Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Sidhi

For one person, living is cheaper in Sidhi: $362 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
Sidhi, India
Chiang Mai
🇹🇭 Thailand
$936
/mo nomad
Sidhi
🇮🇳 India
$362
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

A single person spends $936 per month in Chiang Mai vs $362 in Sidhi, rent included.

  • Chiang Mai $936
  • Sidhi $362

A couple spends around $1,457 per month in Chiang Mai vs $574 in Sidhi, rent included.

  • Chiang Mai $1,457
  • Sidhi $574

A family of three spends $1,979 per month in Chiang Mai vs $785 in Sidhi, rent included.

  • Chiang Mai $1,979
  • Sidhi $785

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

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

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Chiang Mai
Sidhi
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.24 ฿75.7
$2.13 ₹203
5.16%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$19.00 ฿642
$10.48 ₹998
81.30%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.55 ฿188
$3.75 ₹357
48.00%
Cappuccino
$1.67 ฿56.6
$1.54 ₹147
8.44%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.64 ฿21.56
$0.38 ₹35.92
68.42%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.31 ฿10.32
$0.14 ₹13.64
121.43%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.36 ฿79.6
$1.79 ₹171
31.84%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.66 ฿124
$2.85 ₹271
28.42%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Chiang Mai
Sidhi
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.95 ฿65.8
$0.64 ₹60.7
204.69%
White Bread (500g)
$1.44 ฿48.51
$0.45 ₹42.53
220.00%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.33 ฿45.07
$0.65 ₹61.8
104.62%
Eggs
$2.28 ฿77.1
$0.92 ₹87.9
147.83%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$16.45 ฿556
$4.41 ₹420
273.02%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$2.78 ฿94.0
$2.58 ₹245
7.75%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$9.31 ฿314
-
-
Apples (1kg)
$2.35 ฿79.5
$1.86 ₹177
26.34%
Banana (1kg)
$0.97 ฿32.82
$0.66 ₹63.2
46.97%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.60 ฿53.9
$0.95 ₹90.2
68.42%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.50 ฿50.7
$0.46 ₹43.36
226.09%
Potato (1kg)
$1.28 ฿43.15
$0.33 ₹31.35
287.88%
Onion (1kg)
$1.10 ฿37.22
$0.38 ₹36.10
189.47%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.71 ฿23.84
$0.43 ₹40.84
65.12%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.49 ฿16.38
$0.29 ₹27.42
68.97%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.14 ฿140
$4.90 ₹467
-15.51%
Wine (Bottle)
$17.52 ฿592
$7.13 ₹679
145.72%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.61 ฿54.5
$1.66 ₹158
-3.01%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.78 ฿94.0
$2.59 ₹247
7.34%
Buffalo Round (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) (1kg)
-
$5.49 ₹523
-
🚌 Getting Around
Chiang Mai
Sidhi
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.87 ฿29.33
$0.23 ₹21.67
278.26%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$54.1 ฿1,827
$6.25 ₹596
765.44%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.16 ฿39.08
$0.76 ₹72.2
52.63%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.53 ฿17.82
$0.28 ₹26.62
89.29%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$2.42 ฿81.8
$1.65 ₹157
46.67%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.45 ฿48.93
$1.12 ₹107
29.46%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.1K ฿711.2K
$11.2K ₹1.1M
88.70%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.9K ฿909.8K
$19.4K ₹1.8M
38.81%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Chiang Mai
Sidhi
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$62.2 ฿2,100
$34.63 ₹3,297
79.53%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$12.17 ฿411
$3.31 ₹315
267.67%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$20.12 ฿680
$6.43 ₹612
212.91%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Chiang Mai
Sidhi
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$37.31 ฿1,260
$14.02 ₹1,335
166.12%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$3.77 ฿127
$6.65 ₹633
-43.31%
Cinema Ticket
$6.49 ฿219
$2.60 ₹247
149.62%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Chiang Mai
Sidhi
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$736 ฿24.9K
$46.13 ₹4,393
1495.82%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$14.8K ฿498.6K
$1,487 ₹141.6K
892.61%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Chiang Mai
Sidhi
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$53.4 ฿1,802
$21.59 ₹2,056
147.20%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$24.64 ฿832
$25.39 ₹2,417
-2.95%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$91.5 ฿3,089
$41.45 ₹3,947
120.70%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$71.9 ฿2,429
$28.87 ₹2,749
149.19%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Chiang Mai
Sidhi
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$482 ฿16.3K
$118 ₹11.2K
308.36%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$309 ฿10.4K
$75.7 ₹7,212
307.87%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,006 ฿34.0K
$229 ₹21.8K
339.23%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$633 ฿21.4K
$172 ₹16.3K
268.94%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,363 ฿79.8K
$986 ₹93.9K
139.76%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,589 ฿53.7K
$528 ₹50.3K
200.86%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Chiang Mai
Sidhi
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$590 ฿19.9K
-
-
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 Sidhi: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Chiang Mai
$309
Sidhi
$76 75.5% $233
Groceries & Markets
Chiang Mai
$234
Sidhi
$97 58.5% $137
Clothing & Footwear
Chiang Mai
$109
Sidhi
$53 51.4% $56
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Chiang Mai
$94
Sidhi
$44 53% $50
Eating Out
Chiang Mai
$78
Sidhi
$64 18.1% $14
Getting Around
Chiang Mai
$61
Sidhi
$9.3 84.8% $52
Sport & Entertainment
Chiang Mai
$50
Sidhi
$19 61.8% $31

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Chiang Mai versus $118 in Sidhi. 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 $10 in Sidhi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $234 vs $97 – making Sidhi the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇹🇭 Chiang Mai
🇮🇳 Sidhi
🕒 Local time
03:49 3:49 AM
02:19 2:19 AM
1 h 30 min behind Chiang Mai
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
127,240
54,331
💱 Currency
Thai Baht THB ฿
Exchange rates and currency converter

INR, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 28, 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 28, 2026: 1 USD = 95.22 INR (100 INR = 1.05 USD). 1 EUR = 106 INR (1,000 INR = 9.43 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Chiang Mai Sidhi 1,880 km ≈ 2 h 45 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Chiang Mai
  • Sidhi

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 Sidhi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Chiang Mai or Sidhi?
Chiang Mai costs about 158% more than Sidhi, 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 Sidhi?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,403 per month in Chiang Mai and $543 in Sidhi. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Chiang Mai or Sidhi?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Sidhi, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $118 there versus $482 in Chiang Mai.
How do childcare costs compare in Chiang Mai and in Sidhi?
Kindergarten costs $736 per month in Chiang Mai and $46 in Sidhi. 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 Sidhi?
Groceries cost about 141% more in Chiang Mai, though the gap depends on what you buy.
Which city is better for families?
Families tend to lean toward Sidhi – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
For expats, Sidhi is the easier option financially – housing and daily costs are lower, and overall it costs about 61% less, which matters a lot on a fixed budget or early-career salary.

Chiang Mai vs other spots: cost of living compared

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