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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $845 per month in Chiang Mai vs $956 in Nizhnevartovsk, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,323 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,485 in Nizhnevartovsk, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,802 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,015 in Nizhnevartovsk, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 12% cheaper than Nizhnevartovsk, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and Nizhnevartovsk are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 37% lower, Nizhnevartovsk 29% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.95 ฿62.8

$9.59 ₽720

-79.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.43 ฿594

$37.47 ₽2,812

-50.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.50 ฿241

$5.67 ₽425

32.28%

Cappuccino

$1.93 ฿62.3

$2.27 ₽170

-14.98%

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

$0.78 ฿25.08

$1.08 ₽81.3

-27.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ฿10.42

$0.51 ₽38.44

-37.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.15 ฿69.2

$1.41 ₽105

52.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.71 ฿120

$2.59 ₽195

43.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿55.2

$1.11 ₽83.4

54.05%

White Bread (500g)

$1.56 ฿50.3

$0.69 ₽52.0

126.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.06

$1.38 ₽104

-14.49%

Eggs

$1.98 ฿63.9

$1.72 ₽129

15.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.04 ฿517

$10.85 ₽814

47.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.17 ฿102

$4.76 ₽357

-33.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿353

$8.93 ₽670

22.51%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 ฿84.7

$1.75 ₽131

50.29%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿37.61

$1.90 ₽142

-38.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.65 ฿53.0

$2.00 ₽150

-17.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.54 ฿49.51

$2.78 ₽209

-44.60%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿44.34

$0.85 ₽63.8

62.35%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿37.54

$0.70 ₽52.8

67.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.25

$1.41 ₽106

-53.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.55

$0.67 ₽50.6

-23.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.52 ฿146

$2.91 ₽219

55.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.32 ฿590

$8.23 ₽617

122.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿57.9

$1.00 ₽75.1

80.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 ฿102

$1.94 ₽146

63.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿28.97

$0.53 ₽40.00

69.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.00 ฿612

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.50

$1.84 ₽138

-23.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.31 ฿42.15

$0.35 ₽26.47

274.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.09 ฿261

$6.45 ₽484

25.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 ฿41.08

$0.71 ₽53.5

80.28%

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

$21.3K ฿686.1K

$34.9K ₽2.6M

-39.07%

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

$21.7K ฿699.3K

$35.3K ₽2.7M

-38.58%

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

$69.2 ฿2,230

$110 ₽8,234

-36.93%

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

$13.97 ฿450

$6.10 ₽457

129.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.95 ฿578

$7.64 ₽574

134.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.31 ฿1,363

$36.11 ₽2,710

17.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.66 ฿214

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿191

$5.15 ₽387

14.95%

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

$299 ฿9,640

$318 ₽23.8K

-5.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿478.4K

$6,920 ₽519.3K

114.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.2 ฿1,810

$68.7 ₽5,153

-18.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.94 ฿868

$45.27 ₽3,397

-40.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.9 ฿2,735

$114 ₽8,553

-25.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.8 ฿2,314

$106 ₽7,918

-31.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$435 ฿14.0K

$441 ₽33.1K

-1.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$240 ฿7,727

$310 ₽23.3K

-22.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$798 ฿25.7K

$748 ₽56.2K

6.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$498 ฿16.1K

$501 ₽37.6K

-0.48%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,995 ฿64.3K

$1,100 ₽82.6K

81.35%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,532 ฿49.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$628 ฿20.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.5

-62.96%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 20, 2026

Last update for Nizhnevartovsk: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $435 in Chiang Mai versus $441 in Nizhnevartovsk. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $18 in Chiang Mai versus $37 in Nizhnevartovsk. Groceries tell a different story – $244 in Chiang Mai vs $199 in Nizhnevartovsk – so Nizhnevartovsk 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 Nizhnevartovsk: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Nizhnevartovsk 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 $1,267 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,433 in Nizhnevartovsk. 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 $18.00 in Chiang Mai and $37.00 in Nizhnevartovsk. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 23% cheaper in Nizhnevartovsk – 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 $845 in Chiang Mai and $956 in Nizhnevartovsk, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $845 versus $956 in Nizhnevartovsk. 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, Nizhnevartovsk makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.