Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Thoothukudi

For one person, living is cheaper in Thoothukudi: $327 a month against $935 in Chiang Mai, rent and utilities included – about $7,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

45

Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai Living Index
16

Cost of Living Index in Thoothukudi
Learn more

Thoothukudi Living Index

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Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$935

/mo nomad

Thoothukudi

🇮🇳 India

$327

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

A single person spends $935 per month in Chiang Mai vs $327 in Thoothukudi, rent included.

Chiang Mai $935
Thoothukudi $327

A couple spends around $1,467 per month in Chiang Mai vs $550 in Thoothukudi, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,467
Thoothukudi $550

A family of three spends $1,999 per month in Chiang Mai vs $773 in Thoothukudi, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,999
Thoothukudi $773

Chiang Mai costs about 186% more than Thoothukudi, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chiang Mai and Thoothukudi are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 31% lower, Thoothukudi 76% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.13 ฿71.4

$1.19 ₹113

78.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.62 ฿623

$8.56 ₹808

117.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.60 ฿187

$3.68 ₹348

52.17%

Cappuccino

$1.66 ฿55.6

$1.29 ₹122

28.68%

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

$0.65 ฿21.63

$0.43 ₹40.33

51.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 ฿10.20

$0.14 ₹12.79

114.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.32 ฿77.7

$1.68 ₹159

38.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿123

$2.16 ₹204

69.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.02 ฿67.4

$0.66 ₹61.9

206.06%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 ฿47.08

$0.41 ₹39.00

243.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.54

$0.62 ₹58.4

124.19%

Eggs

$2.37 ฿79.2

$0.70 ₹65.7

238.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.52 ฿552

$3.27 ₹309

405.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.67 ฿89.3

$2.72 ₹257

-1.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.02 ฿302

Apples (1kg)

$2.40 ฿80.2

$2.03 ₹192

18.23%

Banana (1kg)

$1.04 ฿34.82

$0.73 ₹68.6

42.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.66 ฿55.5

$1.07 ₹101

55.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.56 ฿52.1

$0.46 ₹43.23

239.13%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 ฿41.39

$0.36 ₹34.11

244.44%

Onion (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.34

$0.43 ₹40.33

153.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.76 ฿25.47

$0.53 ₹49.69

43.40%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿17.19

$0.29 ₹27.85

75.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.12 ฿138

$5.12 ₹484

-19.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.93 ฿600

$7.87 ₹744

127.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 ฿54.3

$1.11 ₹104

45.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.82 ฿94.4

$1.56 ₹147

80.77%

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

$3.14 ₹296

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.93 ฿31.25

$0.51 ₹48.51

82.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$52.9 ฿1,769

$15.90 ₹1,502

232.64%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.18 ฿39.35

$0.54 ₹51.4

118.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.17 ฿5.73

$0.13 ₹12.54

30.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.81 ฿60.6

$1.14 ₹107

58.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 ฿49.25

$1.13 ₹107

30.09%

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

$21.0K ฿702.6K

$10.6K ₹998.7K

98.74%

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

$26.5K ฿886.7K

$14.5K ₹1.4M

82.30%

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

$62.6 ฿2,092

$32.99 ₹3,117

89.63%

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

$11.60 ฿388

$3.12 ₹295

271.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.30 ฿679

$6.76 ₹639

200.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.88 ฿1,267

$19.34 ₹1,827

95.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.70 ฿124

$1.91 ₹181

93.72%

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 ฿218

$1.60 ₹151

306.88%

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

$727 ฿24.3K

$42.13 ₹3,980

1625.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.6K ฿554.2K

$2,857 ₹269.9K

480.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.5 ฿1,790

$25.22 ₹2,382

112.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.80 ฿829

$17.70 ₹1,672

40.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.4 ฿3,023

$19.83 ₹1,873

355.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.0 ฿2,407

$26.81 ₹2,533

168.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$481 ฿16.1K

$98.6 ₹9,311

388.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$310 ฿10.4K

$58.3 ₹5,505

431.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,058 ฿35.4K

$377 ₹35.6K

181.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$659 ฿22.0K

$212 ₹20.0K

211.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,418 ฿80.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,609 ฿53.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

$279 ₹26.4K

113.18%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

8.6

-35.23%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: November 1, 2026

Last update for Thoothukudi: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$310 33.1%

Thoothukudi

$58 17.8% 81.2% $252

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$237 25.3%

Thoothukudi

$92 28.3% 61% $144

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$108 11.6%

Thoothukudi

$40 12.3% 62.8% $68

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$94 10.1%

Thoothukudi

$43 13.1% 54.6% $52

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$77 8.2%

Thoothukudi

$51 15.6% 33.3% $25

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$59 6.3%

Thoothukudi

$19 5.9% 67.3% $39

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$51 5.4%

Thoothukudi

$23 6.9% 55.7% $28

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $481 in Chiang Mai versus $99 in Thoothukudi. 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 2.1 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 $9 in Thoothukudi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $237 vs $92 – making Thoothukudi the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇮🇳 Thoothukudi

🕒 Local time

17:28 5:28 PM

15:58 3:58 PM

1 h 30 min behind Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

100,000

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Indian Rupee INR ₹

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.99 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

1,000 INR = 10.59 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 6, 2026: 1 USD = 33.44 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.56 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

Indian Rupee exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 94.47 INR (100 INR = 1.06 USD). 1 EUR = 106 INR (1,000 INR = 9.43 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Chiang Mai Thoothukudi 2,510 km ≈ 3 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
Thoothukudi

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 Thoothukudi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 186% more than Thoothukudi, 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 $490 in Thoothukudi. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Thoothukudi, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $99 there versus $481 in Chiang Mai.

Kindergarten costs $727 per month in Chiang Mai and $42 in Thoothukudi. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 156% more in Chiang Mai, though the gap depends on what you buy.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $935 in Chiang Mai and $327 in Thoothukudi, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

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

If budget matters most, go with Thoothukudi. 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.