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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $847 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,035 in Polevskoy, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,332 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,600 in Polevskoy, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,816 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,165 in Polevskoy, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 18% cheaper than Polevskoy, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Chiang Mai and Polevskoy are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 37% lower, Polevskoy 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.03 ฿68.4

$6.40 ₽497

-68.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.71 ฿630

$44.07 ₽3,422

-57.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.84 ฿264

$5.84 ₽454

34.25%

Cappuccino

$1.93 ฿64.9

$2.24 ₽174

-13.84%

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

$0.83 ฿28.00

$1.23 ₽95.2

-32.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.80

$0.37 ₽28.39

-5.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.22 ฿74.8

$0.86 ₽67.1

158.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿128

$1.94 ₽150

95.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿55.4

$1.13 ₽87.4

46.02%

White Bread (500g)

$1.55 ฿52.3

$0.73 ₽56.4

112.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿39.79

$1.38 ₽107

-14.49%

Eggs

$2.01 ฿67.9

$1.86 ₽145

8.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.16 ฿544

$10.15 ₽788

59.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.03 ฿102

$7.03 ₽546

-56.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.84 ฿365

$11.40 ₽885

-4.91%

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 ฿90.3

$1.78 ₽139

50.56%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿41.14

$1.98 ₽153

-38.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.63 ฿54.8

$2.07 ₽161

-21.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿51.5

$3.45 ₽268

-55.65%

Potato (1kg)

$1.34 ฿45.10

$1.09 ₽84.5

22.94%

Onion (1kg)

$1.21 ฿40.86

$0.79 ₽61.6

53.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ฿23.63

$0.55 ₽42.51

27.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.70

$0.54 ₽41.64

-1.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿158

$2.47 ₽192

89.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.71 ฿597

$5.22 ₽405

239.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.85 ฿62.2

$0.92 ₽71.1

101.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.21 ฿108

$1.70 ₽132

88.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ฿30.01

$0.49 ₽38.19

81.63%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.76 ฿632

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿47.40

$1.88 ₽146

-25.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿43.52

$0.32 ₽25.19

303.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.79 ฿262

$5.45 ₽423

42.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 ฿43.59

$0.78 ₽60.9

65.38%

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

$21.8K ฿733.4K

$61.7K ₽4.8M

-64.71%

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

$21.7K ฿730.7K

$31.2K ₽2.4M

-30.40%

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

$70.0 ฿2,358

$140 ₽10.8K

-49.87%

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

$14.19 ฿478

$9.71 ₽754

46.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.42 ฿587

$7.76 ₽602

124.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.64 ฿1,403

$35.74 ₽2,775

16.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.89 ฿232

Cinema Ticket

$5.78 ฿195

$5.81 ₽451

-0.52%

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

$300 ฿10.1K

$450 ₽35.0K

-33.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.5K ฿489.2K

$4,484 ₽348.2K

223.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.4 ฿1,865

$48.81 ₽3,790

13.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.31 ฿886

$42.77 ₽3,320

-38.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 ฿2,858

$164 ₽12.7K

-48.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 ฿2,375

$188 ₽14.6K

-62.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$425 ฿14.3K

$452 ₽35.1K

-5.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$235 ฿7,919

$309 ₽24.0K

-23.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$802 ฿27.0K

$749 ₽58.2K

7.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$516 ฿17.4K

$515 ₽40.0K

0.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,926 ฿64.9K

$2,568 ₽199.4K

-25.00%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,451 ฿48.9K

$1,397 ₽108.5K

3.85%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$586 ฿19.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

14.06

-64.44%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 20, 2026

Last update for Polevskoy: July 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $425 in Chiang Mai versus $452 in Polevskoy. 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $44.00 in Polevskoy. Groceries tell a different story – $242 in Chiang Mai vs $209 in Polevskoy – so Polevskoy 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 Polevskoy: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Polevskoy costs about 22% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,271 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,553 in Polevskoy. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai and $44.00 in Polevskoy. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 16% cheaper in Polevskoy – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $847, than in Polevskoy at $1,035. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Polevskoy it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $847 versus $1,035 in Polevskoy. 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 Chiang Mai. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Polevskoy makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.