Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Pavlodar

For one person, living is cheaper in Pavlodar: $734 a month against $936 in Chiang Mai, rent and utilities included – about $2,400 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

45

Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai Living Index
35

Cost of Living Index in Pavlodar
Learn more

Pavlodar Living Index

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Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$936

/mo nomad

Pavlodar

🇰🇿 Kazakhstan

$734

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

A single person spends $936 per month in Chiang Mai vs $734 in Pavlodar, rent included.

Chiang Mai $936
Pavlodar $734

A couple spends around $1,457 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,147 in Pavlodar, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,457
Pavlodar $1,147

A family of three spends $1,979 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,561 in Pavlodar, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,979
Pavlodar $1,561

Chiang Mai costs about 27% more than Pavlodar, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chiang Mai and Pavlodar are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 31% lower, Pavlodar 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.24 ฿75.5

$6.55 ₸2,982

-65.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.00 ฿640

$22.12 ₸10.1K

-14.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.55 ฿187

$9.00 ₸4,101

-38.33%

Cappuccino

$1.67 ฿56.4

$1.74 ₸791

-4.02%

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

$0.64 ฿21.51

$1.19 ₸542

-46.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.29

$0.48 ₸220

-35.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.36 ฿79.5

$1.08 ₸492

118.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿123

$1.37 ₸624

167.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 ฿65.7

$1.03 ₸471

89.32%

White Bread (500g)

$1.44 ฿48.41

$0.34 ₸153

323.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 ฿44.97

$1.36 ₸621

-2.21%

Eggs

$2.28 ฿77.0

$1.56 ₸712

46.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.45 ฿554

$5.41 ₸2,466

204.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.78 ฿93.8

$4.63 ₸2,107

-39.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.31 ฿314

$6.82 ₸3,106

36.51%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 ฿79.3

$1.42 ₸646

65.49%

Banana (1kg)

$0.97 ฿32.75

$1.69 ₸769

-42.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.60 ฿53.8

$1.72 ₸786

-6.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.6

$1.70 ₸776

-11.76%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿43.06

$0.91 ₸416

40.66%

Onion (1kg)

$1.10 ฿37.14

$0.72 ₸327

52.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 ฿23.79

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.34

$0.76 ₸347

-35.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.14 ฿140

$2.51 ₸1,141

64.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.52 ฿590

$7.06 ₸3,218

148.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.61 ฿54.4

$1.30 ₸593

23.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿93.8

$2.20 ₸1,004

26.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.87 ฿29.27

$0.36 ₸163

141.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.1 ฿1,823

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.16 ฿39.00

$1.41 ₸642

-17.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ฿17.78

$1.19 ₸542

-55.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.42 ฿81.6

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.82

$0.69 ₸312

110.14%

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

$21.1K ฿709.7K

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

$26.9K ฿907.9K

$26.3K ₸12.0M

2.63%

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

$62.2 ฿2,095

$66.4 ₸30.2K

-6.30%

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

$12.17 ฿410

$11.31 ₸5,151

7.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.12 ฿678

$27.05 ₸12.3K

-25.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.31 ฿1,257

$31.63 ₸14.4K

17.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.77 ฿127

$11.01 ₸5,016

-65.76%

Cinema Ticket

$6.49 ฿219

$4.46 ₸2,033

45.52%

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

$736 ฿24.8K

$133 ₸60.5K

454.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿497.6K

$4,420 ₸2.0M

234.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.4 ฿1,799

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.64 ฿830

$25.25 ₸11.5K

-2.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.5 ฿3,083

$75.3 ₸34.3K

21.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.9 ฿2,424

$98.7 ₸45.0K

-27.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.3K

$274 ₸124.8K

76.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$309 ฿10.4K

$219 ₸99.9K

40.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 ฿33.9K

$556 ₸253.4K

80.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$633 ฿21.3K

$437 ₸199.1K

44.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,363 ฿79.6K

$1,081 ₸492.3K

118.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,589 ฿53.6K

$872 ₸397.3K

82.18%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$590 ฿19.9K

$707 ₸322.0K

-16.57%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 26, 2026

Last update for Pavlodar: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$309 33%

Pavlodar

$219 29.9% 29% $90

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$234 25.1%

Pavlodar

$156 * 21.3% 33.3% $78

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$109 11.6%

Pavlodar

$90 * 12.2% 17.5% $19

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$94 10.1%

Pavlodar

$105 14.3% 10.9% $10

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$78 8.3%

Pavlodar

$115 15.7% 48.3% $37

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$61 6.6%

Pavlodar

$8.8 * 1.2% 85.7% $53

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$50 5.4%

Pavlodar

$41 5.5% 19.4% $9.7

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Chiang Mai versus $274 in Pavlodar. 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 20% higher in Pavlodar, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19 in Chiang Mai versus $22 in Pavlodar. Groceries tell a different story – $234 in Chiang Mai vs $156 in Pavlodar – so Pavlodar wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇰🇿 Pavlodar

🕒 Local time

14:11 2:11 PM

12:11 12:11 PM

2 h behind Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

334,830

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Kazakhstani Tenge KZT ₸

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.97 USD

100 THB = 2.67 EUR

1,000 KZT = 2.2 USD

1,000 KZT = 1.97 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

KZT, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 29, 2026: 1 USD = 33.7 THB (100 THB = 2.97 USD). 1 EUR = 37.52 THB (100 THB = 2.67 EUR).

Kazakhstani Tenge exchange rates as of October 29, 2026: 1 USD = 456 KZT (1,000 KZT = 2.2 USD). 1 EUR = 507 KZT (1,000 KZT = 1.97 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Chiang Mai Pavlodar 4,190 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
Pavlodar

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 Pavlodar: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 27% more than Pavlodar, 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 $1,403 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,101 in Pavlodar. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Pavlodar, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $274 there versus $482 in Chiang Mai.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19 in Chiang Mai and $22 in Pavlodar. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 50% more in Chiang Mai, though the gap depends on what you buy.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $936 in Chiang Mai and $734 in Pavlodar, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Pavlodar – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.