Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Krasnoyarsk

For one person, living is cheaper in Chiang Mai: $925 a month against $1,172 in Krasnoyarsk, rent and utilities included – about $3,000 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Chiang Mai
🇹🇭 Thailand
$925
/mo nomad
Krasnoyarsk
🇷🇺 Russia
$1,172
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

A single person spends $925 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,172 in Krasnoyarsk, rent included.

  • Chiang Mai $925
  • Krasnoyarsk $1,172

A couple spends around $1,414 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,870 in Krasnoyarsk, rent included.

  • Chiang Mai $1,414
  • Krasnoyarsk $1,870

A family of three spends $1,903 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,569 in Krasnoyarsk, rent included.

  • Chiang Mai $1,903
  • Krasnoyarsk $2,569

Chiang Mai is about 21% cheaper than Krasnoyarsk, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both Chiang Mai and Krasnoyarsk are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 32% lower, Krasnoyarsk 14% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Chiang Mai
Krasnoyarsk
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.29 ฿76.5
$12.00 ₽1,002
-80.92%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$19.64 ฿656
$44.45 ₽3,710
-55.82%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.61 ฿188
$6.20 ₽518
-9.52%
Cappuccino
$1.66 ฿55.6
$2.94 ₽245
-43.54%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.70 ฿23.40
$1.14 ₽95.3
-38.60%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.31 ฿10.24
$0.53 ₽44.01
-41.51%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.41 ฿80.4
$2.39 ₽199
0.84%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.71 ฿124
$3.62 ₽302
2.49%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Chiang Mai
Krasnoyarsk
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.95 ฿65.3
$1.24 ₽104
57.26%
White Bread (500g)
$1.41 ฿47.03
$0.87 ₽72.9
62.07%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.31 ฿43.62
$1.45 ₽121
-9.66%
Eggs
$2.18 ฿72.9
$1.55 ₽129
40.65%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$16.65 ฿556
$12.81 ₽1,070
29.98%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$2.76 ฿92.2
$6.62 ₽552
-58.31%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$9.11 ฿304
$12.81 ₽1,069
-28.88%
Apples (1kg)
$2.39 ฿80.0
$2.02 ₽168
18.32%
Banana (1kg)
$1.03 ฿34.26
$2.00 ₽167
-48.50%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.63 ฿54.4
$1.40 ₽117
16.43%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.50 ฿50.0
$5.51 ₽460
-72.78%
Potato (1kg)
$1.29 ฿43.13
$0.57 ₽47.68
126.32%
Onion (1kg)
$1.11 ฿37.03
$0.53 ₽44.08
109.43%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.72 ฿24.08
$1.19 ₽99.6
-39.50%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.53 ฿17.59
$0.86 ₽72.1
-38.37%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.31 ฿144
$4.84 ₽404
-10.95%
Wine (Bottle)
$17.95 ฿600
$7.57 ₽631
137.12%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.58 ฿52.9
$1.45 ₽121
8.97%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.84 ฿95.0
$2.97 ₽247
-4.38%
🚌 Getting Around
Chiang Mai
Krasnoyarsk
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.86 ฿28.86
$0.57 ₽47.18
50.88%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$53.3 ฿1,780
$42.66 ₽3,560
24.89%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.21 ฿40.29
$3.07 ₽256
-60.59%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.57 ฿18.99
$0.14 ₽11.84
307.14%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$2.35 ฿78.6
$3.72 ₽311
-36.83%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.44 ฿47.96
$0.83 ₽68.9
73.49%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$20.7K ฿692.8K
$53.2K ₽4.4M
-61.02%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.8K ฿895.7K
$39.5K ₽3.3M
-32.23%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Chiang Mai
Krasnoyarsk
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$62.3 ฿2,083
$118 ₽9,843
-47.15%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$12.11 ฿405
$5.47 ₽456
121.39%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$19.94 ฿666
$9.10 ₽760
119.12%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Chiang Mai
Krasnoyarsk
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$37.07 ฿1,239
$35.32 ₽2,948
4.95%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$3.78 ฿126
$23.07 ₽1,925
-83.62%
Cinema Ticket
$6.50 ฿217
$6.18 ₽516
5.18%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Chiang Mai
Krasnoyarsk
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$793 ฿26.5K
$376 ₽31.4K
110.63%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$14.8K ฿494.9K
-
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Chiang Mai
Krasnoyarsk
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$53.7 ฿1,796
$79.1 ₽6,605
-32.09%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$24.62 ฿823
$49.07 ₽4,095
-49.83%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$90.9 ฿3,036
$242 ₽20.2K
-62.39%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$71.1 ฿2,378
$149 ₽12.4K
-52.18%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Chiang Mai
Krasnoyarsk
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$455 ฿15.2K
$399 ₽33.3K
14.13%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$298 ฿9,954
$289 ₽24.1K
2.97%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$908 ฿30.4K
$806 ₽67.2K
12.75%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$554 ฿18.5K
$545 ₽45.5K
1.61%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,931 ฿64.5K
$2,285 ₽190.7K
-15.51%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,445 ฿48.3K
$1,430 ₽119.3K
1.02%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Chiang Mai
Krasnoyarsk
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$591 ฿19.7K
$807 ₽67.4K
-26.81%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.57
22.25
-74.97%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 17, 2026

