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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $852 in Chiang Mai versus $1,028 in Astrakhan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,354 in Chiang Mai versus $1,530 in Astrakhan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,857 in Chiang Mai versus $2,032 in Astrakhan.

Living in Chiang Mai costs roughly 17% less than in Astrakhan, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Chiang Mai 36% lower, Astrakhan 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿64.0

$10.80 ₽811

-81.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.81 ฿615

$33.14 ₽2,489

-43.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.92 ฿259

$7.76 ₽583

2.06%

Cappuccino

$1.91 ฿62.6

$1.87 ₽141

2.14%

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

$0.84 ฿27.41

$0.85 ₽64.0

-1.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.51

$0.52 ₽39.31

-32.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$1.30 ₽97.9

70.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 ฿124

$2.57 ₽193

47.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$1.28 ₽95.9

28.12%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 ฿53.1

$1.05 ₽79.1

54.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.62

$1.02 ₽76.9

15.69%

Eggs

$2.01 ฿65.8

$1.77 ₽133

13.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.89 ฿520

$24.66 ₽1,853

-35.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.01 ฿98.5

$4.98 ₽374

-39.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.77 ฿352

$6.95 ₽522

54.96%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 ฿85.5

$1.64 ₽123

59.15%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿39.88

$1.75 ₽131

-30.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.7

$1.62 ₽122

4.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 ฿51.5

$2.41 ₽181

-34.44%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 ฿43.14

$0.95 ₽71.6

38.95%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.23

$0.56 ₽41.78

108.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿21.98

$1.39 ₽105

-51.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.32

$0.66 ₽49.68

-15.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.53 ฿148

$1.89 ₽142

139.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.20 ฿595

$6.59 ₽495

176.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿60.0

$1.06 ₽79.6

72.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$1.93 ₽145

67.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ฿29.00

$0.53 ₽39.46

67.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.38 ฿634

$21.96 ₽1,650

-11.75%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.35 ฿44.20

$2.47 ₽186

-45.34%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 ฿44.05

$0.33 ₽24.78

309.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.25 ฿270

$3.77 ₽283

118.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.64

$0.94 ₽70.6

35.11%

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

$21.2K ฿691.8K

$34.7K ₽2.6M

-38.99%

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

$22.5K ฿735.3K

$32.0K ₽2.4M

-29.82%

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

$70.2 ฿2,294

$102 ₽7,629

-30.93%

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

$13.77 ฿450

$6.47 ₽486

112.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.60 ฿575

$5.51 ₽414

219.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.57 ฿1,360

$48.96 ₽3,677

-15.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.60 ฿216

$24.95 ₽1,874

-73.55%

Cinema Ticket

$5.78 ฿189

$5.49 ₽412

5.28%

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

$306 ฿10.0K

$113 ₽8,517

169.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿484.8K

$6,984 ₽524.5K

112.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.4 ฿1,778

$58.2 ₽4,370

-6.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.14 ฿855

$31.48 ₽2,364

-16.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.5 ฿2,764

$90.3 ₽6,784

-6.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.4 ฿2,270

$126 ₽9,499

-45.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$424 ฿13.9K

$418 ₽31.4K

1.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$238 ฿7,788

$313 ₽23.5K

-23.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$825 ฿27.0K

$440 ₽33.0K

87.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$382 ₽28.7K

34.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,049 ฿67.0K

$1,686 ₽126.7K

21.52%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,523 ฿49.8K

$1,201 ₽90.2K

26.80%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$635 ฿20.8K

$508 ₽38.1K

25.10%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

15.33

-67.38%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 27, 2026

Last update for Astrakhan: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $424 in Chiang Mai and $418 in Astrakhan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Chiang Mai pays 25% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $19.00 in Chiang Mai vs $33.00 in Astrakhan. Groceries flip the comparison at $243 vs $231, with Astrakhan 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 Astrakhan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai and Astrakhan differ by about 21% in total monthly costs ($852 vs $1,028 including rent). Chiang Mai is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Chiang Mai pays 25% more on average, 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: $424 in Chiang Mai versus $418 in Astrakhan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Chiang Mai runs roughly 13% less than in Astrakhan. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $306 in Chiang Mai versus $113 in Astrakhan. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $852 in Chiang Mai versus $1,028 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, Chiang Mai and Astrakhan 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.