Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Abakan

For one person, living is cheaper in Chiang Mai: $936 a month against $961 in Abakan, rent and utilities included – about $300 less a year. The total is higher in Abakan despite lower rent and utilities.

45

Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai Living Index
46

Cost of Living Index in Abakan
Learn more

Abakan Living Index

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Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$936

/mo nomad

Abakan

🇷🇺 Russia

$961

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

A single person spends $936 per month in Chiang Mai vs $961 in Abakan, rent included.

Chiang Mai $936
Abakan $961

A couple spends around $1,457 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,491 in Abakan, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,457
Abakan $1,491

A family of three spends $1,979 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,022 in Abakan, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,979
Abakan $2,022

Chiang Mai is about 3% cheaper than Abakan, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Chiang Mai and Abakan are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 31% lower, Abakan 29% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.24 ฿75.6

$11.59 ₽934

-80.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.00 ฿641

$34.29 ₽2,762

-44.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.55 ฿187

$6.61 ₽532

-16.04%

Cappuccino

$1.67 ฿56.5

$3.08 ₽248

-45.78%

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

$0.64 ฿21.55

$1.15 ₽92.2

-44.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.31

$0.49 ₽39.30

-36.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.36 ฿79.6

$1.78 ₽143

32.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿124

$3.01 ₽243

21.59%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 ฿65.8

$1.33 ₽107

46.62%

White Bread (500g)

$1.44 ฿48.48

$0.84 ₽67.8

71.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 ฿45.04

$2.03 ₽163

-34.48%

Eggs

$2.28 ฿77.1

$1.88 ₽151

21.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.45 ฿555

$12.97 ₽1,045

26.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.78 ฿93.9

$6.11 ₽492

-54.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.31 ฿314

$11.83 ₽953

-21.30%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 ฿79.4

$2.15 ₽173

9.30%

Banana (1kg)

$0.97 ฿32.80

$1.92 ₽155

-49.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.60 ฿53.9

$2.22 ₽179

-27.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.6

$3.31 ₽266

-54.68%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿43.12

$0.60 ₽48.55

113.33%

Onion (1kg)

$1.10 ฿37.19

$0.60 ₽48.18

83.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 ฿23.82

$1.25 ₽100

-43.20%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.37

$0.77 ₽61.8

-36.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.14 ฿140

$2.69 ₽217

53.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.52 ฿591

$8.05 ₽648

117.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.61 ฿54.5

$0.95 ₽76.9

69.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿94.0

$1.52 ₽123

82.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.87 ฿29.31

$0.45 ₽36.27

93.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.1 ฿1,826

$30.98 ₽2,495

74.60%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.16 ฿39.06

$2.42 ₽195

-52.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ฿17.80

$0.38 ₽30.57

39.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.42 ฿81.8

$5.82 ₽469

-58.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.90

$0.95 ₽76.9

52.63%

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

$21.1K ฿710.7K

$46.0K ₽3.7M

-54.18%

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

$26.9K ฿909.3K

$44.5K ₽3.6M

-39.49%

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

$62.2 ฿2,098

$81.7 ₽6,577

-23.88%

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

$12.17 ฿411

$6.55 ₽527

85.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.12 ฿679

$9.55 ₽769

110.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.31 ฿1,259

$37.30 ₽3,004

0.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.77 ฿127

$21.83 ₽1,758

-82.73%

Cinema Ticket

$6.49 ฿219

$6.47 ₽521

0.31%

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

$736 ฿24.8K

$349 ₽28.1K

110.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿498.3K

$5,938 ₽478.2K

148.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.4 ฿1,801

$43.54 ₽3,506

22.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.64 ฿831

$54.5 ₽4,388

-54.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.5 ฿3,087

$108 ₽8,664

-14.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.9 ฿2,428

$80.2 ₽6,456

-10.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.3K

$359 ₽28.9K

34.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$309 ฿10.4K

$245 ₽19.7K

26.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 ฿33.9K

$547 ₽44.0K

83.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$633 ฿21.4K

$373 ₽30.0K

69.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,363 ฿79.8K

$2,357 ₽189.8K

0.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,589 ฿53.6K

$1,721 ₽138.6K

-7.68%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$590 ฿19.9K

$627 ₽50.5K

-6.00%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

21.45

-74.03%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 26, 2026

Last update for Abakan: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$309 33%

Abakan

$245 25.5% 20.8% $64

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$234 25.1%

Abakan

$231 24.1% 1.4% $3.2

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$109 11.6%

Abakan

$129 13.4% 18.4% $20

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$94 10.1%

Abakan

$98 10.2% 3.5% $3.3

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$78 8.3%

Abakan

$171 17.8% 120% $93

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$61 6.6%

Abakan

$37 3.9% 39.5% $24

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$50 5.4%

Abakan

$50 5.2% 0.1% $0

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Chiang Mai versus $359 in Abakan. 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 6% higher in Abakan. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19 in Chiang Mai versus $34 in Abakan. Groceries tell a different story – $234 in Chiang Mai vs $231 in Abakan – so Abakan wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇷🇺 Abakan

🕒 Local time

16:42 4:42 PM

Same time as Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

187,239

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Russian Ruble RUB ₽

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.96 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

100 RUB = 1.24 USD

100 RUB = 1.11 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

RUB, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

Thai Baht exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 33.75 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.66 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

Russian Ruble exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 80.53 RUB (100 RUB = 1.24 USD). 1 EUR = 89.87 RUB (100 RUB = 1.11 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Chiang Mai Abakan 3,940 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
Abakan

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

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

Yes – Abakan is pricier by about 3%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,403 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,441 in Abakan. 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: a one-bedroom in the center costs $359 there versus $482 in Chiang Mai.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $936 in Chiang Mai and $961 in Abakan. That makes Chiang Mai about 3% cheaper.

Kindergarten costs $736 per month in Chiang Mai and $349 in Abakan. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$800 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $936 in Chiang Mai and $961 in Abakan. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

It depends on your priorities. Chiang Mai has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $936 in Chiang Mai to $961 in Abakan. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Chiang Mai. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Abakan makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.