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 $932 per month in Chiang Mai vs $800 in Obninsk, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,399 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,228 in Obninsk, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,655 in Obninsk, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 16% more than Obninsk, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Chiang Mai and Obninsk are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 32% lower, Obninsk 41% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿69.3

$10.79 ₽908

-80.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.61 ฿653

$31.94 ₽2,687

-38.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.67 ฿189

$7.24 ₽609

-21.69%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿60.1

$2.90 ₽244

-37.59%

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

$0.77 ฿25.58

$1.20 ₽101

-35.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.49

$0.45 ₽38.14

-22.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿73.7

$3.65 ₽307

-39.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿126

$2.38 ₽201

59.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 ฿68.2

$1.09 ₽91.5

88.07%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 ฿50.4

$0.59 ₽49.52

155.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 ฿46.57

$1.67 ₽141

-16.17%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿75.2

$1.26 ₽106

79.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿539

$7.31 ₽615

121.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.90 ฿96.4

$4.60 ₽387

-36.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.42 ฿314

$8.41 ₽707

12.01%

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 ฿89.2

$1.52 ₽128

76.32%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.28

$1.64 ₽138

-33.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.8

$1.75 ₽147

-7.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.61

$2.37 ₽200

-38.40%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.54

$0.55 ₽46.37

132.73%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 ฿35.21

$0.54 ₽45.47

96.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.88

$0.94 ₽79.0

-23.40%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.51

$0.58 ₽49.07

-8.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.23 ฿141

$3.21 ₽270

31.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.29 ฿609

$8.41 ₽707

117.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ฿54.3

$1.20 ₽101

35.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿96.6

$1.78 ₽150

62.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.24

$0.43 ₽36.05

104.65%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.8 ฿1,790

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 ฿39.04

$3.59 ₽302

-67.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿19.25

$0.69 ₽58.3

-15.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.39 ฿79.4

$10.80 ₽909

-77.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.28

$0.80 ₽67.2

81.25%

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

$21.0K ฿699.5K

$37.7K ₽3.2M

-44.28%

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

$26.4K ฿879.7K

$38.3K ₽3.2M

-30.98%

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

$63.7 ฿2,119

$183 ₽15.4K

-65.30%

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

$12.89 ฿429

$8.49 ₽714

51.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.52 ฿683

$9.68 ₽814

111.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.02 ฿1,299

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.92 ฿130

Cinema Ticket

$6.58 ฿219

$8.31 ₽699

-20.82%

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

$784 ฿26.1K

$790 ₽66.5K

-0.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿488.4K

$25.5K ₽2.1M

-42.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 ฿1,835

$105 ₽8,820

-47.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.74 ฿824

$60.5 ₽5,086

-59.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.1 ฿3,133

$146 ₽12.3K

-35.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.0 ฿2,462

$176 ₽14.8K

-57.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.3K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$288 ฿9,594

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$891 ฿29.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$521 ฿17.3K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,974 ฿65.7K

$3,153 ₽265.3K

-37.41%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,444 ฿48.1K

$2,461 ₽207.1K

-41.32%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿20.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

19.52

-71.47%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 13, 2026

Last update for Obninsk: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $32.00 in Obninsk. Groceries tell a different story – $241 in Chiang Mai vs $175 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

Chiang Mai costs about 16% more than Obninsk, 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 $1,398 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,201 in Obninsk. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Chiang Mai and $32.00 in Obninsk. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 38% more in Chiang Mai, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Obninsk, where all-in costs run around $800, than in Chiang Mai at $932. In Obninsk it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiang Mai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Obninsk costs $800 versus $932 in Chiang Mai. 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 Obninsk. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chiang Mai makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.