Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Perm

For one person, living costs are similar in Chiang Mai and in Perm: $936 and $956 a month, rent and utilities included.

45

Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai Living Index
46

Cost of Living Index in Perm
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Perm Living Index

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Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$936

/mo nomad

Perm

🇷🇺 Russia

$956

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

A single person spends $936 per month in Chiang Mai vs $956 in Perm, rent included.

Chiang Mai $936
Perm $956

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

Chiang Mai $1,457
Perm $1,457

A family of three spends $1,979 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,959 in Perm, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,979
Perm $1,959

Chiang Mai and Perm have comparable living costs – the differences are in the details.

Both Chiang Mai and Perm are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 31% lower, Perm 30% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.24 ฿75.6

$8.75 ₽705

-74.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.00 ฿641

$27.08 ₽2,181

-29.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.55 ฿187

$6.03 ₽486

-7.96%

Cappuccino

$1.67 ฿56.5

$2.29 ₽185

-27.07%

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

$0.64 ฿21.55

$0.77 ₽62.1

-16.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.31

$0.44 ₽35.67

-29.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.36 ฿79.6

$1.22 ₽98.4

93.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿124

$1.58 ₽127

131.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 ฿65.8

$1.14 ₽92.0

71.05%

White Bread (500g)

$1.44 ฿48.48

$0.88 ₽71.0

63.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 ฿45.04

$1.25 ₽100

6.40%

Eggs

$2.28 ฿77.1

$1.29 ₽104

76.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.45 ฿555

$8.26 ₽665

99.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.78 ฿93.9

$5.45 ₽439

-48.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.31 ฿314

$12.49 ₽1,006

-25.46%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 ฿79.4

$2.20 ₽177

6.82%

Banana (1kg)

$0.97 ฿32.80

$2.21 ₽178

-56.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.60 ฿53.9

$2.28 ₽184

-29.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.6

$2.46 ₽198

-39.02%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿43.12

$0.61 ₽48.81

109.84%

Onion (1kg)

$1.10 ฿37.19

$0.44 ₽35.07

150.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 ฿23.82

$0.91 ₽73.4

-21.98%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.37

$0.92 ₽73.8

-46.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.14 ฿140

$2.74 ₽221

51.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.52 ฿591

$10.06 ₽810

74.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.61 ฿54.5

$0.90 ₽72.2

78.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿94.0

$1.73 ₽139

60.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.87 ฿29.31

$0.51 ₽41.14

70.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.1 ฿1,826

$26.65 ₽2,146

102.96%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.16 ฿39.06

$1.81 ₽146

-35.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ฿17.80

$0.44 ₽35.48

20.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.42 ฿81.8

$4.31 ₽347

-43.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.90

$0.89 ₽71.5

62.92%

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

$21.1K ฿710.7K

$53.0K ₽4.3M

-60.23%

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

$26.9K ฿909.3K

$41.2K ₽3.3M

-34.67%

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

$62.2 ฿2,098

$131 ₽10.5K

-52.51%

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

$12.17 ฿411

$5.73 ₽461

112.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.12 ฿679

$8.89 ₽716

126.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.31 ฿1,259

$29.38 ₽2,366

26.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.77 ฿127

$14.14 ₽1,139

-73.34%

Cinema Ticket

$6.49 ฿219

$8.71 ₽701

-25.49%

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

$736 ฿24.8K

$249 ₽20.0K

195.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿498.3K

$4,597 ₽370.2K

221.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.4 ฿1,801

$56.8 ₽4,571

-5.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.64 ฿831

$35.27 ₽2,841

-30.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.5 ฿3,087

$65.1 ₽5,240

40.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.9 ฿2,428

$74.4 ₽5,993

-3.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.3K

$477 ₽38.4K

1.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$309 ฿10.4K

$286 ₽23.0K

8.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 ฿33.9K

$640 ₽51.5K

57.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$633 ฿21.4K

$513 ₽41.3K

23.48%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,363 ฿79.8K

$2,468 ₽198.8K

-4.26%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,589 ฿53.6K

$1,681 ₽135.4K

-5.47%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$590 ฿19.9K

$1,014 ₽81.7K

-41.84%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

23.33

-76.13%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 26, 2026

Last update for Perm: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$309 33%

Perm

$286 29.9% 7.5% $23

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$234 25.1%

Perm

$211 22.1% 10% $23

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$109 11.6%

Perm

$104 10.9% 4.1% $4.5

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$94 10.1%

Perm

$146 15.2% 54.1% $51

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$78 8.3%

Perm

$130 13.6% 67.2% $52

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$61 6.6%

Perm

$33 3.4% 46.7% $29

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$50 5.4%

Perm

$47 4.9% 6.9% $3.5

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Chiang Mai versus $477 in Perm. 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 72% higher in Perm. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19 in Chiang Mai versus $27 in Perm. Groceries tell a different story – $234 in Chiang Mai vs $211 in Perm – so Perm wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇷🇺 Perm

🕒 Local time

17:52 5:52 PM

15:52 3:52 PM

2 h behind Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

1,026,908

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Russian Ruble RUB ₽

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.96 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

100 RUB = 1.24 USD

100 RUB = 1.11 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 2, 2026: 1 USD = 33.75 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.66 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

Russian Ruble exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 80.53 RUB (100 RUB = 1.24 USD). 1 EUR = 89.87 RUB (100 RUB = 1.11 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Chiang Mai Perm 5,570 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
Perm

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 Perm: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,403 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,433 in Perm. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A central 1-bedroom goes for about $482 in Chiang Mai and $477 in Perm. The gap holds across neighborhoods – outer areas show a similar spread, just at lower price points.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19 in Chiang Mai and $27 in Perm. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Public transport costs about 51% less in Perm. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$800 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $936 in Chiang Mai and $956 in Perm. 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 $936 in Chiang Mai to $956 in Perm. 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.

If budget matters most, go with Chiang Mai. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Perm makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.