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

Name: Chiang Mai
Address: Chiang Mai, TH

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $337 per month in Shimla vs $845 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $539 per month in Shimla vs $1,323 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $742 per month in Shimla vs $1,802 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Shimla is about 60% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Shimla and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Shimla 75% lower, Chiang Mai 37% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.78 ₹167

$1.95 ฿62.8

-8.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$5.90 ₹554

$18.43 ฿594

-67.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.56 ₹334

$7.50 ฿241

-52.53%

Cappuccino

$0.93 ₹87.2

$1.93 ฿62.3

-51.81%

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

$0.31 ₹29.53

$0.78 ฿25.08

-60.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.15 ₹14.11

$0.32 ฿10.42

-53.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.62 ₹152

$2.15 ฿69.2

-24.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.30 ₹216

$3.71 ฿120

-38.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.75 ₹70.7

$1.71 ฿55.2

-56.14%

White Bread (500g)

$0.44 ₹41.38

$1.56 ฿50.3

-71.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.64 ₹59.8

$1.18 ฿38.06

-45.76%

Eggs

$0.86 ₹80.3

$1.98 ฿63.9

-56.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.36 ₹409

$16.04 ฿517

-72.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.70 ₹347

$3.17 ฿102

16.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿353

Apples (1kg)

$1.97 ₹185

$2.63 ฿84.7

-25.10%

Banana (1kg)

$0.70 ₹65.5

$1.17 ฿37.61

-40.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.82 ₹76.7

$1.65 ฿53.0

-50.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.56 ₹52.3

$1.54 ฿49.51

-63.64%

Potato (1kg)

$0.35 ₹32.54

$1.38 ฿44.34

-74.64%

Onion (1kg)

$0.44 ₹41.34

$1.17 ฿37.54

-62.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.22 ₹20.63

$0.66 ฿21.25

-66.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.34 ₹31.54

$0.51 ฿16.55

-33.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.46 ₹418

$4.52 ฿146

-1.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.26 ₹494

$18.32 ฿590

-71.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 ₹159

$1.80 ฿57.9

-6.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 ₹211

$3.18 ฿102

-29.25%

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

$5.91 ₹555

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.22 ₹20.53

$0.90 ฿28.97

-75.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.78 ₹824

$19.00 ฿612

-53.79%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.83 ₹77.8

$1.41 ฿45.50

-41.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.31 ฿42.15

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.18 ₹110

$8.09 ฿261

-85.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 ₹111

$1.28 ฿41.08

-7.03%

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

$15.0K ₹1.4M

$21.3K ฿686.1K

-29.79%

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

$19.7K ₹1.8M

$21.7K ฿699.3K

-9.30%

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

$19.05 ₹1,788

$69.2 ฿2,230

-72.47%

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

$3.45 ₹324

$13.97 ฿450

-75.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$7.69 ₹721

$17.95 ฿578

-57.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$14.60 ₹1,370

$42.31 ฿1,363

-65.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.20 ₹676

$6.66 ฿214

8.11%

Cinema Ticket

$3.44 ₹323

$5.92 ฿191

-41.89%

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

$46.07 ₹4,324

$299 ฿9,640

-84.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,352 ₹220.8K

$14.8K ฿478.4K

-84.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$33.31 ₹3,127

$56.2 ฿1,810

-40.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.80 ₹2,704

$26.94 ฿868

6.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$46.18 ₹4,334

$84.9 ฿2,735

-45.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$29.10 ₹2,731

$71.8 ฿2,314

-59.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$94.6 ₹8,878

$435 ฿14.0K

-78.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$58.3 ₹5,467

$240 ฿7,727

-75.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$223 ₹20.9K

$798 ฿25.7K

-72.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$138 ₹13.0K

$498 ฿16.1K

-72.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$955 ₹89.6K

$1,995 ฿64.3K

-52.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$515 ₹48.3K

$1,532 ฿49.4K

-66.40%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$577 ₹54.1K

$628 ฿20.2K

-8.18%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.25

65.00%

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

Last update for Shimla: April 20, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $95 in Shimla versus $435 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 9% 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 $6 in Shimla versus $18 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $100 vs $244 – making Shimla the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Shimla vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 151% more than Shimla, 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 $506 per month in Shimla and $1,267 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $46.07 per month in Shimla and $299 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 144% 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.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $337 in Shimla and $845 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Shimla costs $337 versus $845 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 Shimla. 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.