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 $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,066 in Nizhny Tagil, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,360 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,714 in Nizhny Tagil, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,867 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,362 in Nizhny Tagil, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 20% cheaper than Nizhny Tagil, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and Nizhny Tagil are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Nizhny Tagil 20% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.04 ฿68.2

$13.54 ₽1,078

-84.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.71 ฿624

$50.4 ₽4,010

-62.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.86 ฿262

$6.40 ₽510

22.81%

Cappuccino

$2.03 ฿67.7

$2.82 ₽224

-28.01%

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

$0.80 ฿26.64

$1.43 ₽114

-44.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.68

$0.61 ₽48.56

-42.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.5

$1.87 ₽149

14.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿122

$2.20 ₽175

66.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 ฿57.6

$1.10 ₽87.3

57.27%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.4

$0.69 ₽55.2

127.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 ฿39.99

$1.41 ₽112

-14.89%

Eggs

$1.97 ฿65.8

$1.61 ₽128

22.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.23 ฿541

$12.24 ₽974

32.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.06 ฿102

$4.71 ₽375

-35.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.80 ฿360

$11.65 ₽927

-7.30%

Apples (1kg)

$2.77 ฿92.3

$2.02 ₽161

37.13%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.94

$1.90 ₽151

-38.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 ฿57.0

$2.50 ₽199

-31.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿53.2

$2.87 ₽229

-44.60%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.51

$0.73 ₽58.1

90.41%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 ฿38.56

$0.79 ₽63.1

46.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿22.05

$1.35 ₽107

-51.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.31

$0.72 ₽57.4

-27.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 ฿155

$2.59 ₽206

79.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.78 ฿593

$7.87 ₽626

125.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ฿59.6

$1.14 ₽90.4

57.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 ฿111

$2.38 ₽190

40.34%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿30.27

$0.34 ₽27.24

167.65%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.64 ฿622

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿47.04

$2.53 ₽202

-44.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.70

$0.35 ₽27.88

282.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.11 ฿270

$6.70 ₽533

21.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿41.16

$0.73 ₽57.8

68.49%

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

$21.4K ฿715.1K

$31.2K ₽2.5M

-31.37%

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

$21.8K ฿728.0K

$48.5K ₽3.9M

-55.03%

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

$71.3 ฿2,379

$129 ₽10.3K

-44.84%

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

$14.01 ฿467

$7.04 ₽560

99.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.93 ฿598

$9.29 ₽739

93.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.82 ฿1,362

$35.86 ₽2,854

13.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿230

Cinema Ticket

$5.72 ฿191

$5.38 ₽428

6.32%

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

$308 ฿10.3K

$473 ₽37.6K

-34.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿489.7K

$9,009 ₽717.0K

62.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,860

$49.94 ₽3,974

11.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.04 ฿869

$45.89 ₽3,652

-43.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 ฿2,829

$101 ₽8,067

-16.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.0 ฿2,368

$73.7 ₽5,862

-3.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$423 ฿14.1K

$377 ₽30.0K

12.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 ฿8,088

$345 ₽27.5K

-29.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$797 ฿26.6K

$753 ₽60.0K

5.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$507 ฿16.9K

$699 ₽55.6K

-27.48%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,918 ฿64.0K

$2,265 ₽180.2K

-15.30%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,464 ฿48.8K

$1,530 ₽121.7K

-4.29%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

$951 ₽75.7K

-37.44%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Nizhny Tagil: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $423 in Chiang Mai versus $377 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 60% 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 $50.0 in Nizhny Tagil. Groceries tell a different story – $244 in Chiang Mai vs $215 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 25% 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 $1,279 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,599 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 $50.0 in Nizhny Tagil. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 14% cheaper in Nizhny Tagil – 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 $852, than in Nizhny Tagil at $1,066. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Nizhny Tagil it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $852 versus $1,066 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.