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

😐 Solo nomad: Chiang Mai is 123.1% more expensive than Shimla without rent, and 158% more expensive with rent.
😐 Family of 3: Chiang Mai is 126.3% more expensive than Shimla without rent, and 144.2% more expensive with rent.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Chiang Mai
Shimla
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.03 ฿64.3
$1.69 ₹155
20.12%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$18.59 ฿590
$5.93 ₹544
213.49%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.48 ฿237
$3.40 ₹312
120.00%
Cappuccino
$2.00 ฿63.3
$0.95 ₹86.8
110.53%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.85 ฿26.87
$0.32 ₹29.35
165.63%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.35 ฿11.15
$0.15 ₹13.56
133.33%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.21 ฿70.2
$1.64 ₹151
34.76%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.76 ฿119
$2.28 ₹209
64.91%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Chiang Mai
Shimla
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.72 ฿54.5
$0.71 ₹65.0
142.25%
White Bread (500g)
$1.63 ฿51.8
$0.45 ₹41.29
262.22%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.16 ฿36.75
$0.63 ₹58.2
84.13%
Eggs
$1.98 ฿62.8
$0.87 ₹79.9
127.59%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$15.93 ฿505
$4.28 ₹393
272.20%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.17 ฿100
$3.56 ₹327
-10.96%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.90 ฿346
-
-
Apples (1kg)
$2.65 ฿83.9
$1.91 ₹176
38.74%
Banana (1kg)
$1.22 ฿38.79
$0.74 ₹67.5
64.86%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.70 ฿53.8
$0.79 ₹72.8
115.19%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.59 ฿50.4
$0.55 ₹50.7
189.09%
Potato (1kg)
$1.32 ฿42.00
$0.38 ₹34.60
247.37%
Onion (1kg)
$1.17 ฿37.07
$0.40 ₹36.87
192.50%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.68 ฿21.50
$0.22 ₹20.13
209.09%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.56 ฿17.68
$0.36 ₹33.23
55.56%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.51 ฿143
$4.66 ₹428
-3.22%
Wine (Bottle)
$19.07 ฿605
$5.42 ₹497
251.85%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.77 ฿56.2
$1.68 ₹155
5.36%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.18 ฿101
$2.27 ₹208
40.09%
Buffalo Round (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) (1kg)
-
$5.70 ₹523
-
🚌 Getting Around
Chiang Mai
Shimla
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.96 ฿30.54
$0.22 ₹20.13
336.36%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$18.90 ฿599
$8.59 ₹789
120.02%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.36 ฿43.07
$0.84 ₹77.2
61.90%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.35 ฿42.89
-
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.03 ฿255
$1.19 ₹109
574.79%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.24 ฿39.43
$1.19 ₹109
4.20%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.2K ฿671.3K
$15.3K ₹1.4M
38.68%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$21.8K ฿690.1K
$19.7K ₹1.8M
10.21%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Chiang Mai
Shimla
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$71.2 ฿2,260
$19.04 ₹1,748
274.16%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$14.09 ฿447
$3.46 ₹318
307.23%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$17.47 ฿554
$7.48 ₹687
133.56%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Chiang Mai
Shimla
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$42.07 ฿1,335
$14.79 ₹1,358
184.45%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$6.88 ฿218
$6.85 ₹629
0.44%
Cinema Ticket
$5.94 ฿188
$3.55 ₹326
67.32%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Chiang Mai
Shimla
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$307 ฿9,750
$46.17 ₹4,239
565.74%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$14.8K ฿469.3K
$2,326 ₹213.6K
535.94%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Chiang Mai
Shimla
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$55.7 ฿1,766
$33.59 ₹3,084
65.73%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$26.79 ฿850
$28.13 ₹2,583
-4.76%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$83.2 ฿2,640
$45.72 ₹4,197
82.02%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$70.1 ฿2,224
$28.80 ₹2,644
143.44%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Chiang Mai
Shimla
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$427 ฿13.6K
$94.2 ₹8,649
353.57%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$237 ฿7,521
$57.7 ₹5,301
310.63%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$802 ฿25.4K
$223 ₹20.4K
259.94%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$503 ฿16.0K
$141 ₹12.9K
257.82%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,061 ฿65.4K
$969 ₹89.0K
112.55%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,533 ฿48.6K
$542 ₹49.7K
183.01%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Chiang Mai
Shimla
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$654 ฿20.7K
$572 ₹52.5K
14.37%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5
8.25
-39.39%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: March 1, 2026

Last update for Shimla: February 28, 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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