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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $655 in Orsha, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,351 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,027 in Orsha, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,835 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,399 in Orsha, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 32% more than Orsha, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Orsha are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Orsha 51% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ฿63.8

$9.43 BYN 26.40

-79.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 ฿611

$31.19 BYN 87.3

-40.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 ฿256

$5.50 BYN 15.40

42.18%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿64.1

$1.75 BYN 4.91

11.43%

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

$0.85 ฿27.88

$0.61 BYN 1.71

39.34%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.63

$0.42 BYN 1.17

-16.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.9

$1.20 BYN 3.36

77.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

$2.17 BYN 6.06

71.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿56.2

$0.72 BYN 2.03

137.50%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.4

$0.57 BYN 1.60

185.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ฿37.30

$1.18 BYN 3.31

-3.39%

Eggs

$1.93 ฿63.4

$1.32 BYN 3.69

46.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ฿532

$6.56 BYN 18.37

147.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿102

$4.21 BYN 11.80

-25.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿357

$8.00 BYN 22.41

36.25%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ฿90.3

$1.17 BYN 3.27

135.04%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.68

$1.71 BYN 4.78

-29.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.2

$1.75 BYN 4.90

-7.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿52.0

$2.49 BYN 6.99

-36.14%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿45.89

$0.47 BYN 1.32

197.87%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.32

$0.58 BYN 1.62

101.72%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.69

$1.29 BYN 3.62

-48.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.29

$0.59 BYN 1.66

-10.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿154

$1.88 BYN 5.27

149.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿612

$8.75 BYN 24.50

113.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿59.0

$0.95 BYN 2.65

89.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$1.74 BYN 4.87

85.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.37

$0.28 BYN 0.78

221.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿630

$12.66 BYN 35.46

51.74%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿46.10

$1.37 BYN 3.84

2.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.29

$0.32 BYN 0.90

303.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿257

$5.83 BYN 16.33

34.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.75

$0.78 BYN 2.18

62.82%

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

$21.3K ฿697.7K

$20.0K BYN 56.0K

6.33%

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

$22.2K ฿728.3K

$24.0K BYN 67.3K

-7.61%

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

$69.1 ฿2,265

$53.3 BYN 149

29.64%

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

$14.08 ฿462

$7.70 BYN 21.57

82.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿590

$10.69 BYN 29.92

68.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,346

$30.10 BYN 84.3

36.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿228

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿194

$4.68 BYN 13.11

26.50%

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

$299 ฿9,805

$300 BYN 840

-0.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿490.3K

$10.1K BYN 28.4K

47.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,794

$51.3 BYN 144

6.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.77 ฿878

$42.02 BYN 118

-36.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 ฿2,787

$114 BYN 319

-25.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,315

$98.0 BYN 274

-27.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

$139 BYN 389

208.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,782

$108 BYN 303

119.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.3K

$170 BYN 476

370.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.9K

$139 BYN 389

271.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.7K

$1,133 BYN 3,173

74.22%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.4K

$865 BYN 2,421

70.58%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

$182 BYN 511

238.63%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

14.77

-66.15%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Last update for Orsha: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $428 in Chiang Mai versus $139 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 239% 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $31.00 in Orsha. Groceries tell a different story – $246 in Chiang Mai vs $164 in Orsha – so Orsha 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 Orsha: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 32% more than Orsha, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,300 per month in Chiang Mai and $983 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 $299 per month in Chiang Mai and $300 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.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $866 in Chiang Mai and $655 in Orsha, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Orsha costs $655 versus $866 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.