Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Kirov

For one person, living is cheaper in Kirov: $804 a month against $925 in Chiang Mai, rent and utilities included – about $1,500 less a year. The total is higher in Chiang Mai despite lower rent and utilities.

45

Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai Living Index
38

Cost of Living Index in Kirov
Learn more

Kirov Living Index

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Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$925

/mo nomad

Kirov

🇷🇺 Russia

$804

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

A single person spends $925 per month in Chiang Mai vs $804 in Kirov, rent included.

Chiang Mai $925
Kirov $804

A couple spends around $1,414 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,240 in Kirov, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,414
Kirov $1,240

A family of three spends $1,903 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,676 in Kirov, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,903
Kirov $1,676

Chiang Mai costs about 15% more than Kirov, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Chiang Mai and Kirov are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 32% lower, Kirov 41% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.29 ฿76.5

$11.01 ₽919

-79.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.64 ฿656

$35.05 ₽2,925

-43.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.61 ฿188

$6.59 ₽550

-14.87%

Cappuccino

$1.66 ฿55.6

$2.94 ₽245

-43.54%

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

$0.70 ฿23.40

$1.07 ₽89.0

-34.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.24

$0.64 ₽53.4

-51.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿80.4

$1.23 ₽103

95.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.71 ฿124

$2.22 ₽185

67.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 ฿65.3

$1.01 ₽84.4

93.07%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 ฿47.03

$0.68 ₽56.7

107.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.31 ฿43.62

$1.60 ₽133

-18.13%

Eggs

$2.18 ฿72.9

$1.45 ₽121

50.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.65 ฿556

$10.78 ₽900

54.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.76 ฿92.2

$5.02 ₽419

-45.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.11 ฿304

Apples (1kg)

$2.39 ฿80.0

$1.88 ₽157

27.13%

Banana (1kg)

$1.03 ฿34.26

$1.88 ₽157

-45.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.63 ฿54.4

$1.14 ₽95.0

42.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.0

$5.15 ₽430

-70.87%

Potato (1kg)

$1.29 ฿43.13

$0.91 ₽76.2

41.76%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 ฿37.03

$1.12 ₽93.7

-0.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿24.08

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.59

$0.59 ₽49.49

-10.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.31 ฿144

$2.45 ₽205

75.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.95 ฿600

$4.80 ₽400

273.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 ฿52.9

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 ฿95.0

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 ฿28.86

$0.50 ₽41.79

72.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.3 ฿1,780

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.21 ฿40.29

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.57 ฿18.99

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.35 ฿78.6

$4.30 ₽359

-45.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 ฿47.96

$0.78 ₽65.4

84.62%

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

$20.7K ฿692.8K

$52.5K ₽4.4M

-60.50%

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

$26.8K ฿895.7K

$41.3K ₽3.4M

-35.17%

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

$62.3 ฿2,083

$128 ₽10.7K

-51.27%

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

$12.11 ฿405

$5.39 ₽450

124.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.94 ฿666

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.07 ฿1,239

$24.55 ₽2,049

51.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.78 ฿126

Cinema Ticket

$6.50 ฿217

$6.11 ₽510

6.38%

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

$793 ฿26.5K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿494.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.7 ฿1,796

$59.3 ₽4,951

-9.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.62 ฿823

$23.70 ₽1,978

3.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.9 ฿3,036

$72.7 ₽6,064

25.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.1 ฿2,378

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$455 ฿15.2K

$303 ₽25.3K

50.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$298 ฿9,954

$242 ₽20.2K

22.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$908 ฿30.4K

$654 ₽54.6K

38.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$554 ฿18.5K

$423 ₽35.3K

30.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,931 ฿64.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,445 ฿48.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$591 ฿19.7K

$615 ₽51.3K

-3.87%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 17, 2026

Last update for Kirov: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$298 32.2%

Kirov

$242 30.1% 18.7% $56

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$235 25.5%

Kirov

$159 * 19.8% 32.4% $76

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$108 11.7%

Kirov

$70 * 8.7% 35.2% $38

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$94 10.2%

Kirov

$133 * 16.6% 41.2% $39

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$79 8.5%

Kirov

$161 20% 104% $82

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$61 6.6%

Kirov

$2 * 0.3% 96.7% $59

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$50 5.4%

Kirov

$37 4.6% 26.5% $13

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $455 in Chiang Mai versus $303 in Kirov. 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 Kirov, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $35.00 in Kirov. Groceries tell a different story – $235 in Chiang Mai vs $159 in Kirov – so Kirov wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇷🇺 Kirov

🕒 Local time

03:56 3:56 AM

23:56 11:56 PM

4 h behind Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

521,091

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Russian Ruble RUB ₽

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.99 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

100 RUB = 1.2 USD

100 RUB = 1.07 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 23, 2026: 1 USD = 33.42 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.57 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

Russian Ruble exchange rates as of October 23, 2026: 1 USD = 83.46 RUB (100 RUB = 1.2 USD). 1 EUR = 93.83 RUB (100 RUB = 1.07 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Chiang Mai Kirov 5,940 km ≈ 8 h nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
Kirov

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 Kirov: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 15% more than Kirov, 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 $1,388 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,206 in Kirov. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $925 in Chiang Mai and $804 in Kirov. That's a gap of about 15%.

Groceries cost about 48% 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.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Kirov, where all-in costs run around $804, than in Chiang Mai at $925. In Kirov it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiang Mai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Kirov costs $804 versus $925 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 Kirov. 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.