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 $869 per month in Chiang Mai vs $964 in Kislovodsk, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,362 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,477 in Kislovodsk, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,855 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,990 in Kislovodsk, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 10% cheaper than Kislovodsk, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and Kislovodsk are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Kislovodsk 28% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.98 ฿64.3

$9.43 ₽684

-79.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.80 ฿612

$38.53 ₽2,792

-51.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.75 ฿252

$5.88 ₽426

31.80%

Cappuccino

$1.92 ฿62.5

$2.29 ₽166

-16.16%

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

$0.79 ฿25.79

$1.07 ₽77.8

-26.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.62

$0.52 ₽37.87

-30.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$1.43 ₽104

54.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

$2.60 ₽188

40.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿53.8

$1.12 ₽80.9

47.32%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$0.70 ₽50.4

132.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.86

$1.38 ₽100

-13.77%

Eggs

$2.00 ฿65.1

$1.71 ₽124

16.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.98 ฿520

$10.69 ₽775

49.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.03 ฿98.5

$4.88 ₽354

-37.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 ฿354

$8.75 ₽634

24.11%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 ฿90.0

$1.74 ₽126

58.62%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.42

$1.82 ₽132

-35.16%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$1.91 ₽138

-14.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.51

$2.65 ₽192

-42.64%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿45.10

$0.79 ₽56.9

74.68%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.84

$0.67 ₽48.89

77.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ฿22.86

$1.34 ₽97.3

-47.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.13

$0.66 ₽47.94

-15.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.58 ฿149

$3.02 ₽219

51.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.56 ฿539

$7.32 ₽531

126.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿59.5

$1.00 ₽72.8

83.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 ฿104

$1.88 ₽136

70.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿28.56

$0.49 ₽35.29

79.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.72 ฿610

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿44.16

$1.86 ₽135

-26.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿43.65

$0.32 ₽23.43

318.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$6.33 ₽459

23.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿39.92

$0.78 ₽56.4

57.69%

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

$21.6K ฿704.3K

$33.7K ₽2.4M

-35.84%

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

$22.5K ฿734.3K

$36.1K ₽2.6M

-37.50%

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

$70.5 ฿2,298

$109 ₽7,898

-35.28%

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

$13.68 ฿445

$6.07 ₽440

125.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.45 ฿568

$7.67 ₽556

127.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.33 ฿1,346

$36.10 ₽2,616

14.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

Cinema Ticket

$5.77 ฿188

$5.18 ₽375

11.39%

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

$307 ฿10.0K

$329 ₽23.8K

-6.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿475.9K

$7,048 ₽510.7K

107.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,817

$70.8 ₽5,129

-21.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.21 ฿854

$43.72 ₽3,168

-40.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 ฿2,793

$112 ₽8,124

-23.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.2 ฿2,353

$108 ₽7,855

-33.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$430 ฿14.0K

$441 ₽31.9K

-2.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿7,774

$304 ₽22.0K

-21.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$817 ฿26.6K

$747 ₽54.1K

9.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$511 ฿16.6K

$503 ₽36.5K

1.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,983 ฿64.6K

$2,445 ₽177.1K

-18.88%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,484 ฿48.3K

$1,637 ₽118.7K

-9.38%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$619 ฿20.2K

$847 ₽61.4K

-26.97%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Kislovodsk: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $430 in Chiang Mai versus $441 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 $39.00 in Kislovodsk. Groceries tell a different story – $241 in Chiang Mai vs $194 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 11% 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 $1,446 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 $39.00 in Kislovodsk. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 24% 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 $869 in Chiang Mai and $964 in Kislovodsk, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $869 versus $964 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.