Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Orsha

For one person, living is cheaper in Orsha: $655 a month against $925 in Chiang Mai, rent and utilities included – about $3,200 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
32

Cost of Living Index in Orsha
Learn more

Orsha Living Index

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Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$925

/mo nomad

Orsha

🇧🇾 Belarus

$655

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chiang Mai and in Orsha

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 Orsha actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $925 per month in Chiang Mai vs $655 in Orsha, rent included.

Chiang Mai $925
Orsha $655

A couple spends around $1,414 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,013 in Orsha, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,414
Orsha $1,013

A family of three spends $1,903 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,371 in Orsha, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,903
Orsha $1,371

Chiang Mai costs about 41% more than Orsha, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chiang Mai and Orsha are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 32% lower, Orsha 52% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.29 ฿76.5

$6.82 BYN 20.47

-66.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.64 ฿656

$29.91 BYN 89.7

-34.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.61 ฿188

$4.40 BYN 13.20

27.50%

Cappuccino

$1.66 ฿55.6

$1.59 BYN 4.78

4.40%

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

$0.70 ฿23.40

$0.58 BYN 1.74

20.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.24

$0.35 BYN 1.06

-11.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿80.4

$1.14 BYN 3.42

111.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.71 ฿124

$2.45 BYN 7.34

51.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 ฿65.3

$0.75 BYN 2.25

160.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 ฿47.03

$0.57 BYN 1.71

147.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.31 ฿43.62

$1.15 BYN 3.44

13.91%

Eggs

$2.18 ฿72.9

$1.42 BYN 4.26

53.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.65 ฿556

$6.80 BYN 20.40

144.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.76 ฿92.2

$4.19 BYN 12.58

-34.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.11 ฿304

$6.19 BYN 18.56

47.17%

Apples (1kg)

$2.39 ฿80.0

$1.23 BYN 3.68

94.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.03 ฿34.26

$1.79 BYN 5.36

-42.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.63 ฿54.4

$1.89 BYN 5.66

-13.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.0

$1.79 BYN 5.37

-16.20%

Potato (1kg)

$1.29 ฿43.13

$0.42 BYN 1.27

207.14%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 ฿37.03

$0.61 BYN 1.82

81.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿24.08

$1.04 BYN 3.11

-30.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.59

$0.51 BYN 1.52

3.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.31 ฿144

$2.07 BYN 6.20

108.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.95 ฿600

$7.83 BYN 23.48

129.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 ฿52.9

$1.58 BYN 4.75

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 ฿95.0

$2.16 BYN 6.47

31.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 ฿28.86

$0.64 BYN 1.92

34.37%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.3 ฿1,780

$14.57 BYN 43.70

265.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.21 ฿40.29

$0.67 BYN 2.00

80.60%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.57 ฿18.99

$0.35 BYN 1.06

62.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.35 ฿78.6

$9.97 BYN 29.91

-76.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 ฿47.96

$0.85 BYN 2.56

69.41%

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

$20.7K ฿692.8K

$15.2K BYN 45.7K

36.19%

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

$26.8K ฿895.7K

$16.1K BYN 48.2K

66.70%

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

$62.3 ฿2,083

$70.7 BYN 212

-11.84%

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

$12.11 ฿405

$7.60 BYN 22.81

59.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.94 ฿666

$11.57 BYN 34.72

72.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.07 ฿1,239

$32.21 BYN 96.6

15.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.78 ฿126

Cinema Ticket

$6.50 ฿217

$3.26 BYN 9.79

99.39%

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

$793 ฿26.5K

$331 BYN 992

139.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿494.9K

$9,973 BYN 29.9K

48.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.7 ฿1,796

$45.66 BYN 137

17.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.62 ฿823

$47.67 BYN 143

-48.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.9 ฿3,036

$90.4 BYN 271

0.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.1 ฿2,378

$106 BYN 317

-32.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$455 ฿15.2K

$360 BYN 1,080

26.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$298 ฿9,954

$118 BYN 353

153.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$908 ฿30.4K

$583 BYN 1,748

55.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$554 ฿18.5K

$153 BYN 460

261.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,931 ฿64.5K

$1,119 BYN 3,356

72.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,445 ฿48.3K

$883 BYN 2,647

63.68%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$591 ฿19.7K

$182 BYN 545

225.14%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

-69.06%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 17, 2026

Last update for Orsha: October 17, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$298 32.2%

Orsha

$118 18% 60.5% $180

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$235 25.5%

Orsha

$157 24% 33.2% $78

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$108 11.7%

Orsha

$130 19.9% 20.3% $22

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$94 10.2%

Orsha

$90 13.7% 4.8% $4.5

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$79 8.5%

Orsha

$101 15.5% 28.8% $23

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$61 6.6%

Orsha

$20 3% 67.8% $41

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$50 5.4%

Orsha

$39 5.9% 22.6% $11

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $455 in Chiang Mai versus $360 in Orsha. 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 225% higher in Chiang Mai, 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $30.00 in Orsha. Groceries tell a different story – $235 in Chiang Mai vs $157 in Orsha – so Orsha wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇧🇾 Orsha

🕒 Local time

05:09 5:09 AM

01:09 1:09 AM

4 h behind Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

115,052

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Belarusian Ruble BYN Br

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.99 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

1 BYN = 0.333 USD

1 BYN = 0.297 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

BYN, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 33.42 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.57 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

Belarusian Ruble exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 3 BYN (1 BYN = 0.333 USD). 1 EUR = 3.37 BYN (1 BYN = 0.297 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Chiang Mai Orsha 6,940 km ≈ 9 h nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
Orsha

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 Orsha: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 41% more than Orsha, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,388 per month in Chiang Mai and $982 in Orsha. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Orsha, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $793 per month in Chiang Mai and $331 in Orsha. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 50% 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 $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Orsha, where all-in costs run around $655, than in Chiang Mai at $925. In Orsha 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. Orsha costs $655 versus $925 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 Orsha. 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.