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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $979 in Makhachkala, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,351 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,491 in Makhachkala, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,835 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,002 in Makhachkala, rent included.

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

Both Chiang Mai and Makhachkala are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Makhachkala 27% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ฿63.5

$15.31 ₽1,125

-87.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 ฿609

$38.77 ₽2,848

-51.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 ฿255

$5.20 ₽382

50.38%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.8

$3.12 ₽229

-37.50%

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

$0.85 ฿27.77

$0.84 ₽62.0

1.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.58

$0.35 ₽25.81

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.6

$1.36 ₽99.6

56.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

$2.50 ₽184

49.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿56.0

$1.51 ₽111

13.25%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$0.60 ₽44.23

171.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ฿37.15

$1.38 ₽101

-17.39%

Eggs

$1.93 ฿63.1

$1.37 ₽101

40.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ฿530

$2.97 ₽218

445.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿102

$4.80 ₽353

-35.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿356

$4.92 ₽361

121.54%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ฿90.0

$1.74 ₽128

58.05%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.52

$1.75 ₽129

-30.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.0

$2.72 ₽200

-40.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$1.89 ₽139

-15.87%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿45.70

$0.88 ₽64.5

59.09%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.17

$0.49 ₽35.84

138.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.60

$2.36 ₽173

-72.03%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.22

$0.59 ₽43.05

-10.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿153

$3.19 ₽234

47.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿609

$4.22 ₽310

342.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.8

$1.04 ₽76.4

73.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$1.85 ₽136

74.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.26

$0.43 ₽31.44

109.30%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.91

$2.22 ₽163

-36.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.12

$0.21 ₽15.53

514.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$6.18 ₽454

26.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.58

$0.70 ₽51.3

81.43%

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

$21.3K ฿694.9K

$35.3K ₽2.6M

-39.69%

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

$22.2K ฿725.4K

$30.3K ₽2.2M

-26.59%

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

$69.1 ฿2,256

$54.9 ₽4,033

25.81%

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

$14.08 ฿460

$6.13 ₽450

129.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿588

$9.84 ₽723

82.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,341

$46.58 ₽3,421

-11.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿193

$5.02 ₽369

17.93%

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

$299 ฿9,766

$166 ₽12.2K

79.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿488.3K

$7,077 ₽519.9K

111.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,787

$106 ₽7,777

-48.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.77 ฿874

$44.24 ₽3,250

-39.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 ฿2,776

$105 ₽7,704

-18.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,306

$145 ₽10.7K

-51.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

$501 ₽36.8K

-14.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,752

$305 ₽22.4K

-22.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.2K

$698 ₽51.2K

14.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$399 ₽29.3K

29.07%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

$1,789 ₽131.4K

10.38%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

$1,289 ₽94.7K

14.47%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

$860 ₽63.1K

-28.16%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.33

-55.87%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Last update for Makhachkala: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $428 in Chiang Mai versus $501 in Makhachkala. 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 39% higher in Makhachkala, 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 Makhachkala. Groceries tell a different story – $246 in Chiang Mai vs $157 in Makhachkala – so Makhachkala 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 Makhachkala: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Makhachkala costs about 13% 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 $1,300 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,468 in Makhachkala. 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 Makhachkala. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 57% cheaper in Makhachkala – 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 $866, than in Makhachkala at $979. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Makhachkala it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $866 versus $979 in Makhachkala. 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, Makhachkala makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.