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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $869 per month in Chiang Mai vs $345 in Siliguri, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,362 per month in Chiang Mai vs $567 in Siliguri, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,855 per month in Chiang Mai vs $788 in Siliguri, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 152% more than Siliguri, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Siliguri are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Siliguri 74% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.98 ฿64.3

$2.89 ₹275

-31.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.80 ฿612

$13.88 ₹1,320

35.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.75 ฿252

$6.48 ₹617

19.60%

Cappuccino

$1.92 ฿62.5

$1.59 ₹151

20.75%

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

$0.79 ฿25.79

$0.40 ₹38.35

97.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.62

$0.21 ₹19.97

71.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$1.55 ₹147

42.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

$2.37 ₹226

54.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿53.8

$0.56 ₹53.6

194.64%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$0.29 ₹27.15

462.07%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.86

$0.57 ₹54.6

108.77%

Eggs

$2.00 ฿65.1

$0.83 ₹79.4

140.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.98 ฿520

$5.50 ₹523

190.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.03 ฿98.5

$2.21 ₹210

37.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 ฿354

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 ฿90.0

$2.06 ₹196

33.98%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.42

$0.78 ₹74.1

51.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$1.06 ₹101

54.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.51

$0.43 ₹40.95

253.49%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿45.10

$0.23 ₹21.81

500.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.84

$0.42 ₹39.87

183.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ฿22.86

$0.37 ₹35.34

89.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.13

$0.35 ₹33.38

60.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.58 ฿149

$3.42 ₹325

33.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.56 ฿539

$4.25 ₹404

289.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿59.5

$1.40 ₹133

30.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 ฿104

$3.68 ₹350

-13.04%

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

$7.39 ₹702

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿28.56

$0.24 ₹22.87

266.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.72 ฿610

$8.81 ₹838

112.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿44.16

$1.47 ₹140

-7.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿43.65

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$1.37 ₹131

472.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿39.92

$1.20 ₹114

2.50%

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

$21.6K ฿704.3K

$12.4K ₹1.2M

75.07%

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

$22.5K ฿734.3K

$22.5K ₹2.1M

0.07%

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

$70.5 ฿2,298

$37.90 ₹3,604

86.12%

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

$13.68 ฿445

$3.11 ₹296

339.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.45 ฿568

$7.87 ₹749

121.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.33 ฿1,346

$6.88 ₹654

500.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$5.12 ₹487

35.94%

Cinema Ticket

$5.77 ฿188

$2.25 ₹214

156.44%

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

$307 ฿10.0K

$41.07 ₹3,906

647.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿475.9K

$2,038 ₹193.8K

616.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,817

$28.23 ₹2,684

97.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.21 ฿854

$11.27 ₹1,072

132.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 ฿2,793

$41.81 ₹3,976

105.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.2 ฿2,353

$36.33 ₹3,455

98.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$430 ฿14.0K

$160 ₹15.2K

168.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿7,774

$54.0 ₹5,133

342.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$817 ฿26.6K

$391 ₹37.2K

109.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$511 ฿16.6K

$145 ₹13.8K

252.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,983 ฿64.6K

$761 ₹72.4K

160.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,484 ฿48.3K

$416 ₹39.6K

256.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$619 ฿20.2K

$365 ₹34.7K

69.60%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.7

-48.45%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 7, 2026

Last update for Siliguri: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $430 in Chiang Mai versus $160 in Siliguri. 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 70% 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $14.00 in Siliguri. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $241 vs $93.0 – making Siliguri the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Siliguri: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 152% more than Siliguri, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,303 per month in Chiang Mai and $518 in Siliguri. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Siliguri, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $307 per month in Chiang Mai and $41.07 in Siliguri. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 159% more in Chiang Mai, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $869 in Chiang Mai and $345 in Siliguri, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Siliguri costs $345 versus $869 in Chiang Mai. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Siliguri. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chiang Mai makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.