Chennai vs Chiang Mai Cost of Living
Chennai (India) · Overall index 21.8 — Chiang Mai (Thailand) · Overall index 26.0
Summary
- Overall, Chiang Mai is 19% more expensive than Chennai.
- Transport in Chiang Mai is 28% more expensive than in Chennai.
- Rent in Chiang Mai is 27% more expensive than in Chennai.
| Item | Chennai | Chiang Mai | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rent | +27% | ||
| 1-bedroom apartment, city centre (monthly) | $319 | $477 | +50% |
| 1-bedroom apartment, outside centre (monthly) | $258 | $325 | +26% |
| 3-bedroom apartment, city centre (monthly) | $706 | $805 | +14% |
| 3-bedroom apartment, outside centre (monthly) | $434 | $542 | +25% |
| Groceries | +18% | ||
| Milk (1L) | $0.42 | $0.53 | +26% |
| White bread (500g) | $1.2 | $1.44 | +20% |
| Rice (1kg) | $1.39 | $1.68 | +21% |
| Eggs (12) | $1.64 | $1.78 | +9% |
| Local cheese (1kg) | $3.78 | $4.79 | +27% |
| Chicken fillets (1kg) | $3.84 | $4.84 | +26% |
| Beef round (1kg) | $6.34 | $6.72 | +6% |
| Apples (1kg) | $1.55 | $2.14 | +38% |
| Bananas (1kg) | $0.71 | $0.79 | +11% |
| Oranges (1kg) | $1.53 | $1.82 | +19% |
| Tomatoes (1kg) | $1.63 | $2.21 | +36% |
| Potatoes (1kg) | $0.97 | $1.07 | +10% |
| Onions (1kg) | $0.91 | $0.94 | +3% |
| Lettuce (1 head) | $0.77 | $0.93 | +21% |
| Water (1.5L bottle) | $0.82 | $0.87 | +6% |
| Bottle of wine (mid-range) | $5.13 | $5.67 | +11% |
| Transport | +28% | ||
| Public transport, one-way ticket | $0.58 | $0.71 | +22% |
| Public transport, monthly pass | $30.2 | $38.2 | +26% |
| Taxi, base fare | $0.98 | $1.11 | +13% |
| Taxi, per km | $0.46 | $0.56 | +22% |
| Gasoline (1L) | $0.19 | $0.29 | +53% |
| New compact car (e.g., VW Golf) | $6,540 | $8,510 | +30% |
| Dining out | +25% | ||
| Meal, inexpensive restaurant | $6.24 | $6.98 | +12% |
| Meal for 2, mid-range restaurant (3 courses) | $29.8 | $40 | +34% |
| Fast food combo meal | $3.25 | $3.87 | +19% |
| Cappuccino | $1.19 | $1.62 | +36% |
| Coke/Pepsi (0.33L, restaurant) | $0.72 | $0.9 | +25% |
| Domestic beer (0.5L, restaurant) | $1.84 | $2.41 | +31% |
| Imported beer (0.33L, restaurant) | $2.14 | $2.63 | +23% |
| Water (0.33L, restaurant) | $0.51 | $0.64 | +25% |
| Telecom | +3% | ||
| Mobile plan, calls + 10GB+ data (monthly) | $22.7 | $24.9 | +10% |
| Broadband internet 60Mbps+ (monthly) | $27.4 | $26.6 | -3% |
| Prepaid mobile tariff (1 min) | $0.13 | $0.15 | +15% |
| Video streaming subscription (monthly) | $6.44 | $6.1 | -5% |
| Utilities & household | +24% | ||
| Basic utilities, 85m² apartment (monthly) | $53.9 | $67.6 | +25% |
| Electricity (1 kWh) | $0.06 | $0.08 | +33% |
| Tap water (1m³) | $1.29 | $1.58 | +22% |
| Natural gas (1m³) | $0.4 | $0.56 | +40% |
| Waste collection (monthly) | $7.09 | $8.03 | +13% |
| Fitness club (monthly) | $25.7 | $32.5 | +26% |
| Cinema ticket (1 seat) | $5.18 | $6.4 | +24% |
| Men's haircut | $9.24 | $10.6 | +15% |
| Domestic cleaning (1 hour) | $8.05 | $9.66 | +20% |
| Private kindergarten (monthly) | $629 | $810 | +29% |
3,388 total data points · Price data as of 2026-07-01 · Exchange rates as of 2026-07-15
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Estimates for reference only — not official statistics.
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