Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Astana and Chiang Mai

For one person, living is cheaper in Chiang Mai: $938 a month against $1,131 in Astana, rent and utilities included – about $2,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

55

Cost of Living Index in Astana
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Astana Living Index
45

Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai Living Index

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Astana

🇰🇿 Kazakhstan

$1,131

/mo nomad

Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$938

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Astana and in Chiang Mai

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Astana and in Chiang Mai actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,131 per month in Astana vs $938 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Astana $1,131
Chiang Mai $938

A couple spends around $1,809 per month in Astana vs $1,426 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Astana $1,809
Chiang Mai $1,426

A family of three spends $2,486 per month in Astana vs $1,914 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Astana $2,486
Chiang Mai $1,914

Astana costs about 21% more than Chiang Mai, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Astana and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Astana 16% lower, Chiang Mai 30% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.96 ₸4,953

$2.26 ฿75.4

384.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.48 ₸17.4K

$19.18 ฿641

100.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.62 ₸3,443

$5.59 ฿187

36.31%

Cappuccino

$2.64 ₸1,191

$1.72 ฿57.6

53.49%

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

$1.11 ₸500

$0.64 ฿21.54

73.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.62 ₸282

$0.33 ฿11.18

87.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.30 ₸586

$2.36 ฿78.7

-44.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.19 ₸988

$3.90 ฿130

-43.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.28 ₸578

$2.05 ฿68.6

-37.56%

White Bread (500g)

$0.63 ₸286

$1.40 ฿46.70

-55.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 ₸741

$1.28 ฿42.89

28.12%

Eggs

$2.23 ₸1,007

$2.25 ฿75.3

-0.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.91 ₸5,383

$16.94 ฿566

-29.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.83 ₸2,637

$2.74 ฿91.6

112.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.46 ₸4,730

$9.36 ฿313

11.75%

Apples (1kg)

$1.82 ₸823

$2.40 ฿80.3

-24.17%

Banana (1kg)

$2.31 ₸1,046

$1.01 ฿33.92

128.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 ₸1,001

$1.61 ฿53.9

37.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.18 ₸985

$1.52 ฿50.7

43.42%

Potato (1kg)

$0.66 ₸297

$1.28 ฿42.90

-48.44%

Onion (1kg)

$0.46 ₸208

$1.11 ฿37.22

-58.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.54 ₸694

$0.72 ฿24.09

113.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.88 ₸397

$0.52 ฿17.54

69.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.15 ₸974

$4.33 ฿145

-50.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.24 ₸5,080

$17.73 ฿593

-36.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 ₸617

$1.63 ฿54.4

-16.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.43 ₸1,100

$2.85 ฿95.3

-14.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.23 ₸103

$0.85 ฿28.31

-72.94%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.87 ₸7,625

$53.9 ฿1,801

-68.70%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.21 ₸998

$1.17 ฿39.18

88.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.13 ₸509

$0.57 ฿19.00

98.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.53 ₸2,951

$2.37 ฿79.2

175.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.63 ₸285

$1.45 ฿48.32

-56.55%

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

$24.4K ₸11.1M

$20.5K ฿684.3K

19.41%

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

$30.7K ₸13.9M

$26.5K ฿886.1K

15.70%

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

$68.5 ₸30.9K

$62.3 ฿2,083

9.83%

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

$10.25 ₸4,633

$12.27 ฿410

-16.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.92 ₸8,101

$19.97 ฿668

-10.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.5 ₸25.5K

$37.91 ฿1,267

48.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.43 ₸9,237

$3.76 ฿126

443.35%

Cinema Ticket

$6.52 ₸2,947

$6.71 ฿224

-2.83%

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

$369 ₸166.9K

$797 ฿26.6K

-53.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.0K ₸5.4M

$14.8K ฿495.7K

-19.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.2 ₸29.9K

$53.3 ฿1,780

24.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.16 ₸20.9K

$25.05 ฿837

84.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$118 ₸53.5K

$91.6 ฿3,062

29.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$130 ₸58.9K

$73.5 ฿2,455

77.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$578 ₸261.5K

$464 ฿15.5K

24.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$389 ₸176.0K

$305 ฿10.2K

27.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,146 ₸518.1K

$915 ฿30.6K

25.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$767 ₸346.8K

$552 ฿18.5K

38.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,523 ₸688.6K

$1,912 ฿63.9K

-20.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,124 ₸508.2K

$1,438 ฿48.1K

-21.83%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$886 ₸400.7K

$595 ฿19.9K

48.93%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

15.5

5.57

178.28%

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

Last update for Astana: October 10, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Astana

$389 34.4%

Chiang Mai

$305 32.5% 21.8% $85

Groceries & Markets

Astana

$227 20.1%

Chiang Mai

$238 25.4% 4.7% $11

Clothing & Footwear

Astana

$162 14.4%

Chiang Mai

$110 11.7% 32.6% $53

Eating Out

Astana

$160 14.1%

Chiang Mai

$79 8.4% 50.6% $81

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Astana

$97 8.5%

Chiang Mai

$95 10.1% 2.1% $2

Sport & Entertainment

Astana

$70 6.2%

Chiang Mai

$51 5.5% 26.2% $18

Getting Around

Astana

$26 2.3%

Chiang Mai

$61 6.5% 139% $36

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $578 in Astana versus $464 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 49% higher in Astana, 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 $38.00 in Astana versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $227 in Astana vs $238 in Chiang Mai – so Astana wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇰🇿 Astana

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🕒 Local time

23:12 11:12 PM

00:12 12:12 AM

1 h ahead of Astana

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

814,400 Capital

127,240

💱 Currency

Kazakhstani Tenge KZT ₸

Thai Baht THB ฿

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 KZT = 2.21 USD

1,000 KZT = 1.97 EUR

100 THB = 2.99 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

THB, USD, EUR to KZT – Kazakhstani Tenge Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇰🇿 Kazakhstani Tenge (₸)

Kazakhstani Tenge exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 452 KZT (1,000 KZT = 2.21 USD). 1 EUR = 508 KZT (1,000 KZT = 1.97 EUR).

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 33.42 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.57 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

USD to KZT in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Astana Chiang Mai 4,330 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight

From you

Astana
Chiang Mai

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $1,131 in Astana, $938 in Chiang Mai – roughly 21% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,696 per month in Astana and $1,408 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $369 per month in Astana and $797 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 5% cheaper in Astana – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $938, than in Astana at $1,131. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Astana it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Chiang Mai has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $938 in Chiang Mai to $1,131 in Astana. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Chiang Mai. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Astana makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.