Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Anapa

For one person, living is cheaper in Chiang Mai: $935 a month against $1,136 in Anapa, rent and utilities included – about $2,400 less a year. Rent and utilities 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 Anapa
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Anapa Living Index

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Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$935

/mo nomad

Anapa

🇷🇺 Russia

$1,136

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $935 in Chiang Mai versus $1,136 in Anapa.

Chiang Mai $935
Anapa $1,136

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,467 in Chiang Mai versus $1,800 in Anapa.

Chiang Mai $1,467
Anapa $1,800

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,999 in Chiang Mai versus $2,464 in Anapa.

Chiang Mai $1,999
Anapa $2,464

Living in Chiang Mai costs roughly 18% less than in Anapa, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Chiang Mai 31% lower, Anapa 16% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.13 ฿71.7

$12.41 ₽1,016

-82.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.62 ฿625

$50.2 ₽4,108

-62.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.60 ฿188

$8.44 ₽691

-33.65%

Cappuccino

$1.66 ฿55.9

$3.58 ₽293

-53.63%

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

$0.65 ฿21.73

$1.39 ₽114

-53.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 ฿10.24

$0.42 ₽34.75

-28.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.32 ฿78.0

$1.37 ₽112

69.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿123

$3.32 ₽272

10.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.02 ฿67.7

$1.34 ₽109

50.75%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 ฿47.29

$1.25 ₽102

12.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.75

$1.01 ₽82.8

37.62%

Eggs

$2.37 ฿79.5

$1.71 ₽140

38.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.52 ฿555

$11.20 ₽917

47.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.67 ฿89.7

$5.08 ₽416

-47.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.02 ฿303

$9.61 ₽786

-6.14%

Apples (1kg)

$2.40 ฿80.6

$1.06 ₽86.6

126.42%

Banana (1kg)

$1.04 ฿34.98

$1.82 ₽149

-42.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.66 ฿55.7

$1.46 ₽119

13.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.56 ฿52.4

$1.13 ₽92.3

38.05%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 ฿41.57

$0.56 ₽46.09

121.43%

Onion (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.50

$0.39 ₽31.52

179.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.76 ฿25.59

$1.45 ₽119

-47.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿17.27

$0.57 ₽46.80

-10.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.12 ฿138

$3.01 ₽246

36.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.93 ฿602

$5.47 ₽447

227.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 ฿54.5

$1.32 ₽108

22.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.82 ฿94.8

$1.91 ₽157

47.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.93 ฿31.39

$0.50 ₽41.26

86.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$52.9 ฿1,777

$27.06 ₽2,214

95.45%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.18 ฿39.52

$2.18 ₽178

-45.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.17 ฿5.76

$0.34 ₽27.91

-50.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.81 ฿60.9

$5.61 ₽459

-67.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 ฿49.47

$0.87 ₽71.2

68.97%

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

$21.0K ฿705.8K

$53.9K ₽4.4M

-60.99%

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

$26.5K ฿890.7K

$42.3K ₽3.5M

-37.28%

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

$62.6 ฿2,101

$150 ₽12.3K

-58.35%

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

$11.60 ฿390

$7.43 ₽608

56.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.30 ฿682

$7.40 ₽606

174.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.88 ฿1,272

$39.07 ₽3,197

-3.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.70 ฿124

$23.72 ₽1,941

-84.40%

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 ฿219

$2.71 ₽221

140.22%

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

$727 ฿24.4K

$399 ₽32.7K

82.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.6K ฿556.7K

$6,522 ₽533.8K

154.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.5 ฿1,798

$89.8 ₽7,350

-40.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.80 ฿833

$47.85 ₽3,916

-48.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.4 ฿3,036

$135 ₽11.0K

-32.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.0 ฿2,418

$105 ₽8,620

-31.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$481 ฿16.2K

$509 ₽41.7K

-5.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$310 ฿10.4K

$347 ₽28.4K

-10.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,058 ฿35.5K

$1,013 ₽82.9K

4.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$659 ฿22.1K

$659 ₽54.0K

-0.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,418 ฿81.2K

$2,319 ₽189.8K

4.26%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,609 ฿54.0K

$1,359 ₽111.2K

18.38%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿20.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

-75.78%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: November 1, 2026

Last update for Anapa: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$310 33.1%

Anapa

$347 30.5% 11.8% $37

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$237 25.3%

Anapa

$189 16.6% 20.2% $48

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$108 11.6%

Anapa

$170 15% 56.8% $62

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$94 10.1%

Anapa

$165 14.5% 74.7% $71

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$77 8.2%

Anapa

$188 16.6% 146% $112

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$59 6.3%

Anapa

$33 2.9% 43.8% $26

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$51 5.4%

Anapa

$44 3.9% 12.6% $6.4

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $481 in Chiang Mai and $509 in Anapa. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $19 in Chiang Mai vs $50 in Anapa. Groceries flip the comparison at $237 vs $189, with Anapa cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇷🇺 Anapa

🕒 Local time

10:05 10:05 AM

06:05 6:05 AM

4 h behind Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

82,695

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Russian Ruble RUB ₽

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.98 USD

100 THB = 2.64 EUR

100 RUB = 1.22 USD

100 RUB = 1.09 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 5, 2026: 1 USD = 33.59 THB (100 THB = 2.98 USD). 1 EUR = 37.81 THB (100 THB = 2.64 EUR).

Russian Ruble exchange rates as of November 5, 2026: 1 USD = 81.84 RUB (100 RUB = 1.22 USD). 1 EUR = 92.13 RUB (100 RUB = 1.09 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Chiang Mai Anapa 6,330 km ≈ 8 h nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
Anapa

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 Anapa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai wins on cost – living expenses run 18% lower than in Anapa. Housing and daily spending are where you’ll feel the difference most, making Chiang Mai the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You’d need roughly $1,403 in Chiang Mai and $1,704 in Anapa 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: $481 in Chiang Mai versus $509 in Anapa. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Chiang Mai – a meal for two runs $19 versus $50 in Anapa. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you’ll spend $935 per month in Chiang Mai versus $1,136 in Anapa – Chiang Mai is about 18% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.

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.