Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Kurgan

For one person, living is cheaper in Kurgan: $615 a month against $936 in Chiang Mai, rent and utilities included – about $3,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

45

Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai Living Index
30

Cost of Living Index in Kurgan
Learn more

Kurgan Living Index

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Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$936

/mo nomad

Kurgan

🇷🇺 Russia

$615

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

A single person spends $936 per month in Chiang Mai vs $615 in Kurgan, rent included.

Chiang Mai $936
Kurgan $615

A couple spends around $1,457 per month in Chiang Mai vs $991 in Kurgan, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,457
Kurgan $991

A family of three spends $1,979 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,368 in Kurgan, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,979
Kurgan $1,368

Chiang Mai costs about 52% more than Kurgan, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Chiang Mai and Kurgan are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 31% lower, Kurgan 55% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.24 ฿75.6

$8.42 ₽678

-73.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.00 ฿641

$29.14 ₽2,347

-34.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.55 ฿187

$5.43 ₽437

2.21%

Cappuccino

$1.67 ฿56.5

$2.74 ₽220

-39.05%

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

$0.64 ฿21.55

$1.18 ₽95.0

-45.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.31

$0.59 ₽47.90

-47.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.36 ฿79.6

$3.76 ₽303

-37.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿124

$4.98 ₽401

-26.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 ฿65.8

$1.14 ₽91.7

71.05%

White Bread (500g)

$1.44 ฿48.48

$0.86 ₽69.4

67.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 ฿45.04

$1.21 ₽97.7

9.92%

Eggs

$2.28 ฿77.1

$1.47 ₽118

55.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.45 ฿555

$10.98 ₽885

49.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.78 ฿93.9

$4.99 ₽402

-44.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.31 ฿314

$11.78 ₽949

-20.97%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 ฿79.4

$1.96 ₽158

19.90%

Banana (1kg)

$0.97 ฿32.80

$1.84 ₽148

-47.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.60 ฿53.9

$2.13 ₽172

-24.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.6

$2.79 ₽225

-46.24%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿43.12

$0.89 ₽71.8

43.82%

Onion (1kg)

$1.10 ฿37.19

$0.77 ₽62.2

42.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 ฿23.82

$1.83 ₽147

-61.20%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.37

$0.53 ₽43.02

-7.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.14 ฿140

$2.89 ₽233

43.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.52 ฿591

$6.68 ₽538

162.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.61 ฿54.5

$0.96 ₽77.0

67.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿94.0

$1.91 ₽154

45.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.87 ฿29.31

$0.49 ₽39.07

77.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.1 ฿1,826

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.16 ฿39.06

$2.45 ₽197

-52.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ฿17.80

$0.63 ₽51.0

-15.87%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.42 ฿81.8

$7.30 ₽588

-66.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.90

$0.87 ₽70.4

66.67%

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

$21.1K ฿710.7K

$54.3K ₽4.4M

-61.21%

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

$26.9K ฿909.3K

$42.0K ₽3.4M

-35.86%

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

$62.2 ฿2,098

$97.1 ₽7,820

-35.97%

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

$12.17 ฿411

$7.08 ₽570

71.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.12 ฿679

$9.48 ₽764

112.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.31 ฿1,259

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.77 ฿127

Cinema Ticket

$6.49 ฿219

$4.24 ₽342

53.07%

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

$736 ฿24.8K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿498.3K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.4 ฿1,801

$99.8 ₽8,040

-46.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.64 ฿831

$31.02 ₽2,498

-20.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.5 ฿3,087

$93.2 ₽7,505

-1.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.9 ฿2,428

$55.1 ₽4,438

30.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.3K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$309 ฿10.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 ฿33.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$633 ฿21.4K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,363 ฿79.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,589 ฿53.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$590 ฿19.9K

$1,004 ₽80.8K

-41.26%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

20.32

-72.59%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 26, 2026

Last update for Kurgan: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$309 33%

Kurgan

- * 0% 100%

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$234 25.1%

Kurgan

$207 33.7% 11.6% $27

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$109 11.6%

Kurgan

$126 20.4% 15.6% $17

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$94 10.1%

Kurgan

$114 18.5% 20.3% $19

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$78 8.3%

Kurgan

$152 24.8% 96.3% $75

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$61 6.6%

Kurgan

$7.6 * 1.2% 87.7% $54

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$50 5.4%

Kurgan

$8.5 * 1.4% 83.1% $42

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

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 70% higher in Kurgan, 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 $19 in Chiang Mai versus $29 in Kurgan. Groceries tell a different story – $234 in Chiang Mai vs $207 in Kurgan – so Kurgan wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇷🇺 Kurgan

🕒 Local time

11:10 11:10 AM

09:10 9:10 AM

2 h behind Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

309,285

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Russian Ruble RUB ₽

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.96 USD

100 THB = 2.65 EUR

100 RUB = 1.24 USD

100 RUB = 1.11 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 November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 33.75 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.68 THB (100 THB = 2.65 EUR).

Russian Ruble exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 80.53 RUB (100 RUB = 1.24 USD). 1 EUR = 89.92 RUB (100 RUB = 1.11 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Chiang Mai Kurgan 4,960 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
Kurgan

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 Kurgan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 52% more than Kurgan, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from transport. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,403 per month in Chiang Mai and $922 in Kurgan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $936 in Chiang Mai and $615 in Kurgan. That makes Kurgan about 34% cheaper.

Groceries cost about 13% more in Chiang Mai, though the gap depends on what you buy.

It depends on your priorities. Chiang Mai has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $615 in Kurgan to $936 in Chiang Mai. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.