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

🙂 Solo nomad: Dharamsala is 48.2% cheaper than Chiang Mai without rent, and 55.7% cheaper with rent.
🙂 Family of 3: Dharamsala is 51.3% cheaper than Chiang Mai without rent, and 58.2% cheaper with rent.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Dharamsala
Chiang Mai
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.59 ₹222
$2.02 ฿65.3
28.22%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$11.5 ₹983
$18.78 ฿608
-38.76%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$3.47 ₹297
$7.67 ฿248
-54.76%
Cappuccino
$1.58 ₹135
$1.98 ฿64.2
-20.20%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.37 ₹31.6
$0.82 ฿26.64
-54.88%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.15 ₹13.12
$0.33 ฿10.58
-54.55%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.6 ₹136
$2.12 ฿68.6
-24.53%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.71 ₹232
$3.73 ฿121
-27.35%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Dharamsala
Chiang Mai
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.67 ₹57
$1.64 ฿53.2
-59.15%
White Bread (500g)
$0.59 ₹50.2
$1.57 ฿50.9
-62.42%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$0.89 ₹75.9
$1.19 ฿38.62
-25.21%
Eggs
$1.11 ₹95
$1.98 ฿64.1
-43.94%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$5.49 ₹469
$15.99 ฿517
-65.67%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$2.06 ₹176
$3.12 ฿101
-33.97%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
-
$11.16 ฿361
-
Apples (1kg)
$1.55 ₹132
$2.76 ฿89.2
-43.84%
Banana (1kg)
$0.75 ₹64
$1.22 ฿39.5
-38.52%
Oranges (1kg)
$0.97 ₹83.1
$1.71 ฿55.4
-43.27%
Tomato (1kg)
$0.57 ₹48.96
$1.55 ฿50.2
-63.23%
Potato (1kg)
$0.24 ₹20.61
$1.34 ฿43.21
-82.09%
Onion (1kg)
$0.46 ₹39.14
$1.21 ฿39.23
-61.98%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.43 ₹36.48
$0.72 ฿23.2
-40.28%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.35 ₹29.51
$0.53 ฿17.05
-33.96%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.02 ₹344
$4.72 ฿153
-14.83%
Wine (Bottle)
$3.36 ₹288
$18.39 ฿595
-81.73%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.71 ₹146
$1.79 ฿57.9
-4.47%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.72 ₹232
$3.21 ฿104
-15.26%
Buffalo Round (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) (1kg)
$4.99 ₹427
-
-
🚌 Getting Around
Dharamsala
Chiang Mai
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.3 ₹25.76
$0.94 ฿30.44
-68.09%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$8.95 ₹766
$18.9 ฿612
-52.65%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.83 ₹71
$1.42 ฿46.08
-41.55%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.24 ₹20.57
$1.35 ฿43.53
-82.22%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$1.13 ₹96.7
$7.85 ฿254
-85.61%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.14 ₹97.9
$1.25 ฿40.4
-8.80%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$14.6K ₹1.3M
$21.2K ฿684.9K
-30.80%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$29.7K ₹2.5M
$21.8K ฿706.8K
35.75%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Dharamsala
Chiang Mai
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$48.68 ₹4,164
$70.6 ฿2,285
-31.06%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$2.67 ₹228
$13.72 ฿444
-80.54%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$2.85 ₹244
$17.56 ฿568
-83.77%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Dharamsala
Chiang Mai
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$14.49 ₹1,239
$41.64 ฿1,347
-65.20%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$6.96 ₹595
$6.9 ฿223
0.87%
Cinema Ticket
$2.97 ₹254
$5.8 ฿188
-48.79%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Dharamsala
Chiang Mai
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$60.4 ₹5,166
$308 ฿9,963
-80.38%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$1,970 ₹168.5K
$14.7K ฿475.8K
-86.60%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Dharamsala
Chiang Mai
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$24.12 ₹2,063
$55.4 ฿1,793
-56.46%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$23.94 ₹2,047
$26.4 ฿854
-9.32%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$48.98 ₹4,189
$85.1 ฿2,755
-42.46%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$32.79 ₹2,805
$71.8 ฿2,323
-54.32%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Dharamsala
Chiang Mai
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$94.9 ₹8,116
$434 ฿14K
-78.14%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$89 ₹7,611
$235 ฿7,610
-62.16%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$142 ₹12.1K
$821 ฿26.6K
-82.73%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$111 ₹9,465
$498 ฿16.1K
-77.79%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,009 ₹86.3K
$2,180 ฿70.6K
-53.73%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$648 ₹55.4K
$1,543 ฿49.9K
-58.00%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Dharamsala
Chiang Mai
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$227 ₹19.4K
$703 ฿22.8K
-67.77%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
7.5
5
50.00%

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

Last update for Dharamsala: October 28, 2025

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 29, 2025

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