Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Irkutsk

For one person, living is cheaper in Chiang Mai: $906 a month against $1,013 in Irkutsk, rent and utilities included – about $1,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half 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 Irkutsk
Learn more

Irkutsk Living Index

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Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$906

/mo nomad

Irkutsk

🇷🇺 Russia

$1,013

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

A single person spends $906 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,013 in Irkutsk, rent included.

Chiang Mai $906
Irkutsk $1,013

A couple spends around $1,385 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,501 in Irkutsk, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,385
Irkutsk $1,501

A family of three spends $1,864 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,988 in Irkutsk, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,864
Irkutsk $1,988

Chiang Mai is about 11% cheaper than Irkutsk, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Chiang Mai and Irkutsk are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 32% lower, Irkutsk 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.13 ฿71.4

$7.18 ₽611

-70.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.40 ฿649

$32.58 ₽2,772

-40.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.47 ฿183

$5.81 ₽494

-5.85%

Cappuccino

$1.68 ฿56.4

$3.03 ₽258

-44.55%

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

$0.66 ฿22.10

$1.60 ₽136

-58.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.34 ฿11.52

$0.65 ₽55.1

-47.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.42 ฿81.0

$2.69 ₽229

-10.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿125

$4.04 ₽344

-7.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.06 ฿68.9

$1.20 ₽102

71.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.46 ฿48.78

$0.64 ₽54.5

128.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.35 ฿45.09

$2.22 ₽189

-39.19%

Eggs

$2.27 ฿76.0

$1.59 ₽135

42.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.31 ฿546

$11.69 ₽995

39.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.70 ฿90.3

$6.04 ₽514

-55.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.20 ฿308

$11.24 ₽956

-18.15%

Apples (1kg)

$2.39 ฿80.1

$1.89 ₽161

26.46%

Banana (1kg)

$1.04 ฿34.66

$1.99 ₽169

-47.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.60 ฿53.7

$1.75 ₽149

-8.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.44 ฿48.37

$3.47 ₽295

-58.50%

Potato (1kg)

$1.30 ฿43.59

$0.72 ₽61.4

80.56%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 ฿37.29

$0.69 ₽58.6

60.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ฿23.55

$1.79 ₽152

-60.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.99

$0.65 ₽55.6

-21.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.13 ฿138

$2.70 ₽230

52.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.78 ฿595

$7.17 ₽610

147.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ฿54.7

$1.02 ₽86.7

59.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 ฿96.0

$1.90 ₽162

51.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 ฿28.76

$0.57 ₽48.62

50.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.2 ฿1,780

$15.79 ₽1,344

236.61%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.22 ฿40.81

$1.19 ₽102

2.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 ฿18.81

$0.18 ₽14.94

211.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.31 ฿77.5

$8.91 ₽758

-74.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.50 ฿50.2

$0.79 ₽66.8

89.87%

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

$20.9K ฿698.3K

$29.0K ₽2.5M

-28.09%

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

$26.7K ฿895.0K

$36.8K ₽3.1M

-27.37%

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

$61.3 ฿2,051

$118 ₽10.0K

-47.91%

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

$12.50 ฿419

$5.84 ₽497

114.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.36 ฿682

$11.41 ₽971

78.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.94 ฿1,270

$34.35 ₽2,923

10.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.77 ฿126

$21.13 ₽1,798

-82.16%

Cinema Ticket

$6.60 ฿221

$6.64 ₽565

-0.60%

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

$774 ฿25.9K

$294 ₽25.0K

163.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.4K ฿483.2K

$3,121 ₽265.6K

362.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.8 ฿1,835

$58.7 ₽4,992

-6.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.26 ฿846

$23.42 ₽1,993

7.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.6 ฿3,032

$100 ₽8,516

-9.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.3 ฿2,453

$113 ₽9,642

-35.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$459 ฿15.4K

$438 ₽37.2K

4.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$294 ฿9,835

$309 ₽26.3K

-5.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$919 ฿30.8K

$750 ₽63.8K

22.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$552 ฿18.5K

$432 ₽36.8K

27.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,917 ฿64.2K

$2,712 ₽230.8K

-29.30%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,445 ฿48.4K

$1,807 ₽153.7K

-20.04%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$592 ฿19.8K

$752 ₽64.0K

-21.23%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

24.57

-77.33%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 5, 2026

Last update for Irkutsk: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$294 31.8%

Irkutsk

$309 30.7% 5.3% $16

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$236 25.6%

Irkutsk

$220 21.9% 6.7% $16

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$110 11.9%

Irkutsk

$133 13.2% 21.2% $23

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$94 10.2%

Irkutsk

$135 13.4% 43.3% $41

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$77 8.4%

Irkutsk

$142 14.1% 83.6% $65

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$61 6.6%

Irkutsk

$20 2% 66.8% $40

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$51 5.5%

Irkutsk

$48 4.7% 6.8% $3.5

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $459 in Chiang Mai versus $438 in Irkutsk. 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 27% higher in Irkutsk, 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $33.00 in Irkutsk. Groceries tell a different story – $236 in Chiang Mai vs $220 in Irkutsk – so Irkutsk wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇷🇺 Irkutsk

🕒 Local time

12:36 12:36 PM

13:36 1:36 PM

1 h ahead of Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

617,515

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Russian Ruble RUB ₽

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.99 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

100 RUB = 1.18 USD

100 RUB = 1.05 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 October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 33.48 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.55 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

Russian Ruble exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 85.09 RUB (100 RUB = 1.18 USD). 1 EUR = 95.44 RUB (100 RUB = 1.05 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Chiang Mai Irkutsk 3,750 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
Irkutsk

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 Irkutsk: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Irkutsk costs about 12% more than Chiang Mai, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from eating out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,359 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,520 in Irkutsk. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Chiang Mai, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $774 per month in Chiang Mai and $294 in Irkutsk. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 7% cheaper in Irkutsk – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $906, than in Irkutsk at $1,013. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Irkutsk it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $906 versus $1,013 in Irkutsk. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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.

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