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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $884 per month in Abakan vs $932 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,373 per month in Abakan vs $1,399 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,862 per month in Abakan vs $1,866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Abakan is about 5% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Abakan and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Abakan 35% lower, Chiang Mai 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.07 ₽935

$2.08 ฿69.5

432.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.54 ₽2,749

$19.61 ฿655

65.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.24 ₽527

$5.67 ฿189

10.05%

Cappuccino

$3.04 ₽257

$1.81 ฿60.3

67.96%

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

$1.14 ₽95.9

$0.77 ฿25.65

48.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.59 ₽50.2

$0.35 ฿11.53

68.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 ₽147

$2.21 ฿73.9

-21.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.81 ₽237

$3.79 ฿127

-25.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 ₽93.3

$2.05 ฿68.4

-46.34%

White Bread (500g)

$0.71 ₽59.9

$1.51 ฿50.6

-52.98%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 ₽118

$1.40 ฿46.69

-0.71%

Eggs

$1.45 ₽123

$2.26 ฿75.4

-35.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.20 ₽946

$16.19 ฿540

-30.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.81 ₽491

$2.90 ฿96.7

100.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.26 ₽952

$9.42 ฿314

19.53%

Apples (1kg)

$1.75 ₽148

$2.68 ฿89.4

-34.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.80 ₽152

$1.09 ฿36.37

65.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.78 ₽151

$1.62 ฿54.0

9.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.65 ₽309

$1.46 ฿48.74

150.00%

Potato (1kg)

$0.74 ₽62.5

$1.28 ฿42.65

-42.19%

Onion (1kg)

$0.55 ₽46.30

$1.06 ฿35.31

-48.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.38 ₽116

$0.72 ฿23.94

91.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.77 ₽65.1

$0.53 ฿17.56

45.28%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.95 ₽249

$4.23 ฿141

-30.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.18 ₽607

$18.29 ฿611

-60.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.05 ₽88.7

$1.63 ฿54.4

-35.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.02 ₽170

$2.90 ฿96.8

-30.34%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.43 ₽36.09

$0.88 ฿29.32

-51.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.8 ฿1,795

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.27 ₽192

$1.17 ฿39.14

94.02%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 ₽27.59

$0.58 ฿19.30

-43.10%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.06 ₽512

$2.39 ฿79.6

153.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.79 ₽66.4

$1.45 ฿48.41

-45.52%

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

$39.4K ₽3.3M

$21.0K ฿701.4K

87.52%

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

$31.3K ₽2.6M

$26.4K ฿882.0K

18.55%

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

$78.1 ₽6,595

$63.7 ฿2,125

22.62%

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

$9.74 ₽823

$12.89 ฿430

-24.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.73 ₽738

$20.52 ฿685

-57.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.13 ₽2,968

$39.02 ฿1,302

-9.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.52 ₽1,818

$3.92 ฿131

448.98%

Cinema Ticket

$6.00 ₽507

$6.58 ฿220

-8.81%

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

$330 ₽27.9K

$784 ฿26.2K

-57.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,255 ₽613.0K

$14.7K ฿489.8K

-50.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.23 ₽3,568

$55.1 ฿1,840

-23.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.1 ₽4,229

$24.74 ฿826

102.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 ₽8,952

$94.1 ฿3,142

12.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.1 ₽6,597

$74.0 ฿2,469

5.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$341 ₽28.8K

$490 ฿16.4K

-30.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ₽20.2K

$288 ฿9,620

-16.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$527 ₽44.6K

$891 ฿29.8K

-40.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$352 ₽29.8K

$521 ฿17.4K

-32.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,655 ₽224.3K

$1,974 ฿65.9K

34.51%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,730 ₽146.2K

$1,444 ฿48.2K

19.81%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$585 ₽49.5K

$602 ฿20.1K

-2.69%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

277.02%

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

Last update for Abakan: September 14, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $341 in Abakan versus $490 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 3% 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 $33.00 in Abakan versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $213 in Abakan vs $241 in Chiang Mai – so Abakan wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated March 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

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

Yes – Chiang Mai is pricier by about 5%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,326 per month in Abakan and $1,398 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $884 in Abakan and $932 in Chiang Mai. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $330 per month in Abakan and $784 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Abakan, where all-in costs run around $884, than in Chiang Mai at $932. In Abakan it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiang Mai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Abakan – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Abakan. 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.