Last update for Krasnoyarsk: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Chiang Mai
$298
Krasnoyarsk
$289 2.9% $8.6
Groceries & Markets
Chiang Mai
$235
Krasnoyarsk
$245 3.9% $9.1
Clothing & Footwear
Chiang Mai
$108
Krasnoyarsk
$233 116% $125
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Chiang Mai
$94
Krasnoyarsk
$133 40.4% $38
Eating Out
Chiang Mai
$79
Krasnoyarsk
$176 124% $97
Getting Around
Chiang Mai
$61
Krasnoyarsk
$49 19.9% $12
Sport & Entertainment
Chiang Mai
$50
Krasnoyarsk
$48 4.8% $2.4

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $455 in Chiang Mai versus $399 in Krasnoyarsk. 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 Krasnoyarsk, 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $44.00 in Krasnoyarsk. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $235 vs $245 – making Chiang Mai the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇹🇭 Chiang Mai
🇷🇺 Krasnoyarsk
🕒 Local time
19:43 7:43 PM
19:43 7:43 PM
Same time as Chiang Mai
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
127,240
1,092,851
💱 Currency
Thai Baht THB ฿
Exchange rates and currency converter

RUB, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

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).

Russian Ruble exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 83.46 RUB (100 RUB = 1.2 USD). 1 EUR = 93.83 RUB (100 RUB = 1.07 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Chiang Mai Krasnoyarsk 4,170 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Chiang Mai
  • Krasnoyarsk

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 Krasnoyarsk: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Chiang Mai or Krasnoyarsk?
Krasnoyarsk costs about 27% more than Chiang Mai, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from clothing. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Chiang Mai and in Krasnoyarsk?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,388 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,758 in Krasnoyarsk. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Chiang Mai or Krasnoyarsk?
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.
How do childcare costs compare in Chiang Mai and in Krasnoyarsk?
Kindergarten costs $793 per month in Chiang Mai and $376 in Krasnoyarsk. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Are groceries more expensive in Chiang Mai or in Krasnoyarsk?
Groceries cost about 4% more in Krasnoyarsk, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Chiang Mai or in Krasnoyarsk?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $925, than in Krasnoyarsk at $1,172. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Krasnoyarsk it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Chiang Mai or Krasnoyarsk?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $925 versus $1,172 in Krasnoyarsk. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.
How safe is Chiang Mai compared to Krasnoyarsk?
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.
Should I move to Chiang Mai or to Krasnoyarsk?
If budget matters most, go with Chiang Mai. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Krasnoyarsk makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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