For one person, living is cheaper in Kanpur: $340 a month against $938 in Chiang Mai, rent and utilities included – about $7,200 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.
Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Kanpur and in Chiang Mai actually costs, broken down by who's living it.
A single person spends $340 per month in Kanpur vs $938 in Chiang Mai, rent included.
Kanpur $340
Chiang Mai $938
A couple spends around $540 per month in Kanpur vs $1,426 in Chiang Mai, rent included.
Kanpur $540
Chiang Mai $1,426
A family of three spends $741 per month in Kanpur vs $1,914 in Chiang Mai, rent included.
Kanpur $741
Chiang Mai $1,914
🙂
Kanpur is about 64% cheaper than Chiang Mai, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.
📊
Both Kanpur and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Kanpur75% lower, Chiang Mai30% lower.
Currency
No currencies found
🍽 Eating Out
Kanpur
Chiang Mai
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.12₹201
$2.26฿75.4
-6.19%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$8.39₹797
$19.18฿641
-56.26%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$3.12₹296
$5.59฿187
-44.19%
Cappuccino
$1.51₹143
$1.72฿57.6
-12.21%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.31₹29.57
$0.64฿21.54
-51.56%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.10₹9.27
$0.33฿11.18
-69.70%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$1.30₹123
$2.36฿78.7
-44.92%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.55₹242
$3.90฿130
-34.62%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Kanpur
Chiang Mai
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$0.72₹68.7
$2.05฿68.6
-64.88%
White Bread(500g)
$0.48₹45.11
$1.40฿46.70
-65.71%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$0.81₹77.3
$1.28฿42.89
-36.72%
Eggs
$0.90₹85.7
$2.25฿75.3
-60.00%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$3.65₹347
$16.94฿566
-78.45%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$2.52₹239
$2.74฿91.6
-8.03%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
-
$9.36฿313
-
Apples(1kg)
$1.62₹154
$2.40฿80.3
-32.50%
Banana(1kg)
$0.60₹56.7
$1.01฿33.92
-40.59%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.01₹96.0
$1.61฿53.9
-37.27%
Tomato(1kg)
$0.49₹46.38
$1.52฿50.7
-67.76%
Potato(1kg)
$0.25₹23.90
$1.28฿42.90
-80.47%
Onion(1kg)
$0.38₹35.76
$1.11฿37.22
-65.77%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.50₹47.07
$0.72฿24.09
-30.56%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.29₹27.54
$0.52฿17.54
-44.23%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.49₹426
$4.33฿145
3.70%
Wine(Bottle)
$7.51₹713
$17.73฿593
-57.64%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.57₹149
$1.63฿54.4
-3.68%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.43₹231
$2.85฿95.3
-14.74%
Buffalo Round(or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat)(1kg)
$6.29₹597
-
-
🚌 Getting Around
Kanpur
Chiang Mai
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.44₹41.78
$0.85฿28.31
-48.24%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$6.42₹610
$53.9฿1,801
-88.09%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$0.65₹61.4
$1.17฿39.18
-44.44%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.28₹26.70
$0.57฿19.00
-50.88%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$1.06₹101
$2.37฿79.2
-55.27%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.11₹105
$1.45฿48.32
-23.45%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$9,285₹881.7K
$20.5K฿684.3K
-54.65%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$19.5K₹1.9M
$26.5K฿886.1K
-26.48%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Kanpur
Chiang Mai
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$42.64₹4,049
$62.3฿2,083
-31.59%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$3.13₹298
$12.27฿410
-74.49%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$5.30₹503
$19.97฿668
-73.46%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Kanpur
Chiang Mai
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$13.32₹1,265
$37.91฿1,267
-64.86%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$6.16₹585
$3.76฿126
63.83%
Cinema Ticket
$3.05₹289
$6.71฿224
-54.55%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Kanpur
Chiang Mai
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$53.6₹5,086
$797฿26.6K
-93.28%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$6,135₹582.6K
$14.8K฿495.7K
-58.64%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Kanpur
Chiang Mai
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$25.38₹2,411
$53.3฿1,780
-52.34%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$28.42₹2,698
$25.05฿837
13.45%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$36.26₹3,443
$91.6฿3,062
-60.42%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$15.84₹1,504
$73.5฿2,455
-78.44%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Kanpur
Chiang Mai
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$110₹10.4K
$464฿15.5K
-76.37%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$58.9₹5,590
$305฿10.2K
-80.68%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$315₹29.9K
$915฿30.6K
-65.64%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$156₹14.8K
$552฿18.5K
-71.72%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$1,142₹108.4K
$1,912฿63.9K
-40.29%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$531₹50.4K
$1,438฿48.1K
-63.11%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Kanpur
Chiang Mai
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$298₹28.3K
$595฿19.9K
-49.95%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
8.55
5.57
53.50%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Kanpur: October 12, 2026
Last update for Chiang Mai: October 13, 2026
Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Share of the monthly basket for a family of three, rent included.
🛒Groceries & Markets
Kanpur
$95 28%
Chiang Mai
$238 25.4% ↑ 150%$143
🏠Accommodation & Living
Kanpur
$59 17.3%
Chiang Mai
$305 32.5% ↑ 418%$246
🍽Eating Out
Kanpur
$58 16.9%
Chiang Mai
$79 8.4% ↑ 37.1%$21
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Kanpur
$51 15%
Chiang Mai
$95 10.1% ↑ 85.2%$44
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Kanpur
$48 14%
Chiang Mai
$110 11.7% ↑ 130%$62
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Kanpur
$19 5.7%
Chiang Mai
$51 5.5% ↑ 165%$32
🚌Getting Around
Kanpur
$10 3%
Chiang Mai
$61 6.5% ↑ 499%$51
🛒Groceries & Markets
Kanpur
$203 27.4%
Chiang Mai
$534 27.9% ↑ 163%$331
🏠Accommodation & Living
Kanpur
$156 21.1%
Chiang Mai
$552 28.9% ↑ 254%$396
🍽Eating Out
Kanpur
$155 20.9%
Chiang Mai
$246 12.9% ↑ 58.9%$91
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Kanpur
$54 7.3%
Chiang Mai
$107 5.6% ↑ 97.1%$53
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Kanpur
$106 14.3%
Chiang Mai
$243 12.7% ↑ 130%$137
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Kanpur
$45 6.1%
Chiang Mai
$106 5.6% ↑ 137%$61
🚌Getting Around
Kanpur
$21 2.9%
Chiang Mai
$124 6.5% ↑ 483%$103
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $110 in Kanpur versus $464 in Chiang Mai. 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 100% 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 $8.00 in Kanpur versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $95.0 vs $238 – making Kanpur the more affordable choice for daily food spending.
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
Kanpur vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Kanpur or Chiang Mai?
Chiang Mai costs about 176% more than Kanpur, 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.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Kanpur and in Chiang Mai?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $510 per month in Kanpur and $1,408 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Kanpur or Chiang Mai?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Kanpur, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
How do childcare costs compare in Kanpur and in Chiang Mai?
Kindergarten costs $53.6 per month in Kanpur and $797 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Are groceries more expensive in Kanpur or in Chiang Mai?
Groceries cost about 150% 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.
Can you live on $1,500/month in Kanpur or in Chiang Mai?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Kanpur, where all-in costs run around $340, than in Chiang Mai at $938. In Kanpur it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiang Mai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Kanpur or Chiang Mai?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Kanpur costs $340 versus $938 in Chiang Mai. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.
How safe is Kanpur compared to Chiang Mai?
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.
Should I move to Kanpur or to Chiang Mai?
If budget matters most, go with Kanpur. 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.