Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Horishni Plavni

For one person, living is cheaper in Horishni Plavni: $795 a month against $925 in Chiang Mai, rent and utilities included – about $1,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Chiang Mai
🇹🇭 Thailand
$925
/mo nomad
Horishni Plavni
🇺🇦 Ukraine
$795
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chiang Mai and in Horishni Plavni

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

A single person spends $925 per month in Chiang Mai vs $795 in Horishni Plavni, rent included.

  • Chiang Mai $925
  • Horishni Plavni $795

A couple spends around $1,414 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,190 in Horishni Plavni, rent included.

  • Chiang Mai $1,414
  • Horishni Plavni $1,190

A family of three spends $1,903 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,585 in Horishni Plavni, rent included.

  • Chiang Mai $1,903
  • Horishni Plavni $1,585

Chiang Mai costs about 16% more than Horishni Plavni, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chiang Mai and Horishni Plavni are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 32% lower, Horishni Plavni 41% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Chiang Mai
Horishni Plavni
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.29 ฿76.5
$8.95 ₴402
-74.41%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$19.64 ฿656
$26.35 ₴1,183
-25.46%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.61 ฿188
$5.64 ₴253
-0.53%
Cappuccino
$1.66 ฿55.6
$0.70 ₴31.38
137.14%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.70 ฿23.40
$0.43 ₴19.14
62.79%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.31 ฿10.24
$0.28 ₴12.58
10.71%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.41 ฿80.4
$0.64 ₴28.74
276.56%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.71 ฿124
$1.31 ₴58.8
183.21%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Chiang Mai
Horishni Plavni
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.95 ฿65.3
$1.08 ₴48.55
80.56%
White Bread (500g)
$1.41 ฿47.03
$0.65 ₴29.25
116.92%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.31 ฿43.62
$1.51 ₴67.7
-13.25%
Eggs
$2.18 ฿72.9
$1.96 ₴87.9
11.22%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$16.65 ฿556
$10.13 ₴455
64.36%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$2.76 ฿92.2
$5.23 ₴235
-47.23%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$9.11 ฿304
$9.00 ₴404
1.22%
Apples (1kg)
$2.39 ฿80.0
$0.82 ₴36.67
191.46%
Banana (1kg)
$1.03 ฿34.26
$1.53 ₴68.7
-32.68%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.63 ฿54.4
$1.88 ₴84.6
-13.30%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.50 ฿50.0
$2.67 ₴120
-43.82%
Potato (1kg)
$1.29 ฿43.13
$0.61 ₴27.34
111.48%
Onion (1kg)
$1.11 ฿37.03
$0.49 ₴21.87
126.53%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.72 ฿24.08
$1.39 ₴62.6
-48.20%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.53 ฿17.59
$0.64 ₴28.85
-17.19%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.31 ฿144
$3.51 ₴158
22.79%
Wine (Bottle)
$17.95 ฿600
$5.50 ₴247
226.36%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.58 ฿52.9
$0.90 ₴40.37
75.56%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.84 ฿95.0
$1.44 ₴64.5
97.22%
🚌 Getting Around
Chiang Mai
Horishni Plavni
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.86 ฿28.86
$0.34 ₴15.48
152.94%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$53.3 ฿1,780
$13.08 ₴587
307.34%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.21 ฿40.29
$2.19 ₴98.3
-44.75%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.57 ฿18.99
$0.45 ₴20.29
26.67%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$2.35 ฿78.6
$4.39 ₴197
-46.47%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.44 ฿47.96
$1.30 ₴58.3
10.77%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$20.7K ฿692.8K
$31.1K ₴1.4M
-33.27%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.8K ฿895.7K
$25.8K ₴1.2M
3.92%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Chiang Mai
Horishni Plavni
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$62.3 ฿2,083
$97.9 ₴4,395
-36.34%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$12.11 ฿405
$5.35 ₴240
126.36%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$19.94 ฿666
$4.38 ₴197
355.25%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Chiang Mai
Horishni Plavni
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$37.07 ฿1,239
$26.87 ₴1,206
37.96%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$3.78 ฿126
$14.47 ₴650
-73.88%
Cinema Ticket
$6.50 ฿217
$3.31 ₴149
96.37%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Chiang Mai
Horishni Plavni
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$793 ฿26.5K
$412 ₴18.5K
92.45%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$14.8K ฿494.9K
$4,269 ₴191.6K
246.82%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Chiang Mai
Horishni Plavni
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$53.7 ฿1,796
$72.6 ₴3,258
-25.97%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$24.62 ฿823
$39.98 ₴1,795
-38.42%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$90.9 ฿3,036
$94.7 ₴4,252
-4.09%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$71.1 ฿2,378
$121 ₴5,431
-41.21%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Chiang Mai
Horishni Plavni
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$455 ฿15.2K
$328 ₴14.7K
38.96%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$298 ฿9,954
$198 ₴8,906
50.10%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$908 ฿30.4K
$485 ₴21.7K
87.44%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$554 ฿18.5K
$245 ₴11.0K
126.23%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,931 ฿64.5K
$1,015 ₴45.6K
90.21%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,445 ฿48.3K
$875 ₴39.3K
65.09%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Chiang Mai
Horishni Plavni
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$591 ฿19.7K
$359 ₴16.1K
64.46%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.57
17.88
-68.85%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 17, 2026

