Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Atyrau

For one person, living is cheaper in Chiang Mai: $936 a month against $1,022 in Atyrau, rent and utilities included – about $1,000 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
49

Cost of Living Index in Atyrau
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Atyrau Living Index

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Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$936

/mo nomad

Atyrau

🇰🇿 Kazakhstan

$1,022

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

A single person spends $936 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,022 in Atyrau, rent included.

Chiang Mai $936
Atyrau $1,022

A couple spends around $1,457 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,690 in Atyrau, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,457
Atyrau $1,690

A family of three spends $1,979 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,358 in Atyrau, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,979
Atyrau $2,358

Chiang Mai is about 8% cheaper than Atyrau, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Chiang Mai and Atyrau are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 31% lower, Atyrau 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.24 ฿75.6

$9.88 ₸4,484

-77.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.00 ฿641

$37.21 ₸16.9K

-48.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.55 ฿187

$7.53 ₸3,417

-26.29%

Cappuccino

$1.67 ฿56.5

$2.13 ₸964

-21.60%

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

$0.64 ฿21.55

$1.16 ₸528

-44.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.31

$0.84 ₸381

-63.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.36 ฿79.6

$1.65 ₸747

43.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿124

$2.08 ₸945

75.96%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 ฿65.8

$1.75 ₸794

11.43%

White Bread (500g)

$1.44 ฿48.48

$0.48 ₸218

200.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 ฿45.04

$2.01 ₸913

-33.83%

Eggs

$2.28 ฿77.1

$1.55 ₸701

47.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.45 ฿555

$11.16 ₸5,064

47.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.78 ฿93.9

$8.35 ₸3,789

-66.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.31 ฿314

$8.11 ₸3,677

14.80%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 ฿79.4

$1.77 ₸803

32.77%

Banana (1kg)

$0.97 ฿32.80

$2.74 ₸1,242

-64.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.60 ฿53.9

$2.21 ₸1,002

-27.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.6

$1.80 ₸816

-16.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿43.12

$0.65 ₸297

96.92%

Onion (1kg)

$1.10 ฿37.19

$0.41 ₸186

168.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 ฿23.82

$1.25 ₸568

-43.20%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.37

$0.96 ₸436

-48.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.14 ฿140

$2.48 ₸1,125

66.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.52 ฿591

$9.17 ₸4,160

91.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.61 ฿54.5

$1.38 ₸625

16.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿94.0

$1.42 ₸643

95.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.87 ฿29.31

$0.34 ₸155

155.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.1 ฿1,826

$21.99 ₸9,973

145.98%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.16 ฿39.06

$1.54 ₸698

-24.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ฿17.80

$0.72 ₸326

-26.39%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.42 ฿81.8

$6.54 ₸2,967

-63.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.90

$0.66 ₸301

119.70%

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

$21.1K ฿710.7K

$17.7K ₸8.0M

18.83%

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

$26.9K ฿909.3K

$29.0K ₸13.1M

-7.06%

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

$62.2 ฿2,098

$52.1 ₸23.6K

19.33%

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

$12.17 ฿411

$11.04 ₸5,006

10.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.12 ฿679

$14.67 ₸6,655

37.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.31 ฿1,259

$66.3 ₸30.1K

-43.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.77 ฿127

$10.11 ₸4,586

-62.71%

Cinema Ticket

$6.49 ฿219

$6.15 ₸2,788

5.53%

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

$736 ฿24.8K

$288 ₸130.7K

155.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿498.3K

$3,426 ₸1.6M

330.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.4 ฿1,801

$32.74 ₸14.9K

63.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.64 ฿831

$44.83 ₸20.3K

-45.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.5 ฿3,087

$90.1 ₸40.9K

1.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.9 ฿2,428

$89.8 ₸40.7K

-19.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.3K

$530 ₸240.3K

-8.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$309 ฿10.4K

$347 ₸157.4K

-10.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 ฿33.9K

$1,146 ₸519.8K

-12.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$633 ฿21.4K

$781 ₸354.3K

-18.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,363 ฿79.8K

$946 ₸429.0K

149.84%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,589 ฿53.6K

$752 ₸341.1K

111.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$590 ฿19.9K

$740 ₸335.7K

-20.31%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

-81.43%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 26, 2026

Last update for Atyrau: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$309 33%

Atyrau

$347 34% 12.3% $38

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$234 25.1%

Atyrau

$227 22.2% 3.3% $7.8

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$109 11.6%

Atyrau

$116 11.3% 6.6% $7.2

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$94 10.1%

Atyrau

$78 7.6% 17.6% $17

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$78 8.3%

Atyrau

$148 14.4% 90.3% $70

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$61 6.6%

Atyrau

$28 2.8% 53.6% $33

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$50 5.4%

Atyrau

$79 7.7% 56.3% $28

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Chiang Mai versus $530 in Atyrau. 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 25% higher in Atyrau. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19 in Chiang Mai versus $37 in Atyrau. Groceries tell a different story – $234 in Chiang Mai vs $227 in Atyrau – so Atyrau wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇰🇿 Atyrau

🕒 Local time

10:05 10:05 AM

08:05 8:05 AM

2 h behind Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

323,295

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Kazakhstani Tenge KZT ₸

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.96 USD

100 THB = 2.65 EUR

1,000 KZT = 2.2 USD

1,000 KZT = 1.97 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

KZT, 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 = 37.68 THB (100 THB = 2.65 EUR).

Kazakhstani Tenge exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 454 KZT (1,000 KZT = 2.2 USD). 1 EUR = 506 KZT (1,000 KZT = 1.97 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Chiang Mai Atyrau 5,290 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
Atyrau

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 Atyrau: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $936 in Chiang Mai, $1,022 in Atyrau – Chiang Mai comes out roughly 8% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,403 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,533 in Atyrau. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A central 1-bedroom goes for about $482 in Chiang Mai and $530 in Atyrau. The gap holds across neighborhoods – outer areas show a similar spread, just at lower price points.

Kindergarten costs $736 per month in Chiang Mai and $288 in Atyrau. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 3% cheaper in Atyrau – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value.

$800 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $936 in Chiang Mai and $1,022 in Atyrau. 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 $1,022 in Atyrau. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.

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