Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Achinsk

For one person, living is cheaper in Chiang Mai: $936 a month against $1,132 in Achinsk, rent and utilities included – about $2,400 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

45

Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai Living Index
54

Cost of Living Index in Achinsk
Learn more

Achinsk Living Index

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Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$936

/mo nomad

Achinsk

🇷🇺 Russia

$1,132

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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 Achinsk actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $936 in Chiang Mai versus $1,132 in Achinsk.

Chiang Mai $936
Achinsk $1,132

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,457 in Chiang Mai versus $1,784 in Achinsk.

Chiang Mai $1,457
Achinsk $1,784

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,979 in Chiang Mai versus $2,436 in Achinsk.

Chiang Mai $1,979
Achinsk $2,436

Living in Chiang Mai costs roughly 17% less than in Achinsk, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Chiang Mai 31% lower, Achinsk 17% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.24 ฿75.5

$12.12 ₽981

-81.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.00 ฿640

$45.01 ₽3,641

-57.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.55 ฿187

$5.95 ₽482

-6.72%

Cappuccino

$1.67 ฿56.4

$2.97 ₽241

-43.77%

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

$0.64 ฿21.51

$1.12 ₽90.3

-42.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.29

$0.54 ₽43.56

-42.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.36 ฿79.5

$2.35 ₽190

0.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿123

$3.56 ₽288

2.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 ฿65.7

$1.29 ₽104

51.16%

White Bread (500g)

$1.44 ฿48.41

$0.85 ₽68.9

69.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 ฿44.97

$1.50 ₽121

-11.33%

Eggs

$2.28 ฿77.0

$1.62 ₽131

40.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.45 ฿554

$12.84 ₽1,038

28.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.78 ฿93.8

$6.37 ₽515

-56.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.31 ฿314

$12.63 ₽1,022

-26.29%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 ฿79.3

$1.94 ₽157

21.13%

Banana (1kg)

$0.97 ฿32.75

$1.96 ₽159

-50.51%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.60 ฿53.8

$1.34 ₽109

19.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.6

$5.53 ₽447

-72.88%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿43.06

$0.57 ₽46.46

124.56%

Onion (1kg)

$1.10 ฿37.14

$0.56 ₽44.93

96.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 ฿23.79

$1.20 ₽96.9

-40.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.34

$0.85 ₽69.0

-42.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.14 ฿140

$4.75 ₽385

-12.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.52 ฿590

$7.35 ₽595

138.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.61 ฿54.4

$1.50 ₽122

7.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿93.8

$3.04 ₽246

-8.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.87 ฿29.27

$0.56 ₽45.69

55.36%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.1 ฿1,823

$28.07 ₽2,271

92.70%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.16 ฿39.00

$3.04 ₽246

-61.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ฿17.78

$0.18 ₽14.76

194.44%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.42 ฿81.6

$3.72 ₽301

-34.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.82

$0.88 ₽71.5

64.77%

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

$21.1K ฿709.7K

$52.5K ₽4.2M

-59.85%

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

$26.9K ฿907.9K

$40.1K ₽3.2M

-32.87%

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

$62.2 ฿2,095

$118 ₽9,552

-47.35%

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

$12.17 ฿410

$5.23 ₽423

132.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.12 ฿678

$8.96 ₽725

124.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.31 ฿1,257

$35.44 ₽2,867

5.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.77 ฿127

$24.01 ₽1,942

-84.30%

Cinema Ticket

$6.49 ฿219

$6.11 ₽494

6.22%

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

$736 ฿24.8K

$379 ₽30.7K

93.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿497.6K

$6,226 ₽503.6K

137.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.4 ฿1,799

$79.3 ₽6,417

-32.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.64 ฿830

$48.40 ₽3,915

-49.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.5 ฿3,083

$119 ₽9,647

-23.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.9 ฿2,424

$148 ₽12.0K

-51.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.3K

$466 ₽37.7K

3.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$309 ฿10.4K

$321 ₽26.0K

-3.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 ฿33.9K

$909 ₽73.5K

10.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$633 ฿21.3K

$565 ₽45.7K

12.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,363 ฿79.6K

$2,259 ₽182.8K

4.59%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,589 ฿53.6K

$1,503 ₽121.6K

5.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$590 ฿19.9K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

22.25

-74.97%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 26, 2026

Last update for Achinsk: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$309 33%

Achinsk

$321 28.4% 4% $12

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$234 25.1%

Achinsk

$243 21.4% 3.6% $8.4

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$109 11.6%

Achinsk

$178 15.7% 63.7% $69

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$94 10.1%

Achinsk

$132 11.7% 40% $38

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$78 8.3%

Achinsk

$176 15.6% 127% $98

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$61 6.6%

Achinsk

$34 3% 44.1% $27

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$50 5.4%

Achinsk

$48 4.2% 5.2% $2.6

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $482 in Chiang Mai and $466 in Achinsk. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $19 in Chiang Mai vs $45 in Achinsk for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $234 vs $243 per month, with Chiang Mai cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇷🇺 Achinsk

🕒 Local time

10:55 10:55 AM

Same time as Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

104,850

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Russian Ruble RUB ₽

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.97 USD

100 THB = 2.65 EUR

100 RUB = 1.24 USD

100 RUB = 1.1 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 3, 2026: 1 USD = 33.7 THB (100 THB = 2.97 USD). 1 EUR = 37.77 THB (100 THB = 2.65 EUR).

Russian Ruble exchange rates as of November 3, 2026: 1 USD = 80.89 RUB (100 RUB = 1.24 USD). 1 EUR = 90.67 RUB (100 RUB = 1.1 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Chiang Mai Achinsk 4,230 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
Achinsk

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 Achinsk: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai is about 17% cheaper overall, especially in eating out, clothing, and groceries. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You’d need roughly $1,403 in Chiang Mai and $1,698 in Achinsk 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: $482 in Chiang Mai versus $466 in Achinsk. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $736 in Chiang Mai versus $379 in Achinsk. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 4% higher in Achinsk. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Both cities are expensive relative to $800. Chiang Mai is the more realistic option, but even there you’ll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

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.