Last update for Horishni Plavni: October 17, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Chiang Mai
$298
Horishni Plavni
$198 33.4% $99
Groceries & Markets
Chiang Mai
$235
Horishni Plavni
$183 22.1% $52
Clothing & Footwear
Chiang Mai
$108
Horishni Plavni
$148 36.6% $40
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Chiang Mai
$94
Horishni Plavni
$108 14.1% $13
Eating Out
Chiang Mai
$79
Horishni Plavni
$106 34.3% $27
Getting Around
Chiang Mai
$61
Horishni Plavni
$19 68.9% $42
Sport & Entertainment
Chiang Mai
$50
Horishni Plavni
$33 33.1% $17

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $455 in Chiang Mai versus $328 in Horishni Plavni. 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 64% higher in Chiang Mai, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $26.00 in Horishni Plavni. Groceries tell a different story – $235 in Chiang Mai vs $183 in Horishni Plavni – so Horishni Plavni wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇹🇭 Chiang Mai
🇺🇦 Horishni Plavni
🕒 Local time
02:32 2:32 AM
22:32 10:32 PM
4 h behind Chiang Mai
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
127,240
49,854
💱 Currency
Thai Baht THB ฿
Exchange rates and currency converter

UAH, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 23, 2026: 1 USD = 33.42 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.57 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

Ukrainian Hryvnia exchange rates as of October 23, 2026: 1 USD = 44.89 UAH (100 UAH = 2.23 USD). 1 EUR = 50.46 UAH (100 UAH = 1.98 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Chiang Mai Horishni Plavni 6,660 km ≈ 9 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Chiang Mai
  • Horishni Plavni

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 Horishni Plavni: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Chiang Mai or Horishni Plavni?
Chiang Mai costs about 16% more than Horishni Plavni, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Chiang Mai and in Horishni Plavni?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,388 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,193 in Horishni Plavni. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Chiang Mai or Horishni Plavni?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Horishni Plavni, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
How do childcare costs compare in Chiang Mai and in Horishni Plavni?
Kindergarten costs $793 per month in Chiang Mai and $412 in Horishni Plavni. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Are groceries more expensive in Chiang Mai or in Horishni Plavni?
Groceries cost about 28% more in Chiang Mai, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Can you live on $2,000/month in Chiang Mai or in Horishni Plavni?
A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Horishni Plavni, where all-in costs run around $795, than in Chiang Mai at $925. In Horishni Plavni it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiang Mai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Chiang Mai or Horishni Plavni?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Horishni Plavni costs $795 versus $925 in Chiang Mai. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.
How safe is Chiang Mai compared to Horishni Plavni?
Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.
Should I move to Chiang Mai or to Horishni Plavni?
If budget matters most, go with Horishni Plavni. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chiang Mai makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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