bread (500g)

$1.44 ฿48.48

$0.41 ₹38.52

251.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 ฿45.04

$0.55 ₹52.5

141.82%

Eggs

$2.28 ฿77.1

$0.86 ₹81.5

165.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.45 ฿555

$5.34 ₹507

208.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.78 ฿93.9

$2.24 ₹213

24.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.31 ฿314

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 ฿79.4

$1.28 ₹122

83.59%

Banana (1kg)

$0.97 ฿32.80

$0.64 ₹60.7

51.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.60 ฿53.9

$0.51 ₹48.70

213.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.6

$0.49 ₹46.60

206.12%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿43.12

$0.32 ₹30.21

300.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.10 ฿37.19

$0.36 ₹33.97

205.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 ฿23.82

$0.64 ₹60.4

10.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.37

$0.33 ₹31.34

48.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.14 ฿140

$5.00 ₹474

-17.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.52 ฿591

$5.30 ₹503

230.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.61 ฿54.5

$1.08 ₹102

49.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿94.0

$1.86 ₹176

49.46%

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

$4.31 ₹409

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.87 ฿29.31

$0.19 ₹18.34

357.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.1 ฿1,826

$6.98 ₹662

674.93%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.16 ฿39.06

$1.03 ₹97.5

12.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ฿17.80

$0.27 ₹25.75

96.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.42 ฿81.8

$2.13 ₹202

13.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.90

$1.02 ₹96.6

42.16%

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

$21.1K ฿710.7K

$7,351 ₹697.9K

186.46%

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

$26.9K ฿909.3K

$15.9K ₹1.5M

69.31%

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

$62.2 ฿2,098

$37.73 ₹3,582

64.78%

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

$12.17 ฿411

$2.57 ₹244

373.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.12 ฿679

$5.29 ₹502

280.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.31 ฿1,259

$9.17 ₹870

306.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.77 ฿127

$7.06 ₹670

-46.60%

Cinema Ticket

$6.49 ฿219

$2.55 ₹242

154.51%

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

$736 ฿24.8K

$45.47 ₹4,317

1518.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿498.3K

$1,685 ₹159.9K

776.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.4 ฿1,801

$20.52 ₹1,948

160.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.64 ฿831

$24.70 ₹2,345

-0.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.5 ฿3,087

$31.18 ₹2,960

193.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.9 ฿2,428

$25.75 ₹2,445

179.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.3K

$116 ₹11.0K

315.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$309 ฿10.4K

$74.6 ₹7,081

314.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 ฿33.9K

$295 ₹28.0K

241.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$633 ฿21.4K

$193 ₹18.3K

229.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,363 ฿79.8K

$816 ₹77.5K

189.58%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,589 ฿53.6K

$593 ₹56.3K

167.87%

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 Rupnagar: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$309 33%

Rupnagar

$75 22.1% 75.9% $234

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$234 25.1%

Rupnagar

$85 25.2% 63.7% $149

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$109 11.6%

Rupnagar

$46 13.6% 57.7% $63

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$94 10.1%

Rupnagar

$46 13.5% 51.7% $49

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$78 8.3%

Rupnagar

$62 18.4% 19.9% $15

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$61 6.6%

Rupnagar

$10 3% 83.5% $51

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$50 5.4%

Rupnagar

$14 4.2% 71.6% $36

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Chiang Mai versus $116 in Rupnagar. 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 $9 in Rupnagar. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $234 vs $85 – making Rupnagar the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇮🇳 Rupnagar

🕒 Local time

14:02 2:02 PM

12:32 12:32 PM

1 h 30 min behind Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

57,000

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Indian Rupee INR ₹

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.96 USD

100 THB = 2.65 EUR

1,000 INR = 10.53 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 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).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Chiang Mai Rupnagar 2,630 km ≈ 3 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
Rupnagar

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 Rupnagar: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 177% more than Rupnagar, 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 $507 in Rupnagar. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Rupnagar, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $116 there versus $482 in Chiang Mai.

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

Groceries cost about 176% more in Chiang Mai, though the gap depends on what you buy.

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

For expats, Rupnagar is the easier option financially – housing and daily costs are lower, and overall it costs about 64% less, which matters a lot on a fixed budget or early-career salary.