Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Kyiv

For one person, living is cheaper in Chiang Mai: $906 a month against $1,005 in Kyiv, rent and utilities included – about $1,200 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
49

Cost of Living Index in Kyiv
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Kyiv Living Index

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Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$906

/mo nomad

Kyiv

🇺🇦 Ukraine

$1,005

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

A single person spends $906 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,005 in Kyiv, rent included.

Chiang Mai $906
Kyiv $1,005

A couple spends around $1,385 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,556 in Kyiv, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,385
Kyiv $1,556

A family of three spends $1,864 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,107 in Kyiv, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,864
Kyiv $2,107

Chiang Mai is about 10% cheaper than Kyiv, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Chiang Mai and Kyiv are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 32% lower, Kyiv 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.13 ฿71.4

$11.04 ₴495

-80.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.40 ฿649

$33.92 ₴1,522

-42.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.47 ฿183

$7.59 ₴340

-27.93%

Cappuccino

$1.68 ฿56.4

$1.72 ₴77.2

-2.33%

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

$0.66 ฿22.10

$0.84 ₴37.57

-21.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.34 ฿11.52

$0.60 ₴26.72

-43.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.42 ฿81.0

$1.32 ₴59.0

83.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿125

$1.97 ₴88.4

89.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.06 ฿68.9

$1.36 ₴60.9

51.47%

White Bread (500g)

$1.46 ฿48.78

$0.90 ₴40.33

62.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.35 ฿45.09

$1.46 ₴65.4

-7.53%

Eggs

$2.27 ฿76.0

$1.97 ₴88.2

15.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.31 ฿546

$10.39 ₴466

56.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.70 ฿90.3

$5.41 ₴243

-50.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.20 ฿308

$8.90 ₴399

3.37%

Apples (1kg)

$2.39 ฿80.1

$1.19 ₴53.3

100.84%

Banana (1kg)

$1.04 ฿34.66

$1.55 ₴69.4

-32.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.60 ฿53.7

$1.86 ₴83.6

-13.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.44 ฿48.37

$2.74 ₴123

-47.45%

Potato (1kg)

$1.30 ฿43.59

$0.60 ₴27.07

116.67%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 ฿37.29

$0.49 ₴22.07

126.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ฿23.55

$1.38 ₴62.1

-49.28%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.99

$0.60 ₴27.04

-15.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.13 ฿138

$3.41 ₴153

21.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.78 ฿595

$5.51 ₴247

222.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ฿54.7

$0.95 ₴42.61

71.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 ฿96.0

$1.36 ₴61.1

111.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 ฿28.76

$0.57 ₴25.50

50.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.2 ฿1,780

$11.05 ₴496

381.00%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.22 ฿40.81

$2.25 ₴101

-45.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 ฿18.81

$0.43 ₴19.25

30.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.31 ฿77.5

$4.38 ₴196

-47.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.50 ฿50.2

$1.72 ₴77.2

-12.79%

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

$20.9K ฿698.3K

$28.8K ₴1.3M

-27.66%

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

$26.7K ฿895.0K

$25.8K ₴1.2M

3.58%

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

$61.3 ฿2,051

$99.5 ₴4,463

-38.43%

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

$12.50 ฿419

$7.19 ₴323

73.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.36 ฿682

$6.47 ₴290

214.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.94 ฿1,270

$36.23 ₴1,625

4.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.77 ฿126

$18.79 ₴843

-79.94%

Cinema Ticket

$6.60 ฿221

$5.65 ₴253

16.81%

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

$774 ฿25.9K

$411 ₴18.4K

88.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.4K ฿483.2K

$14.9K ₴667.2K

-2.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.8 ฿1,835

$74.0 ₴3,320

-25.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.26 ฿846

$39.09 ₴1,753

-35.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.6 ฿3,032

$97.1 ₴4,353

-6.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.3 ฿2,453

$120 ₴5,368

-38.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$459 ฿15.4K

$626 ₴28.1K

-26.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$294 ฿9,835

$342 ₴15.3K

-14.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$919 ฿30.8K

$1,253 ₴56.2K

-26.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$552 ฿18.5K

$616 ₴27.6K

-10.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,917 ฿64.2K

$2,637 ₴118.3K

-27.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,445 ฿48.4K

$1,132 ₴50.8K

27.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$592 ฿19.8K

$831 ₴37.3K

-28.72%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

17.88

-68.85%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 5, 2026

Last update for Kyiv: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$294 31.8%

Kyiv

$342 33.9% 16.5% $48

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$236 25.6%

Kyiv

$192 19% 18.8% $44

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$110 11.9%

Kyiv

$148 14.7% 35.2% $39

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$94 10.2%

Kyiv

$113 11.2% 20.2% $19

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$77 8.4%

Kyiv

$148 14.7% 91.6% $71

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$61 6.6%

Kyiv

$18 1.8% 70.8% $43

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$51 5.5%

Kyiv

$48 4.7% 7.1% $3.6

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $459 in Chiang Mai versus $626 in Kyiv. 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 40% higher in Kyiv, 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 $34.00 in Kyiv. Groceries tell a different story – $236 in Chiang Mai vs $192 in Kyiv – so Kyiv wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇺🇦 Kyiv

🕒 Local time

19:15 7:15 PM

15:15 3:15 PM

4 h behind Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

2,908,249 Capital

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Ukrainian Hryvnia UAH ₴

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.99 USD

100 THB = 2.67 EUR

100 UAH = 2.23 USD

100 UAH = 1.99 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

UAH, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 33.48 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.52 THB (100 THB = 2.67 EUR).

Ukrainian Hryvnia exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 44.85 UAH (100 UAH = 2.23 USD). 1 EUR = 50.26 UAH (100 UAH = 1.99 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Chiang Mai Kyiv 6,890 km ≈ 9 h nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
Kyiv

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 Kyiv: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kyiv costs about 11% more than Chiang Mai, 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 $1,359 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,508 in Kyiv. 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.

Kindergarten costs $774 per month in Chiang Mai and $411 in Kyiv. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 23% cheaper in Kyiv – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $906, than in Kyiv at $1,005. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Kyiv it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $906 versus $1,005 in Kyiv. 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, Kyiv makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.