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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $958 in Kislovodsk, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,360 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,500 in Kislovodsk, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,867 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,042 in Kislovodsk, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 11% cheaper than Kislovodsk, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and Kislovodsk are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Kislovodsk 28% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.04 ฿68.2

$9.24 ₽735

-77.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.71 ฿624

$37.58 ₽2,991

-50.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.86 ฿262

$5.62 ₽447

39.86%

Cappuccino

$2.03 ฿67.7

$2.31 ₽184

-12.12%

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

$0.80 ฿26.64

$1.12 ₽89.5

-28.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.68

$0.48 ₽38.31

-27.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.5

$1.37 ₽109

56.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿122

$2.60 ₽207

41.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 ฿57.6

$1.11 ₽88.2

55.86%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.4

$0.70 ₽55.8

124.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 ฿39.99

$1.37 ₽109

-12.41%

Eggs

$1.97 ฿65.8

$1.70 ₽136

15.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.23 ฿541

$10.72 ₽853

51.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.06 ฿102

$4.92 ₽392

-37.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.80 ฿360

$8.83 ₽702

22.31%

Apples (1kg)

$2.77 ฿92.3

$1.75 ₽140

58.29%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.94

$1.89 ₽151

-38.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 ฿57.0

$2.00 ₽159

-14.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿53.2

$2.67 ₽213

-40.45%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.51

$0.79 ₽62.6

75.95%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 ฿38.56

$0.68 ₽54.0

70.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿22.05

$1.34 ₽107

-50.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.31

$0.72 ₽57.2

-27.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 ฿155

$3.00 ₽239

55.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.78 ฿593

$6.55 ₽521

171.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ฿59.6

$0.95 ₽75.4

88.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 ฿111

$1.95 ₽156

71.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿30.27

$0.49 ₽39.19

85.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.64 ฿622

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿47.04

$1.95 ₽155

-27.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.70

$0.32 ₽25.75

318.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.11 ฿270

$6.52 ₽519

24.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿41.16

$0.77 ₽61.3

59.74%

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

$21.4K ฿715.1K

$34.6K ₽2.8M

-38.02%

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

$21.8K ฿728.0K

$35.8K ₽2.9M

-39.11%

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

$71.3 ฿2,379

$110 ₽8,744

-35.07%

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

$14.01 ฿467

$6.08 ₽484

130.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.93 ฿598

$8.02 ₽638

123.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.82 ฿1,362

$35.16 ₽2,798

16.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿230

Cinema Ticket

$5.72 ฿191

$5.03 ₽401

13.72%

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

$308 ฿10.3K

$330 ₽26.3K

-6.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿489.7K

$7,077 ₽563.3K

107.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,860

$69.0 ₽5,489

-19.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.04 ฿869

$44.90 ₽3,574

-42.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 ฿2,829

$112 ₽8,933

-24.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.0 ฿2,368

$107 ₽8,483

-33.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$423 ฿14.1K

$439 ₽35.0K

-3.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 ฿8,088

$309 ₽24.6K

-21.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$797 ฿26.6K

$768 ₽61.1K

3.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$507 ฿16.9K

$515 ₽41.0K

-1.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,918 ฿64.0K

$2,267 ₽180.4K

-15.39%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,464 ฿48.8K

$1,520 ₽120.9K

-3.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

$818 ₽65.1K

-27.26%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

15.33

-67.38%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 27, 2026

Last update for Kislovodsk: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $423 in Chiang Mai versus $439 in Kislovodsk. 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 37% higher in Kislovodsk, 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 $38.00 in Kislovodsk. Groceries tell a different story – $244 in Chiang Mai vs $195 in Kislovodsk – so Kislovodsk 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 Kislovodsk: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kislovodsk costs about 12% 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 $1,279 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,437 in Kislovodsk. 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai and $38.00 in Kislovodsk. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 26% cheaper in Kislovodsk – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $852 in Chiang Mai and $958 in Kislovodsk, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $852 versus $958 in Kislovodsk. 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, Kislovodsk makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.