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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $861 in Chiang Mai versus $1,087 in Arkhangelsk.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,350 in Chiang Mai versus $1,603 in Arkhangelsk.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,838 in Chiang Mai versus $2,118 in Arkhangelsk.

Living in Chiang Mai costs roughly 21% less than in Arkhangelsk, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Chiang Mai 36% lower, Arkhangelsk 19% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿65.8

$9.54 ₽750

-79.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.35 ฿617

$36.15 ₽2,840

-49.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.48 ฿252

$6.52 ₽512

14.72%

Cappuccino

$2.02 ฿67.8

$2.14 ₽168

-5.61%

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

$0.85 ฿28.50

$1.17 ₽92.1

-27.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.96

$0.51 ₽40.38

-29.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.8

$2.11 ₽166

1.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 ฿121

$1.24 ₽97.2

189.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿55.5

$1.12 ₽88.0

47.32%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.7

$0.77 ₽60.9

103.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿40.02

$1.97 ₽155

-39.59%

Eggs

$1.94 ฿65.1

$1.65 ₽130

17.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿544

$11.23 ₽882

44.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.99 ฿101

$5.85 ₽460

-48.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿368

$10.33 ₽812

5.91%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 ฿91.2

$1.63 ₽128

66.26%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿39.25

$1.80 ₽141

-35.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 ฿56.7

$2.31 ₽181

-26.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 ฿54.0

$2.01 ₽158

-20.40%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.54

$0.72 ₽56.7

91.67%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.45

$0.60 ₽47.51

100.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿22.50

$0.99 ₽77.6

-32.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.73

$0.59 ₽46.17

-5.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.64 ฿156

$3.20 ₽251

45.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.62 ฿593

$9.30 ₽731

89.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.5

$1.13 ₽88.6

64.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 ฿111

$1.68 ₽132

96.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.68

$0.54 ₽42.06

62.96%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ฿650

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿45.90

$2.24 ₽176

-39.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.98

$1.35 ₽106

-0.74%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.21 ฿276

$6.18 ₽486

32.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ฿41.18

$0.73 ₽57.0

67.12%

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

$21.4K ฿718.1K

$34.7K ₽2.7M

-38.46%

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

$22.5K ฿757.7K

$35.3K ₽2.8M

-36.16%

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

$70.7 ฿2,376

$151 ₽11.8K

-53.13%

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

$14.04 ฿472

$7.25 ₽569

93.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.49 ฿588

$9.58 ₽753

82.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.15 ฿1,417

$32.05 ₽2,518

31.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

$25.07 ₽1,970

-72.56%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿199

$4.50 ₽353

31.56%

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

$309 ฿10.4K

$321 ₽25.2K

-3.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K ฿500.4K

$6,874 ₽540.0K

116.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,875

$126 ₽9,884

-55.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.11 ฿878

$38.17 ₽2,999

-31.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.0 ฿2,792

$62.3 ₽4,895

33.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 ฿2,369

$76.2 ₽5,983

-7.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$432 ฿14.5K

$444 ₽34.9K

-2.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿8,035

$381 ₽29.9K

-37.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$822 ฿27.7K

$646 ₽50.8K

27.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$512 ฿17.2K

$564 ₽44.3K

-9.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,915 ฿64.4K

$1,697 ₽133.3K

12.85%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 ฿49.3K

$1,262 ₽99.2K

16.24%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$579 ฿19.5K

$552 ₽43.4K

4.89%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

15.75

-68.25%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Last update for Arkhangelsk: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $432 in Chiang Mai and $444 in Arkhangelsk. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Chiang Mai pays 5% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $18.00 in Chiang Mai vs $36.00 in Arkhangelsk. Groceries flip the comparison at $243 vs $208, with Arkhangelsk cheaper for home cooking.

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 Arkhangelsk: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai and Arkhangelsk differ by about 26% in total monthly costs ($861 vs $1,087 including rent). Chiang Mai is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 5% higher in Chiang Mai, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $432 in Chiang Mai versus $444 in Arkhangelsk. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $309 in Chiang Mai versus $321 in Arkhangelsk. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Chiang Mai – a meal for two runs $18.00 versus $36.00 in Arkhangelsk. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Either city works on $800 a month, though Chiang Mai gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

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, Chiang Mai and Arkhangelsk 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 26% less than in Arkhangelsk. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.