Cost of Living Comparison Between Mumbai (Bombay) and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between Mumbai (Bombay) and Chiang Mai

Name: Chiang Mai
Address: Chiang Mai, TH

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $781 per month in Mumbai (Bombay) vs $869 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,281 per month in Mumbai (Bombay) vs $1,362 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,781 per month in Mumbai (Bombay) vs $1,855 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Mumbai (Bombay) is about 10% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Mumbai (Bombay) and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Mumbai (Bombay) 42% lower, Chiang Mai 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.13 ₹488

$1.98 ฿64.3

159.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.35 ₹2,126

$18.80 ฿612

18.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.69 ₹446

$7.75 ฿252

-39.48%

Cappuccino

$2.65 ₹252

$1.92 ฿62.5

38.02%

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

$0.47 ₹44.56

$0.79 ฿25.79

-40.51%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.19 ₹18.19

$0.36 ฿11.62

-47.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.28 ₹217

$2.21 ฿72.1

3.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.12 ₹392

$3.66 ฿119

12.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.74 ₹70.2

$1.65 ฿53.8

-55.15%

White Bread (500g)

$0.52 ₹49.55

$1.63 ฿53.2

-68.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.84 ₹79.5

$1.19 ฿38.86

-29.41%

Eggs

$1.07 ₹102

$2.00 ฿65.1

-46.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.05 ₹671

$15.98 ฿520

-55.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.93 ₹374

$3.03 ฿98.5

29.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 ฿354

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 ₹223

$2.76 ฿90.0

-15.22%

Banana (1kg)

$0.77 ₹73.1

$1.18 ฿38.42

-34.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.31 ₹125

$1.64 ฿53.5

-20.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.64 ₹60.6

$1.52 ฿49.51

-57.89%

Potato (1kg)

$0.53 ₹50.0

$1.38 ฿45.10

-61.59%

Onion (1kg)

$0.63 ₹59.7

$1.19 ฿38.84

-47.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.69 ₹65.7

$0.70 ฿22.86

-1.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.35 ₹33.47

$0.56 ฿18.13

-37.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.16 ₹396

$4.58 ฿149

-9.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.59 ₹817

$16.56 ฿539

-48.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.14 ₹203

$1.83 ฿59.5

16.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.24 ₹309

$3.20 ฿104

1.25%

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

$7.22 ₹686

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.24 ₹22.96

$0.88 ฿28.56

-72.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$4.73 ₹450

$18.72 ฿610

-74.73%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.37 ₹34.92

$1.36 ฿44.16

-72.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿43.65

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.43 ₹136

$7.84 ฿256

-81.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ₹116

$1.23 ฿39.92

-0.81%

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

$17.4K ₹1.7M

$21.6K ฿704.3K

-19.72%

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

$25.4K ₹2.4M

$22.5K ฿734.3K

12.69%

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

$51.2 ₹4,865

$70.5 ฿2,298

-27.49%

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

$5.03 ₹478

$13.68 ฿445

-63.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.65 ₹823

$17.45 ฿568

-50.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.99 ₹2,186

$41.33 ฿1,346

-44.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.83 ₹1,125

$6.96 ฿227

69.97%

Cinema Ticket

$4.53 ₹431

$5.77 ฿188

-21.49%

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

$121 ₹11.5K

$307 ฿10.0K

-60.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,356 ₹319.1K

$14.6K ฿475.9K

-77.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$29.19 ₹2,776

$55.8 ฿1,817

-47.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.76 ₹2,925

$26.21 ฿854

17.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$56.6 ₹5,385

$85.8 ฿2,793

-33.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$41.02 ₹3,901

$72.2 ฿2,353

-43.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$695 ₹66.1K

$430 ฿14.0K

61.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$350 ₹33.3K

$239 ฿7,774

46.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,778 ₹169.1K

$817 ฿26.6K

117.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$835 ₹79.4K

$511 ฿16.6K

63.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,331 ₹602.1K

$1,983 ฿64.6K

219.27%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,639 ₹251.0K

$1,484 ฿48.3K

77.86%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$737 ₹70.1K

$619 ฿20.2K

19.03%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.22

84.40%

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

Last update for Mumbai (Bombay): June 7, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $695 in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $430 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 19% higher in Mumbai (Bombay), which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $22.00 in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $130 in Mumbai (Bombay) vs $241 in Chiang Mai – so Mumbai (Bombay) wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Mumbai (Bombay) vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 11% more than Mumbai (Bombay), with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,171 per month in Mumbai (Bombay) and $1,303 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Mumbai (Bombay), especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $121 per month in Mumbai (Bombay) and $307 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 85% 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 $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Mumbai (Bombay), where all-in costs run around $781, than in Chiang Mai at $869. In Mumbai (Bombay) it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiang Mai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Mumbai (Bombay) costs $781 versus $869 in Chiang Mai. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Mumbai (Bombay). 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.