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 $869 per month in Chiang Mai vs $993 in Izhevsk, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,362 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,589 in Izhevsk, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,855 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,186 in Izhevsk, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 12% cheaper than Izhevsk, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and Izhevsk are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Izhevsk 26% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.98 ฿64.3

$8.53 ₽618

-76.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.80 ฿612

$38.54 ₽2,793

-51.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.75 ฿252

$4.35 ₽316

78.16%

Cappuccino

$1.92 ฿62.5

$2.38 ₽172

-19.33%

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

$0.79 ฿25.79

$1.33 ₽96.1

-40.60%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.62

$0.40 ₽28.66

-10.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$2.83 ₽205

-21.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

$2.50 ₽181

46.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿53.8

$1.01 ₽73.5

63.37%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$0.69 ₽50.2

136.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.86

$1.70 ₽123

-30.00%

Eggs

$2.00 ฿65.1

$1.75 ₽127

14.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.98 ฿520

$13.99 ₽1,014

14.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.03 ฿98.5

$3.87 ₽281

-21.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 ฿354

$8.75 ₽634

24.11%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 ฿90.0

$1.78 ₽129

55.06%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.42

$1.90 ₽138

-37.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$1.33 ₽96.4

23.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.51

$2.84 ₽205

-46.48%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿45.10

$1.07 ₽77.4

28.97%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.84

$0.91 ₽66.2

30.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ฿22.86

$1.53 ₽111

-54.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.13

$0.64 ₽46.67

-12.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.58 ฿149

$3.04 ₽220

50.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.56 ฿539

$8.15 ₽591

103.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿59.5

$0.86 ₽62.3

112.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 ฿104

$1.85 ₽134

72.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿28.56

$0.46 ₽33.21

91.30%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.72 ฿610

$25.28 ₽1,832

-25.95%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿44.16

$3.11 ₽225

-56.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿43.65

$0.31 ₽22.65

332.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$7.56 ₽548

3.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿39.92

$0.74 ₽53.5

66.22%

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

$21.6K ฿704.3K

$31.9K ₽2.3M

-32.20%

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

$22.5K ฿734.3K

$31.9K ₽2.3M

-29.21%

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

$70.5 ฿2,298

$98.4 ₽7,127

-28.28%

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

$13.68 ฿445

$4.84 ₽351

182.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.45 ฿568

$6.79 ₽492

157.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.33 ฿1,346

$37.63 ₽2,727

9.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$22.41 ₽1,624

-68.94%

Cinema Ticket

$5.77 ฿188

$5.01 ₽363

15.17%

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

$307 ฿10.0K

$322 ₽23.3K

-4.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿475.9K

$6,969 ₽505.0K

109.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,817

$71.0 ₽5,147

-21.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.21 ฿854

$43.69 ₽3,166

-40.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 ฿2,793

$115 ₽8,358

-25.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.2 ฿2,353

$106 ₽7,662

-31.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$430 ฿14.0K

$419 ₽30.4K

2.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿7,774

$310 ₽22.4K

-22.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$817 ฿26.6K

$753 ₽54.6K

8.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$511 ฿16.6K

$592 ₽42.9K

-13.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,983 ฿64.6K

$2,776 ₽201.2K

-28.57%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,484 ฿48.3K

$1,382 ₽100.1K

7.40%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$619 ฿20.2K

$985 ₽71.3K

-37.14%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Izhevsk: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $430 in Chiang Mai versus $419 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 59% 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 – $241 in Chiang Mai vs $201 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 14% 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 $1,303 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,489 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 $307 per month in Chiang Mai and $322 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 $869, than in Izhevsk at $993. 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 $869 versus $993 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.