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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $989 in Izhevsk, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,354 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,577 in Izhevsk, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,857 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,165 in Izhevsk, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 14% cheaper than Izhevsk, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and Izhevsk are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Izhevsk 26% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿64.0

$8.36 ₽628

-76.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.81 ฿615

$38.81 ₽2,915

-51.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.92 ฿259

$4.55 ₽342

74.07%

Cappuccino

$1.91 ฿62.6

$2.33 ₽175

-18.03%

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

$0.84 ฿27.41

$1.30 ₽97.6

-35.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.51

$0.39 ₽29.36

-10.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$2.80 ₽210

-21.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 ฿124

$2.57 ₽193

47.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$1.01 ₽75.7

62.38%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 ฿53.1

$0.66 ₽49.39

145.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.62

$1.72 ₽129

-31.40%

Eggs

$2.01 ฿65.8

$1.83 ₽137

9.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.89 ฿520

$14.53 ₽1,091

9.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.01 ฿98.5

$3.78 ₽284

-20.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.77 ฿352

$8.79 ₽660

22.53%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 ฿85.5

$1.73 ₽130

50.87%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿39.88

$1.91 ₽143

-36.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.7

$1.33 ₽99.7

27.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 ฿51.5

$3.01 ₽226

-47.51%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 ฿43.14

$1.12 ₽84.0

17.86%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.23

$0.98 ₽73.8

19.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿21.98

$1.54 ₽116

-56.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.32

$0.60 ₽45.04

-6.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.53 ฿148

$3.13 ₽235

44.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.20 ฿595

$7.78 ₽584

133.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿60.0

$0.81 ₽60.6

125.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$1.94 ₽146

66.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ฿29.00

$0.46 ₽34.22

93.48%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.38 ฿634

$24.91 ₽1,871

-22.20%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.35 ฿44.20

$3.20 ₽240

-57.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 ฿44.05

$0.29 ₽21.43

365.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.25 ฿270

$7.72 ₽580

6.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.64

$0.79 ₽59.6

60.76%

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

$21.2K ฿691.8K

$32.0K ₽2.4M

-33.88%

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

$96.0 ₽7,210

-26.92%

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

$13.77 ฿450

$4.79 ₽360

187.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.60 ฿575

$7.15 ₽537

146.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.57 ฿1,360

$37.96 ₽2,851

9.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.60 ฿216

$22.75 ₽1,708

-70.99%

Cinema Ticket

$5.78 ฿189

$4.96 ₽373

16.53%

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

$306 ฿10.0K

$324 ₽24.4K

-5.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿484.8K

$7,115 ₽534.4K

108.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.4 ฿1,778

$70.9 ₽5,324

-23.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.14 ฿855

$44.94 ₽3,375

-41.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.5 ฿2,764

$114 ₽8,562

-25.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.4 ฿2,270

$106 ₽7,970

-34.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$424 ฿13.9K

$409 ₽30.8K

3.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$238 ฿7,788

$312 ₽23.4K

-23.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$825 ฿27.0K

$762 ₽57.2K

8.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$588 ₽44.2K

-12.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,049 ฿67.0K

$2,640 ₽198.3K

-22.36%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,523 ฿49.8K

$1,329 ₽99.8K

14.56%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$635 ฿20.8K

$903 ₽67.8K

-29.64%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

16.33

-69.38%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 27, 2026

Last update for Izhevsk: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $424 in Chiang Mai versus $409 in Izhevsk. 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 42% higher in Izhevsk, 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 $39.00 in Izhevsk. Groceries tell a different story – $243 in Chiang Mai vs $202 in Izhevsk – so Izhevsk wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Izhevsk: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Izhevsk costs about 16% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by 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 $1,278 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,484 in Izhevsk. 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 $306 per month in Chiang Mai and $324 in Izhevsk. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 20% cheaper in Izhevsk – 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 $852, than in Izhevsk at $989. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Izhevsk it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $852 versus $989 in Izhevsk. 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, Izhevsk makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.