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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,087 in Arkhangelsk versus $861 in Chiang Mai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,603 in Arkhangelsk versus $1,350 in Chiang Mai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,118 in Arkhangelsk versus $1,838 in Chiang Mai.

Living in Arkhangelsk is roughly 26% more expensive than in Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Arkhangelsk 19% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.54 ₽750

$1.96 ฿65.8

386.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.15 ₽2,840

$18.35 ฿617

97.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.52 ₽512

$7.48 ฿252

-12.83%

Cappuccino

$2.14 ₽168

$2.02 ฿67.8

5.94%

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

$1.17 ₽92.1

$0.85 ฿28.50

37.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.51 ₽40.38

$0.36 ฿11.96

41.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.11 ₽166

$2.14 ฿71.8

-1.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.24 ₽97.2

$3.59 ฿121

-65.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.12 ₽88.0

$1.65 ฿55.5

-32.12%

White Bread (500g)

$0.77 ₽60.9

$1.57 ฿52.7

-50.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.97 ₽155

$1.19 ฿40.02

65.55%

Eggs

$1.65 ₽130

$1.94 ฿65.1

-14.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.23 ₽882

$16.19 ฿544

-30.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.85 ₽460

$2.99 ฿101

95.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.33 ₽812

$10.94 ฿368

-5.58%

Apples (1kg)

$1.63 ₽128

$2.71 ฿91.2

-39.85%

Banana (1kg)

$1.80 ₽141

$1.17 ฿39.25

53.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.31 ₽181

$1.69 ฿56.7

36.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.01 ₽158

$1.60 ฿54.0

25.62%

Potato (1kg)

$0.72 ₽56.7

$1.38 ฿46.54

-47.83%

Onion (1kg)

$0.60 ₽47.51

$1.20 ฿40.45

-50.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 ₽77.6

$0.67 ฿22.50

47.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 ₽46.17

$0.56 ฿18.73

5.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.20 ₽251

$4.64 ฿156

-31.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.30 ₽731

$17.62 ฿593

-47.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 ₽88.6

$1.86 ฿62.5

-39.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.68 ₽132

$3.30 ฿111

-49.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 ₽42.06

$0.88 ฿29.68

-38.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ฿650

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.24 ₽176

$1.36 ฿45.90

64.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 ₽106

$1.34 ฿44.98

0.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.18 ₽486

$8.21 ฿276

-24.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.73 ₽57.0

$1.22 ฿41.18

-40.16%

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

$34.7K ₽2.7M

$21.4K ฿718.1K

62.49%

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

$35.3K ₽2.8M

$22.5K ฿757.7K

56.65%

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

$151 ₽11.8K

$70.7 ฿2,376

113.36%

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

$7.25 ₽569

$14.04 ฿472

-48.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.58 ₽753

$17.49 ฿588

-45.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.05 ₽2,518

$42.15 ฿1,417

-23.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.07 ₽1,970

$6.88 ฿231

264.39%

Cinema Ticket

$4.50 ₽353

$5.92 ฿199

-23.99%

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

$321 ₽25.2K

$309 ฿10.4K

4.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,874 ₽540.0K

$14.9K ฿500.4K

-53.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$126 ₽9,884

$55.8 ฿1,875

125.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.17 ₽2,999

$26.11 ฿878

46.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$62.3 ₽4,895

$83.0 ฿2,792

-24.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.2 ₽5,983

$70.5 ฿2,369

8.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$444 ₽34.9K

$432 ฿14.5K

2.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$381 ₽29.9K

$239 ฿8,035

59.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$646 ₽50.8K

$822 ฿27.7K

-21.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$564 ₽44.3K

$512 ฿17.2K

10.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,697 ₽133.3K

$1,915 ฿64.4K

-11.38%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,262 ₽99.2K

$1,467 ฿49.3K

-13.97%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$552 ₽43.4K

$579 ฿19.5K

-4.66%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

15.75

215.00%

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

Last update for Arkhangelsk: July 11, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $444 in Arkhangelsk and $432 in Chiang Mai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Chiang Mai pays 5% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $36.00 in Arkhangelsk vs $18.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries flip the comparison at $208 vs $243, with Arkhangelsk cheaper for home cooking.

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

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

Arkhangelsk and Chiang Mai differ by about 26% in total monthly costs ($1,087 vs $861 including rent). Chiang Mai is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 5% lower in Chiang Mai. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $444 in Arkhangelsk versus $432 in Chiang Mai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $321 in Arkhangelsk versus $309 in Chiang Mai. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Chiang Mai – a meal for two runs $18.00 versus $36.00 in Arkhangelsk. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Either city works on $800 a month, though Chiang Mai gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Arkhangelsk and Chiang Mai are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Chiang Mai gentler on the wallet – expenses run 26% less than in Arkhangelsk. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.