Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Oktyabr'skiy

For one person, living is cheaper in Chiang Mai: $935 a month against $1,089 in Oktyabr’skiy, rent and utilities included – about $1,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

45

Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai Living Index
52

Cost of Living Index in Oktyabr'skiy
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Oktyabr'skiy Living Index

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Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$935

/mo nomad

Oktyabr'skiy

🇷🇺 Russia

$1,089

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chiang Mai and in Oktyabr'skiy

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Chiang Mai and in Oktyabr'skiy actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $935 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,089 in Oktyabr’skiy, rent included.

Chiang Mai $935
Oktyabr'skiy $1,089

A couple spends around $1,467 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,693 in Oktyabr’skiy, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,467
Oktyabr'skiy $1,693

A family of three spends $1,999 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,296 in Oktyabr’skiy, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,999
Oktyabr'skiy $2,296

Chiang Mai is about 14% cheaper than Oktyabr’skiy, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both Chiang Mai and Oktyabr’skiy are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 31% lower, Oktyabr’skiy 19% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.13 ฿71.6

$8.66 ₽710

-75.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.62 ฿624

$42.48 ₽3,480

-56.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.60 ฿188

$5.39 ₽441

3.90%

Cappuccino

$1.66 ฿55.8

$2.27 ₽186

-26.87%

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

$0.65 ฿21.69

$1.12 ₽91.6

-41.96%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 ฿10.22

$0.50 ₽40.62

-40.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.32 ฿77.9

$1.83 ₽150

26.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿123

$3.17 ₽260

15.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.02 ฿67.6

$1.25 ₽102

61.60%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 ฿47.21

$1.02 ₽83.8

38.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.67

$1.61 ₽132

-13.66%

Eggs

$2.37 ฿79.4

$1.51 ₽124

56.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.52 ฿554

$12.26 ₽1,004

34.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.67 ฿89.5

$7.32 ₽600

-63.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.02 ฿302

$7.56 ₽619

19.31%

Apples (1kg)

$2.40 ฿80.4

$1.85 ₽152

29.73%

Banana (1kg)

$1.04 ฿34.91

$1.81 ₽148

-42.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.66 ฿55.6

$1.95 ₽159

-14.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.56 ฿52.3

$4.09 ₽335

-61.86%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 ฿41.50

$0.88 ₽72.3

40.91%

Onion (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.44

$0.38 ₽31.27

186.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.76 ฿25.54

$1.49 ₽122

-48.99%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿17.24

$0.56 ₽46.13

-8.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.12 ฿138

$2.64 ₽217

56.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.93 ฿601

$7.87 ₽645

127.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 ฿54.4

$1.13 ₽92.4

43.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.82 ฿94.6

$1.90 ₽156

48.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.93 ฿31.33

$0.49 ₽39.87

89.80%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$52.9 ฿1,773

$28.57 ₽2,340

85.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.18 ฿39.45

$3.58 ₽294

-67.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.17 ฿5.75

$0.29 ₽23.82

-41.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.81 ฿60.8

$3.59 ₽294

-49.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 ฿49.38

$0.82 ₽67.0

79.27%

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

$21.0K ฿704.5K

$54.1K ₽4.4M

-61.19%

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

$26.5K ฿889.1K

$41.8K ₽3.4M

-36.50%

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

$62.6 ฿2,098

$146 ₽12.0K

-57.15%

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

$11.60 ฿389

$4.89 ₽401

137.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.30 ฿681

$14.38 ₽1,178

41.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.88 ฿1,270

$34.96 ₽2,864

8.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.70 ฿124

$23.75 ₽1,946

-84.42%

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 ฿218

$6.47 ₽530

0.62%

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

$727 ฿24.4K

$348 ₽28.5K

108.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.6K ฿555.7K

$5,942 ₽486.8K

178.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.5 ฿1,795

$91.1 ₽7,466

-41.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.80 ฿832

$55.0 ₽4,502

-54.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.4 ฿3,031

$137 ₽11.2K

-34.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.0 ฿2,413

$86.8 ₽7,108

-17.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$481 ฿16.1K

$435 ₽35.6K

10.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$310 ฿10.4K

$319 ₽26.1K

-2.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,058 ฿35.5K

$836 ₽68.5K

26.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$659 ฿22.1K

$569 ₽46.6K

15.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,418 ฿81.1K

$2,064 ₽169.1K

17.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,609 ฿53.9K

$1,644 ₽134.6K

-2.12%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

25.03

-77.75%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: November 1, 2026

Last update for Oktyabr'skiy: October 31, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$310 33.1%

Oktyabr'skiy

$319 29.3% 2.8% $8.7

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$237 25.3%

Oktyabr'skiy

$221 20.3% 6.7% $16

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$108 11.6%

Oktyabr'skiy

$167 15.3% 53.7% $58

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$94 10.1%

Oktyabr'skiy

$165 15.2% 75% $71

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$77 8.2%

Oktyabr'skiy

$135 12.4% 75.9% $58

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$59 6.3%

Oktyabr'skiy

$36 3.3% 39.4% $23

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$51 5.4%

Oktyabr'skiy

$48 4.4% 5.9% $3

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $481 in Chiang Mai versus $435 in Oktyabr’skiy. 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 in Chiang Mai versus $42 in Oktyabr’skiy. Groceries tell a different story – $237 in Chiang Mai vs $221 in Oktyabr’skiy – so Oktyabr’skiy wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇷🇺 Oktyabr'skiy

🕒 Local time

21:13 9:13 PM

17:13 5:13 PM

4 h behind Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

12,000

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Russian Ruble RUB ₽

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.98 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

100 RUB = 1.22 USD

100 RUB = 1.09 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

RUB, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

Thai Baht exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 33.53 THB (100 THB = 2.98 USD). 1 EUR = 37.66 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

Russian Ruble exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 81.92 RUB (100 RUB = 1.22 USD). 1 EUR = 92.01 RUB (100 RUB = 1.09 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Chiang Mai Oktyabr'skiy 6,480 km ≈ 9 h nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
Oktyabr'skiy

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Oktyabr'skiy: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Oktyabr’skiy costs about 16% more than Chiang Mai, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from clothing. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,403 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,634 in Oktyabr’skiy. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Oktyabr’skiy, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $435 there versus $481 in Chiang Mai.

Kindergarten costs $727 per month in Chiang Mai and $348 in Oktyabr’skiy. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 7% cheaper in Oktyabr’skiy – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value.

$800 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $935 in Chiang Mai and $1,089 in Oktyabr’skiy. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

It depends on your priorities. Chiang Mai has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $935 in Chiang Mai to $1,089 in Oktyabr’skiy. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.