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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $869 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,060 in Nizhny Tagil, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,362 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,693 in Nizhny Tagil, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,855 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,327 in Nizhny Tagil, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 18% cheaper than Nizhny Tagil, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and Nizhny Tagil are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Nizhny Tagil 21% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.98 ฿64.3

$13.54 ₽981

-85.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.80 ฿612

$51.0 ₽3,692

-63.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.75 ฿252

$6.21 ₽450

24.80%

Cappuccino

$1.92 ฿62.5

$2.76 ₽200

-30.43%

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

$0.79 ฿25.79

$1.42 ₽103

-44.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.62

$0.65 ₽46.84

-44.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$1.95 ₽141

13.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

$2.24 ₽162

63.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿53.8

$1.11 ₽80.6

48.65%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$0.71 ₽51.1

129.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.86

$1.40 ₽101

-15.00%

Eggs

$2.00 ฿65.1

$1.69 ₽123

18.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.98 ฿520

$12.51 ₽907

27.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.03 ฿98.5

$4.69 ₽340

-35.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 ฿354

$11.41 ₽827

-4.82%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 ฿90.0

$2.02 ₽146

36.63%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.42

$1.92 ₽139

-38.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$2.45 ₽177

-33.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.51

$2.96 ₽214

-48.65%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿45.10

$0.74 ₽53.4

86.49%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.84

$0.80 ₽58.0

48.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ฿22.86

$1.40 ₽101

-50.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.13

$0.72 ₽52.2

-22.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.58 ฿149

$2.58 ₽187

77.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.56 ฿539

$8.12 ₽589

103.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿59.5

$1.19 ₽86.6

53.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 ฿104

$2.35 ₽171

36.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿28.56

$0.35 ₽25.06

151.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.72 ฿610

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿44.16

$2.42 ₽175

-43.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿43.65

$0.36 ₽25.76

272.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$7.00 ₽507

12.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿39.92

$0.73 ₽52.9

68.49%

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

$21.6K ฿704.3K

$32.1K ₽2.3M

-32.55%

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

$22.5K ฿734.3K

$47.3K ₽3.4M

-52.36%

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

$70.5 ฿2,298

$129 ₽9,323

-45.18%

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

$13.68 ฿445

$7.12 ₽516

92.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.45 ฿568

$9.16 ₽664

90.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.33 ฿1,346

$34.96 ₽2,533

18.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

Cinema Ticket

$5.77 ฿188

$5.25 ₽381

9.90%

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

$307 ฿10.0K

$464 ₽33.7K

-33.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿475.9K

$8,746 ₽633.8K

67.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,817

$51.4 ₽3,724

8.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.21 ฿854

$45.88 ₽3,324

-42.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 ฿2,793

$100 ₽7,246

-14.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.2 ฿2,353

$74.2 ₽5,374

-2.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$430 ฿14.0K

$380 ₽27.5K

13.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿7,774

$342 ₽24.8K

-30.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$817 ฿26.6K

$770 ₽55.8K

6.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$511 ฿16.6K

$710 ₽51.4K

-28.07%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,983 ฿64.6K

$2,431 ₽176.2K

-18.44%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,484 ฿48.3K

$1,657 ₽120.1K

-10.43%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$619 ฿20.2K

$1,040 ₽75.4K

-40.51%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.95

-64.16%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 7, 2026

Last update for Nizhny Tagil: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $430 in Chiang Mai versus $380 in Nizhny Tagil. 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 68% higher in Nizhny Tagil, 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 $51.0 in Nizhny Tagil. Groceries tell a different story – $241 in Chiang Mai vs $217 in Nizhny Tagil – so Nizhny Tagil 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 Tagil: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Nizhny Tagil costs about 22% 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 $1,303 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,590 in Nizhny Tagil. 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 $51.0 in Nizhny Tagil. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 11% cheaper in Nizhny Tagil – 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 $869 in Chiang Mai and $1,060 in Nizhny Tagil, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $869 versus $1,060 in Nizhny Tagil. 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 Tagil makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.