Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Udupi

For one person, living is cheaper in Udupi: $316 a month against $936 in Chiang Mai, rent and utilities included – about $7,400 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

45

Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai Living Index
15

Cost of Living Index in Udupi
Learn more

Udupi Living Index

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Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$936

/mo nomad

Udupi

🇮🇳 India

$316

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

A single person spends $936 per month in Chiang Mai vs $316 in Udupi, rent included.

Chiang Mai $936
Udupi $316

A couple spends around $1,457 per month in Chiang Mai vs $487 in Udupi, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,457
Udupi $487

A family of three spends $1,979 per month in Chiang Mai vs $659 in Udupi, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,979
Udupi $659

Chiang Mai costs about 196% more than Udupi, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chiang Mai and Udupi are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 31% lower, Udupi 77% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.24 ฿75.6

$1.14 ₹108

96.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.00 ฿641

$7.33 ₹696

159.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.55 ฿187

$3.58 ₹340

55.03%

Cappuccino

$1.67 ฿56.5

$1.03 ₹97.8

62.14%

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

$0.64 ฿21.55

$0.31 ₹29.05

106.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.31

$0.10 ₹9.49

210.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.36 ฿79.6

$1.22 ₹116

93.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿124

$2.04 ₹193

79.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 ฿65.8

$0.48 ₹45.93

306.25%

White Bread (500g)

$1.44 ฿48.48

$0.37 ₹35.19

289.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 ฿45.04

$0.79 ₹74.7

68.35%

Eggs

$2.28 ฿77.1

$0.82 ₹78.3

178.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.45 ฿555

$7.69 ₹730

113.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.78 ฿93.9

$3.38 ₹321

-17.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.31 ฿314

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 ฿79.4

$1.86 ₹177

26.34%

Banana (1kg)

$0.97 ฿32.80

$0.74 ₹70.5

31.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.60 ฿53.9

$0.62 ₹59.1

158.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.6

$0.38 ₹36.19

294.74%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿43.12

$0.18 ₹17.37

611.11%

Onion (1kg)

$1.10 ฿37.19

$0.26 ₹24.48

323.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 ฿23.82

$0.80 ₹76.3

-11.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.37

$0.31 ₹29.04

58.06%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.14 ฿140

$4.55 ₹432

-9.01%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.52 ฿591

$4.44 ₹421

294.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.61 ฿54.5

$1.76 ₹167

-8.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿94.0

$2.39 ₹227

16.32%

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

$3.04 ₹289

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.87 ฿29.31

$0.18 ₹17.30

383.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.1 ฿1,826

$7.60 ₹722

611.71%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.16 ฿39.06

$0.39 ₹37.48

197.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ฿17.80

$0.30 ₹28.90

76.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.42 ฿81.8

$1.29 ₹122

87.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.90

$1.06 ₹101

36.79%

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

$21.1K ฿710.7K

$11.3K ₹1.1M

86.88%

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

$26.9K ฿909.3K

$18.5K ₹1.8M

45.29%

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

$62.2 ฿2,098

$26.52 ₹2,518

134.43%

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

$12.17 ฿411

$2.07 ₹196

487.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.12 ฿679

$4.74 ₹450

324.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.31 ฿1,259

$8.31 ₹789

348.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.77 ฿127

$8.22 ₹781

-54.14%

Cinema Ticket

$6.49 ฿219

$2.14 ₹203

203.27%

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

$736 ฿24.8K

$31.90 ₹3,028

2207.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿498.3K

$632 ₹60.0K

2234.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.4 ฿1,801

$18.59 ₹1,765

187.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.64 ฿831

$18.99 ₹1,803

29.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.5 ฿3,087

$22.36 ₹2,122

309.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.9 ฿2,428

$22.08 ₹2,096

225.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.3K

$123 ₹11.7K

292.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$309 ฿10.4K

$75.4 ₹7,162

309.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 ฿33.9K

$191 ₹18.1K

426.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$633 ฿21.4K

$141 ₹13.4K

349.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,363 ฿79.8K

$821 ₹77.9K

188.00%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,589 ฿53.6K

$524 ₹49.8K

203.09%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$590 ฿19.9K

$313 ₹29.8K

88.15%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

8.38

-33.53%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 26, 2026

Last update for Udupi: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$309 33%

Udupi

$75 23.9% 75.6% $233

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$234 25.1%

Udupi

$104 32.8% 55.8% $131

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$109 11.6%

Udupi

$37 11.7% 66% $72

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$94 10.1%

Udupi

$33 10.5% 64.7% $61

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$78 8.3%

Udupi

$44 13.9% 43.3% $34

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$61 6.6%

Udupi

$10 3.2% 83.3% $51

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$50 5.4%

Udupi

$13 4% 74.9% $38

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Chiang Mai versus $123 in Udupi. 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 88% 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 in Chiang Mai versus $7 in Udupi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $234 vs $104 – making Udupi the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇮🇳 Udupi

🕒 Local time

14:07 2:07 PM

12:37 12:37 PM

1 h 30 min behind Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

125,300

💱 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 Udupi 2,660 km ≈ 3 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
Udupi

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 Udupi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 196% more than Udupi, 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 $474 in Udupi. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Udupi, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $123 there versus $482 in Chiang Mai.

Kindergarten costs $736 per month in Chiang Mai and $32 in Udupi. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 126% more in Chiang Mai, though the gap depends on what you buy.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $936 in Chiang Mai and $316 in Udupi, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

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

Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.

If budget matters most, go with Udupi. 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.