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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $690 in Kharkiv, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,351 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,069 in Kharkiv, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,835 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,448 in Kharkiv, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 26% more than Kharkiv, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Kharkiv are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Kharkiv 49% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ฿63.5

$7.36 ₴326

-73.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 ฿609

$27.16 ₴1,204

-31.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 ฿255

$6.15 ₴273

27.15%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.8

$1.35 ₴59.7

44.44%

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

$0.85 ฿27.77

$0.61 ₴26.84

39.34%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.58

$0.41 ₴18.08

-14.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.6

$1.02 ₴45.37

108.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

$1.49 ₴66.3

150.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿56.0

$1.10 ₴48.80

55.45%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$0.57 ₴25.32

185.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ฿37.15

$1.24 ₴55.0

-8.06%

Eggs

$1.93 ฿63.1

$1.55 ₴68.9

24.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ฿530

$7.98 ₴354

103.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿102

$4.01 ₴178

-22.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿356

$6.72 ₴298

62.20%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ฿90.0

$0.85 ₴37.60

223.53%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.52

$1.62 ₴71.9

-25.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.0

$1.85 ₴82.0

-12.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$2.25 ₴99.7

-29.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿45.70

$0.61 ₴27.19

129.51%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.17

$0.56 ₴24.79

108.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.60

$1.03 ₴45.73

-35.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.22

$0.54 ₴24.09

-1.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿153

$2.57 ₴114

82.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿609

$4.52 ₴201

312.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.8

$0.75 ₴33.45

140.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$1.25 ₴55.6

158.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.26

$0.35 ₴15.48

157.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.91

$1.43 ₴63.4

-1.40%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.12

$0.25 ₴11.13

416.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$2.84 ₴126

176.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.58

$1.34 ₴59.5

-5.22%

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

$21.3K ฿694.9K

$26.8K ₴1.2M

-20.69%

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

$22.2K ฿725.4K

$23.9K ₴1.1M

-6.95%

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

$69.1 ฿2,256

$114 ₴5,066

-39.53%

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

$14.08 ฿460

$5.60 ₴248

151.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿588

$6.05 ₴268

197.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,341

$24.93 ₴1,106

64.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$15.88 ₴704

-56.17%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿193

$4.88 ₴217

21.31%

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

$299 ฿9,766

$350 ₴15.5K

-14.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿488.3K

$3,174 ₴140.8K

371.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,787

$56.0 ₴2,484

-2.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.77 ฿874

$40.66 ₴1,803

-34.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 ฿2,776

$83.8 ₴3,716

1.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,306

$105 ₴4,642

-32.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

$183 ₴8,095

134.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,752

$131 ₴5,831

80.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.2K

$362 ₴16.1K

121.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$241 ₴10.7K

114.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

$1,065 ₴47.2K

85.41%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

$592 ₴26.2K

149.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

$493 ₴21.8K

25.35%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

-70.59%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Last update for Kharkiv: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $428 in Chiang Mai versus $183 in Kharkiv. 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 25% 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $27.00 in Kharkiv. Groceries tell a different story – $246 in Chiang Mai vs $154 in Kharkiv – so Kharkiv 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 Kharkiv: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 26% more than Kharkiv, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,300 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,035 in Kharkiv. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Kharkiv, 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai and $27.00 in Kharkiv. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 60% 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.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $866 in Chiang Mai and $690 in Kharkiv, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Kharkiv costs $690 versus $866 in Chiang Mai. 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 Kharkiv. 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.