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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $861 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,000 in Novosibirsk, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,350 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,614 in Novosibirsk, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,838 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,227 in Novosibirsk, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 14% cheaper than Novosibirsk, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and Novosibirsk are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Novosibirsk 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿65.8

$7.39 ₽581

-73.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.35 ฿617

$37.91 ₽2,978

-51.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.48 ฿252

$5.22 ₽410

43.30%

Cappuccino

$2.02 ฿67.8

$2.80 ₽220

-27.86%

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

$0.85 ฿28.50

$1.33 ₽105

-36.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.96

$0.80 ₽63.0

-55.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.8

$2.51 ₽197

-14.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 ฿121

$3.74 ₽294

-4.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿55.5

$1.05 ₽82.4

57.14%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.7

$0.62 ₽48.34

153.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿40.02

$1.60 ₽126

-25.63%

Eggs

$1.94 ฿65.1

$1.90 ₽149

2.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿544

$11.01 ₽865

47.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.99 ฿101

$5.13 ₽403

-41.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿368

$10.26 ₽806

6.63%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 ฿91.2

$2.01 ₽158

34.83%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿39.25

$1.83 ₽144

-36.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 ฿56.7

$1.99 ₽157

-15.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 ฿54.0

$3.45 ₽271

-53.62%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.54

$0.78 ₽61.4

76.92%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.45

$0.66 ₽51.9

81.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿22.50

$1.08 ₽85.2

-37.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.73

$0.67 ₽52.6

-16.42%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.64 ฿156

$3.20 ₽251

45.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.62 ฿593

$9.58 ₽752

83.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.5

$0.92 ₽72.6

102.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 ฿111

$2.12 ₽166

55.66%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.68

$0.53 ₽41.97

66.04%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ฿650

$31.18 ₽2,449

-37.97%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿45.90

$1.88 ₽148

-27.66%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.98

$0.25 ₽19.46

436.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.21 ฿276

$3.88 ₽305

111.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ฿41.18

$0.70 ₽55.2

74.29%

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

$21.4K ฿718.1K

$56.4K ₽4.4M

-62.14%

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

$22.5K ฿757.7K

$26.8K ₽2.1M

-15.78%

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

$70.7 ฿2,376

$107 ₽8,429

-34.13%

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

$14.04 ฿472

$5.61 ₽441

150.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.49 ฿588

$8.43 ₽662

107.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.15 ฿1,417

$59.7 ₽4,687

-29.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

$24.44 ₽1,920

-71.85%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿199

$5.89 ₽463

0.51%

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

$309 ฿10.4K

$354 ₽27.8K

-12.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K ฿500.4K

$4,706 ₽369.7K

216.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,875

$67.7 ₽5,320

-17.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.11 ฿878

$39.96 ₽3,139

-34.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.0 ฿2,792

$95.1 ₽7,474

-12.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 ฿2,369

$79.0 ₽6,203

-10.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$432 ฿14.5K

$467 ₽36.7K

-7.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿8,035

$302 ₽23.8K

-21.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$822 ฿27.7K

$841 ₽66.1K

-2.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$512 ฿17.2K

$656 ₽51.5K

-21.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,915 ฿64.4K

$2,755 ₽216.4K

-30.50%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 ฿49.3K

$1,780 ₽139.8K

-17.58%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$579 ฿19.5K

$846 ₽66.5K

-31.51%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

17.38

-71.23%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Last update for Novosibirsk: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $432 in Chiang Mai versus $467 in Novosibirsk. 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 46% higher in Novosibirsk, 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 $18.00 in Chiang Mai versus $38.00 in Novosibirsk. Groceries tell a different story – $243 in Chiang Mai vs $210 in Novosibirsk – so Novosibirsk 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 Novosibirsk: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Novosibirsk costs about 16% 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 $1,292 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,501 in Novosibirsk. 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 $309 per month in Chiang Mai and $354 in Novosibirsk. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 16% cheaper in Novosibirsk – 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 $861, than in Novosibirsk at $1,000. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Novosibirsk it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $861 versus $1,000 in Novosibirsk. 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, Novosibirsk makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.