Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Vadodara

For one person, living is cheaper in Vadodara: $412 a month against $936 in Chiang Mai, rent and utilities included – about $6,300 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
20

Cost of Living Index in Vadodara
Learn more

Vadodara Living Index

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Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$936

/mo nomad

Vadodara

🇮🇳 India

$412

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

A single person spends $936 per month in Chiang Mai vs $412 in Vadodara, rent included.

Chiang Mai $936
Vadodara $412

A couple spends around $1,457 per month in Chiang Mai vs $675 in Vadodara, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,457
Vadodara $675

A family of three spends $1,979 per month in Chiang Mai vs $937 in Vadodara, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,979
Vadodara $937

Chiang Mai costs about 127% more than Vadodara, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chiang Mai and Vadodara are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 31% lower, Vadodara 70% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.24 ฿75.7

$2.04 ₹194

9.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.00 ฿642

$10.53 ₹1,001

80.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.55 ฿188

$2.57 ₹244

115.95%

Cappuccino

$1.67 ฿56.6

$1.51 ₹144

10.60%

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

$0.64 ฿21.56

$0.32 ₹30.43

100.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.32

$0.16 ₹14.90

93.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.36 ฿79.6

$2.56 ₹243

-7.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿124

$3.06 ₹291

19.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 ฿65.8

$0.68 ₹64.9

186.76%

White Bread (500g)

$1.44 ฿48.51

$0.47 ₹44.68

206.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 ฿45.07

$0.70 ₹66.2

90.00%

Eggs

$2.28 ฿77.1

$0.84 ₹79.9

171.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.45 ฿556

$6.33 ₹602

159.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.78 ฿94.0

$2.80 ₹266

-0.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.31 ฿314

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 ฿79.5

$2.32 ₹221

1.29%

Banana (1kg)

$0.97 ฿32.82

$0.43 ₹40.70

125.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.60 ฿53.9

$1.03 ₹97.5

55.34%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.7

$0.62 ₹59.4

141.94%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿43.15

$0.41 ₹38.71

212.20%

Onion (1kg)

$1.10 ฿37.22

$0.45 ₹43.11

144.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 ฿23.84

$0.50 ₹47.34

42.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.38

$0.31 ₹29.08

58.06%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.14 ฿140

$5.16 ₹491

-19.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.52 ฿592

$7.61 ₹724

130.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.61 ฿54.5

$1.63 ₹155

-1.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿94.0

$2.57 ₹245

8.17%

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

$5.44 ₹517

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.87 ฿29.33

$0.27 ₹25.73

222.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.1 ฿1,827

$6.98 ₹664

674.93%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.16 ฿39.08

$0.72 ₹68.7

61.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ฿17.82

$0.25 ₹23.77

112.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.42 ฿81.8

$1.33 ₹126

81.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.93

$1.08 ₹103

34.26%

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

$21.1K ฿711.2K

$21.0K ₹2.0M

0.38%

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

$26.9K ฿909.8K

$22.7K ₹2.2M

18.65%

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

$62.2 ฿2,100

$59.9 ₹5,695

3.82%

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

$12.17 ฿411

$4.99 ₹475

143.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.12 ฿680

$7.47 ₹711

169.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.31 ฿1,260

$16.52 ₹1,571

125.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.77 ฿127

$9.83 ₹935

-61.65%

Cinema Ticket

$6.49 ฿219

$3.07 ₹292

111.40%

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

$736 ฿24.9K

$65.9 ₹6,266

1017.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿498.6K

$1,667 ₹158.6K

785.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.4 ฿1,802

$23.51 ₹2,236

127.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.64 ฿832

$27.90 ₹2,654

-11.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.5 ฿3,089

$40.86 ₹3,886

123.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.9 ฿2,429

$29.22 ₹2,779

146.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.3K

$118 ₹11.2K

309.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$309 ฿10.4K

$81.0 ₹7,702

281.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 ฿34.0K

$352 ₹33.4K

186.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$633 ฿21.4K

$255 ₹24.2K

148.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,363 ฿79.8K

$645 ₹61.3K

266.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,589 ฿53.7K

$433 ₹41.2K

267.12%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$590 ฿19.9K

$510 ₹48.5K

15.72%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

8.73

-36.20%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 26, 2026

Last update for Vadodara: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$309 33%

Vadodara

$81 19.7% 73.8% $228

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$234 25.1%

Vadodara

$108 26.3% 53.8% $126

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$109 11.6%

Vadodara

$55 13.3% 49.7% $54

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$94 10.1%

Vadodara

$72 17.6% 23.4% $22

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$78 8.3%

Vadodara

$63 15.3% 18.8% $15

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$61 6.6%

Vadodara

$10 2.4% 83.6% $51

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$50 5.4%

Vadodara

$23 5.5% 54.9% $28

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Chiang Mai versus $118 in Vadodara. 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 16% 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 $11 in Vadodara. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $234 vs $108 – making Vadodara the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇮🇳 Vadodara

🕒 Local time

18:59 6:59 PM

17:29 5:29 PM

1 h 30 min behind Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

500,000

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Indian Rupee INR ₹

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.96 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

1,000 INR = 10.51 USD

1,000 INR = 9.45 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 October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 33.77 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.58 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

Indian Rupee exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 95.1 INR (100 INR = 1.05 USD). 1 EUR = 106 INR (1,000 INR = 9.45 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Chiang Mai Vadodara 2,710 km ≈ 4 h nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
Vadodara

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 Vadodara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 127% more than Vadodara, 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 $618 in Vadodara. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Vadodara, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $118 there versus $482 in Chiang Mai.

Kindergarten costs $736 per month in Chiang Mai and $66 in Vadodara. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 116% 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.

A $800 monthly budget goes further in Vadodara, where all-in costs run around $412, than in Chiang Mai at $936. In Vadodara it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiang Mai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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

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 Vadodara. 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.