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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,050 in Astrakhan versus $869 in Chiang Mai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,510 in Astrakhan versus $1,362 in Chiang Mai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,970 in Astrakhan versus $1,855 in Chiang Mai.

Living in Astrakhan is roughly 21% more expensive than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Astrakhan 22% lower, Chiang Mai 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.99 ₽796

$1.98 ฿64.3

455.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.08 ₽2,397

$18.80 ฿612

75.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.56 ₽548

$7.75 ฿252

-2.45%

Cappuccino

$1.84 ₽134

$1.92 ฿62.5

-4.17%

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

$0.92 ₽66.9

$0.79 ฿25.79

16.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.52 ₽37.68

$0.36 ฿11.62

44.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.26 ₽91.0

$2.21 ฿72.1

-42.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.59 ₽188

$3.66 ฿119

-29.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.32 ₽95.8

$1.65 ฿53.8

-20.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.06 ₽76.5

$1.63 ฿53.2

-34.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.01 ₽73.4

$1.19 ฿38.86

-15.13%

Eggs

$1.74 ₽126

$2.00 ฿65.1

-13.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$24.42 ₽1,769

$15.98 ฿520

52.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.82 ₽349

$3.03 ฿98.5

59.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.72 ₽487

$10.86 ฿354

-38.12%

Apples (1kg)

$1.55 ₽112

$2.76 ฿90.0

-43.84%

Banana (1kg)

$1.80 ₽130

$1.18 ฿38.42

52.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.57 ₽114

$1.64 ฿53.5

-4.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.39 ₽174

$1.52 ฿49.51

57.24%

Potato (1kg)

$0.95 ₽68.9

$1.38 ฿45.10

-31.16%

Onion (1kg)

$0.57 ₽41.09

$1.19 ฿38.84

-52.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.45 ₽105

$0.70 ฿22.86

107.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.65 ₽46.83

$0.56 ฿18.13

16.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.94 ₽141

$4.58 ฿149

-57.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.19 ₽304

$16.56 ฿539

-74.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.05 ₽76.0

$1.83 ฿59.5

-42.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.95 ₽141

$3.20 ฿104

-39.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.48 ₽35.14

$0.88 ฿28.56

-45.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.77 ₽1,577

$18.72 ฿610

16.29%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.46 ₽179

$1.36 ฿44.16

80.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 ₽23.73

$1.34 ฿43.65

-75.37%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.83 ₽277

$7.84 ฿256

-51.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.88 ₽63.4

$1.23 ฿39.92

-28.46%

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

$33.9K ₽2.5M

$21.6K ฿704.3K

56.92%

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

$31.4K ₽2.3M

$22.5K ฿734.3K

39.44%

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

$103 ₽7,458

$70.5 ฿2,298

45.90%

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

$6.36 ₽461

$13.68 ฿445

-53.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$5.56 ₽403

$17.45 ฿568

-68.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.88 ₽3,469

$41.33 ฿1,346

15.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.68 ₽1,788

$6.96 ฿227

254.60%

Cinema Ticket

$5.30 ₽384

$5.77 ฿188

-8.15%

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

$115 ₽8,298

$307 ฿10.0K

-62.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,028 ₽509.2K

$14.6K ฿475.9K

-51.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.8 ₽4,187

$55.8 ฿1,817

3.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.62 ₽2,291

$26.21 ฿854

20.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.0 ₽6,378

$85.8 ฿2,793

2.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$129 ₽9,373

$72.2 ฿2,353

79.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$421 ₽30.5K

$430 ฿14.0K

-2.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$321 ₽23.3K

$239 ฿7,774

34.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$445 ₽32.2K

$817 ฿26.6K

-45.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$381 ₽27.6K

$511 ฿16.6K

-25.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,345 ₽97.5K

$1,983 ฿64.6K

-32.18%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$678 ₽49.1K

$1,484 ฿48.3K

-54.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$453 ₽32.8K

$619 ฿20.2K

-26.86%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

15.33

206.60%

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

Last update for Astrakhan: June 7, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $421 in Astrakhan and $430 in Chiang Mai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Chiang Mai pays 37% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $33.00 in Astrakhan vs $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries flip the comparison at $224 vs $241, with Astrakhan 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

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

Astrakhan and Chiang Mai differ by about 21% in total monthly costs ($1,050 vs $869 including rent). Chiang Mai is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Chiang Mai earns 37% less. 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: $421 in Astrakhan versus $430 in Chiang Mai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Chiang Mai runs roughly 16% less than in Astrakhan. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $115 in Astrakhan versus $307 in Chiang Mai. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $869 in Chiang Mai versus $1,050 in Astrakhan, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Chiang Mai but tight or insufficient in Astrakhan. 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, Astrakhan 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 21% less than in Astrakhan. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.