Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Nizhny Novgorod

For one person, living is cheaper in Chiang Mai: $938 a month against $1,232 in Nizhny Novgorod, rent and utilities included – about $3,500 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
60

Cost of Living Index in Nizhny Novgorod
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Nizhny Novgorod Living Index

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Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$938

/mo nomad

Nizhny Novgorod

🇷🇺 Russia

$1,232

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chiang Mai and in Nizhny Novgorod

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

A single person spends $938 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,232 in Nizhny Novgorod, rent included.

Chiang Mai $938
Nizhny Novgorod $1,232

A couple spends around $1,426 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,855 in Nizhny Novgorod, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,426
Nizhny Novgorod $1,855

A family of three spends $1,914 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,479 in Nizhny Novgorod, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,914
Nizhny Novgorod $2,479

Chiang Mai is about 24% cheaper than Nizhny Novgorod, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Chiang Mai and Nizhny Novgorod are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 30% lower, Nizhny Novgorod 9% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.26 ฿75.4

$13.93 ₽1,163

-83.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.18 ฿641

$53.0 ₽4,420

-63.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.59 ฿187

$7.06 ₽589

-20.82%

Cappuccino

$1.72 ฿57.6

$3.30 ₽275

-47.88%

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

$0.64 ฿21.54

$1.74 ₽145

-63.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 ฿11.18

$0.70 ₽58.2

-52.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.36 ฿78.7

$1.86 ₽156

26.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.90 ฿130

$3.70 ₽309

5.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 ฿68.6

$1.19 ₽99.6

72.27%

White Bread (500g)

$1.40 ฿46.70

$0.82 ₽68.2

70.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.89

$1.47 ₽123

-12.93%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.3

$1.61 ₽134

39.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.94 ฿566

$11.65 ₽972

45.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.74 ฿91.6

$4.59 ₽383

-40.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.36 ฿313

$13.56 ₽1,132

-30.97%

Apples (1kg)

$2.40 ฿80.3

$1.70 ₽142

41.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.01 ฿33.92

$1.70 ₽142

-40.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.61 ฿53.9

$1.76 ₽147

-8.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿50.7

$3.66 ₽306

-58.47%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.90

$0.68 ₽57.1

88.24%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 ฿37.22

$0.61 ₽50.7

81.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿24.09

$1.28 ₽107

-43.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.54

$0.74 ₽61.6

-29.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.33 ฿145

$2.96 ₽247

46.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.73 ฿593

$8.17 ₽682

117.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ฿54.4

$1.09 ₽90.9

49.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.85 ฿95.3

$2.35 ₽196

21.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 ฿28.31

$0.46 ₽38.56

84.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.9 ฿1,801

$16.96 ₽1,416

217.81%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 ฿39.18

$2.13 ₽177

-45.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.57 ฿19.00

$0.44 ₽36.57

29.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.37 ฿79.2

$7.19 ₽600

-67.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.32

$0.81 ₽67.6

79.01%

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

$20.5K ฿684.3K

$42.4K ₽3.5M

-51.66%

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

$26.5K ฿886.1K

$32.8K ₽2.7M

-19.07%

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

$62.3 ฿2,083

$144 ₽12.0K

-56.71%

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

$12.27 ฿410

$7.12 ₽594

72.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.97 ฿668

$8.03 ₽670

148.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.91 ฿1,267

$32.72 ₽2,730

15.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.76 ฿126

$26.32 ₽2,197

-85.71%

Cinema Ticket

$6.71 ฿224

$7.22 ₽603

-7.06%

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

$797 ฿26.6K

$309 ₽25.8K

157.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿495.7K

$6,940 ₽579.2K

113.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.3 ฿1,780

$69.3 ₽5,781

-23.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.05 ฿837

$54.3 ₽4,531

-53.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.6 ฿3,062

$141 ₽11.8K

-34.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.5 ฿2,455

$83.4 ₽6,963

-11.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$464 ฿15.5K

$610 ₽50.9K

-23.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$305 ฿10.2K

$428 ₽35.7K

-28.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$915 ฿30.6K

$863 ₽72.0K

6.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$552 ฿18.5K

$614 ₽51.3K

-10.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,912 ฿63.9K

$3,279 ₽273.7K

-41.70%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,438 ฿48.1K

$2,075 ₽173.2K

-30.69%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

$1,024 ₽85.4K

-41.85%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

20.81

-73.23%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 13, 2026

Last update for Nizhny Novgorod: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$305 32.5%

Nizhny Novgorod

$428 34.8% 40.5% $124

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$238 25.4%

Nizhny Novgorod

$219 17.8% 8.1% $19

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$110 11.7%

Nizhny Novgorod

$157 12.7% 42.9% $47

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$95 10.1%

Nizhny Novgorod

$159 12.9% 68.2% $65

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$79 8.4%

Nizhny Novgorod

$199 16.1% 151% $120

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$61 6.5%

Nizhny Novgorod

$23 1.9% 62.3% $38

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$51 5.5%

Nizhny Novgorod

$47 3.8% 8.1% $4.2

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $464 in Chiang Mai versus $610 in Nizhny Novgorod. 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 72% higher in Nizhny Novgorod, 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 $53.0 in Nizhny Novgorod. Groceries tell a different story – $238 in Chiang Mai vs $219 in Nizhny Novgorod – so Nizhny Novgorod wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇷🇺 Nizhny Novgorod

🕒 Local time

10:04 10:04 AM

06:04 6:04 AM

4 h behind Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

1,244,254

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Russian Ruble RUB ₽

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.99 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

100 RUB = 1.2 USD

100 RUB = 1.07 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 October 18, 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 18, 2026: 1 USD = 83.46 RUB (100 RUB = 1.2 USD). 1 EUR = 93.83 RUB (100 RUB = 1.07 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Chiang Mai Nizhny Novgorod 6,150 km ≈ 8 h nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
Nizhny Novgorod

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 Nizhny Novgorod: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Nizhny Novgorod costs about 31% 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 $1,408 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,847 in Nizhny Novgorod. 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 $797 per month in Chiang Mai and $309 in Nizhny Novgorod. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 9% cheaper in Nizhny Novgorod – 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 $938, than in Nizhny Novgorod at $1,232. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Nizhny Novgorod it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $938 versus $1,232 in Nizhny Novgorod. 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, Nizhny Novgorod makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.