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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,160 in Obninsk, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,360 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,794 in Obninsk, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,867 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,427 in Obninsk, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 27% cheaper than Obninsk, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and Obninsk are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Obninsk 13% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.04 ฿68.2

$12.87 ₽1,024

-84.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.71 ฿624

$57.0 ₽4,540

-67.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.86 ฿262

$6.28 ₽500

25.16%

Cappuccino

$2.03 ฿67.7

$3.27 ₽260

-37.92%

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

$0.80 ฿26.64

$1.39 ₽110

-42.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.68

$0.67 ₽53.7

-47.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.5

$1.40 ₽112

52.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿122

$4.49 ₽358

-18.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 ฿57.6

$1.16 ₽92.1

49.14%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.4

$0.81 ₽64.5

93.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 ฿39.99

$1.76 ₽140

-31.82%

Eggs

$1.97 ฿65.8

$1.94 ₽154

1.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.23 ฿541

$13.34 ₽1,062

21.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.06 ฿102

$6.00 ₽477

-49.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.80 ฿360

$12.16 ₽968

-11.18%

Apples (1kg)

$2.77 ฿92.3

$1.86 ₽148

48.92%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.94

$1.73 ₽138

-32.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 ฿57.0

$2.37 ₽188

-27.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿53.2

$4.00 ₽318

-60.25%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.51

$1.02 ₽81.3

36.27%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 ฿38.56

$0.84 ₽67.2

38.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿22.05

$1.69 ₽134

-60.95%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.31

$0.80 ₽63.9

-35.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 ฿155

$3.11 ₽248

49.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.78 ฿593

$8.91 ₽709

99.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ฿59.6

$1.13 ₽90.1

58.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 ฿111

$2.45 ₽195

36.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿30.27

$0.50 ₽39.55

82.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.64 ฿622

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿47.04

$2.51 ₽200

-43.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.70

$0.48 ₽38.03

179.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.11 ฿270

$7.90 ₽629

2.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿41.16

$0.75 ₽59.6

64.00%

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

$21.4K ฿715.1K

$38.2K ₽3.0M

-43.96%

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

$21.8K ฿728.0K

$37.3K ₽3.0M

-41.51%

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

$71.3 ฿2,379

$150 ₽12.0K

-52.58%

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

$14.01 ฿467

$8.12 ₽647

72.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.93 ฿598

$8.15 ₽648

120.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.82 ฿1,362

$35.78 ₽2,848

14.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿230

$12.88 ₽1,025

-46.58%

Cinema Ticket

$5.72 ฿191

$6.22 ₽495

-8.04%

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

$308 ฿10.3K

$322 ₽25.6K

-4.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿489.7K

$7,114 ₽566.2K

106.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,860

$87.5 ₽6,966

-36.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.04 ฿869

$53.1 ₽4,228

-50.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 ฿2,829

$133 ₽10.6K

-36.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.0 ฿2,368

$162 ₽12.9K

-56.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$423 ฿14.1K

$447 ₽35.6K

-5.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 ฿8,088

$302 ₽24.0K

-19.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$797 ฿26.6K

$749 ₽59.6K

6.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$507 ฿16.9K

$498 ₽39.7K

1.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,918 ฿64.0K

$3,451 ₽274.7K

-44.42%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,464 ฿48.8K

$2,741 ₽218.2K

-46.59%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

-37.50%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 27, 2026

Last update for Obninsk: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $423 in Chiang Mai versus $447 in Obninsk. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $57.0 in Obninsk. Groceries tell a different story – $244 in Chiang Mai vs $240 in Obninsk – so Obninsk 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 Obninsk: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Obninsk costs about 36% 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 $1,741 in Obninsk. 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 $57.0 in Obninsk. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 2% cheaper in Obninsk – 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 Obninsk at $1,160. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Obninsk it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $852 versus $1,160 in Obninsk. 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, Obninsk makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.