Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Karaganda

For one person, living costs are similar in Chiang Mai and in Karaganda: $925 and $929 a month, rent and utilities included.

45

Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai Living Index
45

Cost of Living Index in Karaganda
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Karaganda Living Index

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Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$925

/mo nomad

Karaganda

🇰🇿 Kazakhstan

$929

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

A single person spends $925 per month in Chiang Mai vs $929 in Karaganda, rent included.

Chiang Mai $925
Karaganda $929

A couple spends around $1,414 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,498 in Karaganda, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,414
Karaganda $1,498

A family of three spends $1,903 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,067 in Karaganda, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,903
Karaganda $2,067

Chiang Mai and Karaganda have comparable living costs – the differences are in the details.

Both Chiang Mai and Karaganda are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 32% lower, Karaganda 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.29 ฿76.5

$9.92 ₸4,483

-76.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.64 ฿656

$34.77 ₸15.7K

-43.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.61 ฿188

$5.62 ₸2,540

-0.18%

Cappuccino

$1.66 ฿55.6

$1.90 ₸861

-12.63%

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

$0.70 ฿23.40

$0.87 ₸392

-19.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.24

$0.64 ₸290

-51.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿80.4

$1.37 ₸618

75.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.71 ฿124

$2.81 ₸1,271

32.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 ฿65.3

$1.33 ₸602

46.62%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 ฿47.03

$0.48 ₸219

193.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.31 ฿43.62

$1.34 ₸605

-2.24%

Eggs

$2.18 ฿72.9

$1.87 ₸845

16.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.65 ฿556

$13.37 ₸6,043

24.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.76 ฿92.2

$5.55 ₸2,510

-50.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.11 ฿304

$11.16 ₸5,043

-18.37%

Apples (1kg)

$2.39 ฿80.0

$1.51 ₸683

58.28%

Banana (1kg)

$1.03 ฿34.26

$1.89 ₸857

-45.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.63 ฿54.4

$2.78 ₸1,255

-41.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.0

$2.09 ₸944

-28.23%

Potato (1kg)

$1.29 ฿43.13

$0.63 ₸284

104.76%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 ฿37.03

$0.54 ₸245

105.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿24.08

$1.04 ₸469

-30.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.59

$0.70 ₸315

-24.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.31 ฿144

$2.18 ₸985

97.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.95 ฿600

$8.40 ₸3,798

113.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 ฿52.9

$1.36 ₸616

16.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 ฿95.0

$2.11 ₸955

34.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 ฿28.86

$0.23 ₸104

273.91%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.3 ฿1,780

$15.45 ₸6,982

244.85%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.21 ฿40.29

$1.23 ₸558

-1.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.57 ฿18.99

$1.24 ₸562

-54.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.35 ฿78.6

$3.22 ₸1,457

-27.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 ฿47.96

$0.52 ₸236

176.92%

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

$20.7K ฿692.8K

$21.6K ₸9.8M

-4.20%

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

$26.8K ฿895.7K

$32.3K ₸14.6M

-16.94%

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

$62.3 ฿2,083

$72.6 ₸32.8K

-14.11%

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

$12.11 ฿405

$9.86 ₸4,457

22.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.94 ฿666

$11.82 ₸5,342

68.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.07 ฿1,239

$45.55 ₸20.6K

-18.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.78 ฿126

$18.09 ₸8,179

-79.10%

Cinema Ticket

$6.50 ฿217

$5.29 ₸2,390

22.87%

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

$793 ฿26.5K

$133 ₸59.9K

498.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿494.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.7 ฿1,796

$60.5 ₸27.4K

-11.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.62 ฿823

$57.6 ₸26.0K

-57.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.9 ฿3,036

$79.0 ₸35.7K

15.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.1 ฿2,378

$85.7 ₸38.7K

-16.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$455 ฿15.2K

$400 ₸180.6K

13.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$298 ฿9,954

$274 ₸123.7K

8.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$908 ฿30.4K

$730 ₸330.1K

24.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$554 ฿18.5K

$543 ₸245.7K

1.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,931 ฿64.5K

$1,053 ₸475.8K

83.44%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,445 ฿48.3K

$695 ₸314.0K

107.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$591 ฿19.7K

$566 ₸256.1K

4.31%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

19.25

-71.06%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 17, 2026

Last update for Karaganda: October 17, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$298 32.2%

Karaganda

$274 29.5% 8.1% $24

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$235 25.5%

Karaganda

$216 23.3% 8.2% $19

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$108 11.7%

Karaganda

$127 13.7% 17.7% $19

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$94 10.2%

Karaganda

$94 10.2% 0.1% $0.1

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$79 8.5%

Karaganda

$138 14.8% 75% $59

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$61 6.6%

Karaganda

$24 2.6% 60.8% $37

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$50 5.4%

Karaganda

$56 6% 12.1% $6.1

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $455 in Chiang Mai versus $400 in Karaganda. 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 4% higher in Chiang Mai. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $35.00 in Karaganda. Groceries tell a different story – $235 in Chiang Mai vs $216 in Karaganda – so Karaganda wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇰🇿 Karaganda

🕒 Local time

18:38 6:38 PM

17:38 5:38 PM

1 h behind Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

520,486

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Kazakhstani Tenge KZT ₸

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.99 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

1,000 KZT = 2.21 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 October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 33.42 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.57 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

Kazakhstani Tenge exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 452 KZT (1,000 KZT = 2.21 USD). 1 EUR = 508 KZT (1,000 KZT = 1.97 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Chiang Mai Karaganda 4,150 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
Karaganda

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 Karaganda: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,388 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,393 in Karaganda. 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Chiang Mai and $35.00 in Karaganda. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Public transport costs about 245% less in Chiang Mai. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $925, than in Karaganda at $929. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Karaganda it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $925 versus $929 in Karaganda. 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, Karaganda makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.