Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Nizhny Novgorod Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Nizhny Novgorod

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,131 in Nizhny Novgorod, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,351 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,776 in Nizhny Novgorod, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,835 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,420 in Nizhny Novgorod, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 23% cheaper than Nizhny Novgorod, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Chiang Mai and Nizhny Novgorod are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Nizhny Novgorod 16% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ฿63.5

$11.28 ₽823

-82.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 ฿609

$38.77 ₽2,830

-51.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 ฿255

$5.60 ₽409

39.64%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.8

$2.66 ₽194

-26.69%

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

$0.85 ฿27.77

$1.30 ₽94.7

-34.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.58

$0.42 ₽30.99

-16.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.6

$1.03 ₽75.5

106.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

$3.14 ₽230

18.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿56.0

$1.05 ₽76.7

62.86%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$0.57 ₽41.81

185.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ฿37.15

$1.31 ₽96.0

-12.98%

Eggs

$1.93 ฿63.1

$1.53 ₽112

26.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ฿530

$10.59 ₽773

53.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿102

$4.74 ₽346

-34.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿356

$8.94 ₽652

21.92%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ฿90.0

$1.75 ₽128

57.14%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.52

$1.68 ₽122

-27.98%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.0

$1.96 ₽143

-17.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$2.51 ₽183

-36.65%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿45.70

$0.71 ₽51.5

97.18%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.17

$0.71 ₽52.1

64.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.60

$1.20 ₽87.9

-45.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.22

$0.78 ₽57.1

-32.05%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿153

$2.92 ₽213

60.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿609

$11.14 ₽813

67.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.8

$1.17 ₽85.4

53.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$2.17 ₽158

48.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.26

$0.53 ₽39.01

69.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

$16.96 ₽1,238

13.27%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.91

$1.86 ₽136

-24.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.12

$0.55 ₽40.38

134.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$7.55 ₽551

3.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.58

$0.79 ₽57.4

60.76%

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

$21.3K ฿694.9K

$41.4K ₽3.0M

-48.62%

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

$22.2K ฿725.4K

$31.7K ₽2.3M

-29.92%

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

$69.1 ฿2,256

$111 ₽8,115

-37.88%

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

$14.08 ฿460

$5.52 ₽403

155.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿588

$7.45 ₽544

141.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,341

$31.67 ₽2,312

29.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$16.12 ₽1,177

-56.82%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿193

$6.22 ₽454

-4.82%

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

$299 ฿9,766

$332 ₽24.2K

-9.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿488.3K

$3,874 ₽282.8K

285.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,787

$81.6 ₽5,955

-32.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.77 ฿874

$77.5 ₽5,657

-65.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 ฿2,776

$147 ₽10.7K

-42.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,306

$113 ₽8,235

-37.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

$578 ₽42.2K

-25.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,752

$368 ₽26.9K

-35.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.2K

$984 ₽71.8K

-18.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$735 ₽53.7K

-29.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

$4,267 ₽311.5K

-53.73%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

$2,623 ₽191.5K

-43.77%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

$948 ₽69.2K

-34.84%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

16.46

-69.62%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Last update for Nizhny Novgorod: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $428 in Chiang Mai versus $578 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 53% 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 $39.00 in Nizhny Novgorod. Groceries tell a different story – $246 in Chiang Mai vs $199 in Nizhny Novgorod – so Nizhny Novgorod 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 Nizhny Novgorod: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Nizhny Novgorod costs about 31% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. 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 $1,697 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 $299 per month in Chiang Mai and $332 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 24% 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 $866, than in Nizhny Novgorod at $1,131. 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 $866 versus $1,131 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.