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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,011 in Arzamas versus $932 in Chiang Mai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,597 in Arzamas versus $1,399 in Chiang Mai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,182 in Arzamas versus $1,866 in Chiang Mai.

Living in Arzamas is roughly 8% more expensive than in Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Arzamas 26% lower, Chiang Mai 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.66 ₽901

$2.08 ฿69.2

412.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.71 ₽2,680

$19.61 ฿652

61.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.90 ₽583

$5.67 ฿189

21.69%

Cappuccino

$2.42 ₽205

$1.81 ฿60.0

33.70%

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

$1.04 ₽87.6

$0.77 ฿25.55

35.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.56 ₽47.01

$0.35 ฿11.48

60.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.91 ₽162

$2.21 ฿73.6

-13.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.14 ₽265

$3.79 ฿126

-17.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 ₽98.7

$2.05 ฿68.1

-42.93%

White Bread (500g)

$0.75 ₽63.3

$1.51 ฿50.4

-50.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.25 ₽105

$1.40 ฿46.51

-10.71%

Eggs

$1.37 ₽116

$2.26 ฿75.1

-39.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.29 ₽869

$16.19 ฿538

-36.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.12 ₽433

$2.90 ฿96.3

76.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.12 ₽855

$9.42 ฿313

7.43%

Apples (1kg)

$1.70 ₽144

$2.68 ฿89.1

-36.57%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 ₽134

$1.09 ฿36.23

45.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.65 ₽139

$1.62 ฿53.8

1.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.76 ₽234

$1.46 ฿48.55

89.04%

Potato (1kg)

$0.69 ₽58.0

$1.28 ฿42.48

-46.09%

Onion (1kg)

$0.61 ₽51.8

$1.06 ฿35.17

-42.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.41 ₽119

$0.72 ฿23.85

95.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 ₽55.9

$0.53 ฿17.49

24.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.16 ₽267

$4.23 ฿141

-25.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.78 ₽657

$18.29 ฿608

-57.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.05 ₽89.1

$1.63 ฿54.2

-35.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 ₽173

$2.90 ฿96.5

-29.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.49 ₽41.66

$0.88 ฿29.20

-44.32%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.8 ฿1,788

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.40 ₽203

$1.17 ฿38.99

105.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 ₽23.97

$0.58 ฿19.22

-51.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.20 ₽524

$2.39 ฿79.3

159.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.85 ₽72.1

$1.45 ฿48.22

-41.38%

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

$30.0K ₽2.5M

$21.0K ฿698.6K

42.96%

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

$32.7K ₽2.8M

$26.4K ฿878.6K

23.85%

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

$114 ₽9,663

$63.7 ฿2,116

79.65%

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

$6.21 ₽524

$12.89 ฿429

-51.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.09 ₽684

$20.52 ฿682

-60.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.88 ₽3,286

$39.02 ฿1,297

-0.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.50 ₽1,901

$3.92 ฿130

473.98%

Cinema Ticket

$5.12 ₽432

$6.58 ฿219

-22.19%

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

$289 ₽24.4K

$784 ฿26.1K

-63.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,150 ₽604.3K

$14.7K ฿487.9K

-51.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.5 ₽5,535

$55.1 ฿1,833

18.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.6 ₽4,784

$24.74 ฿823

128.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 ₽9,450

$94.1 ฿3,130

18.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$94.1 ₽7,948

$74.0 ฿2,459

27.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$298 ₽25.2K

$490 ฿16.3K

-39.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$317 ₽26.8K

$288 ฿9,582

10.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$481 ₽40.6K

$891 ฿29.6K

-46.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$568 ₽48.0K

$521 ฿17.3K

8.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,219 ₽187.5K

$1,974 ฿65.6K

12.44%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,399 ₽118.2K

$1,444 ฿48.0K

-3.16%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿20.0K

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 Arzamas: September 14, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $298 in Arzamas and $490 in Chiang Mai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $32.00 in Arzamas vs $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries flip the comparison at $197 vs $241, with Arzamas 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

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

Arzamas and Chiang Mai differ by about 8% in total monthly costs ($1,011 vs $932 including rent). Chiang Mai is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,516 in Arzamas and $1,398 in Chiang Mai to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $298 in Arzamas versus $490 in Chiang Mai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Arzamas pay roughly 22% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $1,011 per month in Arzamas versus $932 in Chiang Mai – a 8% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $932 in Chiang Mai versus $1,011 in Arzamas, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Chiang Mai but tight or insufficient in Arzamas. The gap between the two cities makes Chiang Mai the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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, Arzamas 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 8% less than in Arzamas. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.