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 $950 per month in Chiang Mai vs $864 in Polevskoy, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,430 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,369 in Polevskoy, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,909 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,873 in Polevskoy, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 10% more than Polevskoy, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and Polevskoy are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 31% lower, Polevskoy 37% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.10 ฿68.8

$8.26 ₽711

-74.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.84 ฿651

$31.97 ₽2,753

-37.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.79 ฿190

$5.11 ₽440

13.31%

Cappuccino

$1.83 ฿60.0

$2.60 ₽224

-29.62%

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

$0.78 ฿25.43

$1.14 ₽97.8

-31.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.30

$0.69 ₽59.3

-55.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.34 ฿76.7

$3.47 ₽298

-32.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.70 ฿121

$4.61 ₽397

-19.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.03 ฿66.6

$1.13 ₽97.7

79.65%

White Bread (500g)

$1.60 ฿52.4

$0.80 ₽69.2

100.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.42 ฿46.43

$1.08 ₽92.7

31.48%

Eggs

$2.18 ฿71.4

$1.13 ₽97.6

92.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.91 ฿522

$9.59 ₽825

65.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.07 ฿101

$4.74 ₽408

-35.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.87 ฿324

$9.76 ₽840

1.13%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 ฿86.2

$1.64 ₽141

60.37%

Banana (1kg)

$1.10 ฿35.94

$1.64 ₽141

-32.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.63 ฿53.5

$1.72 ₽148

-5.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿50.2

$2.11 ₽182

-27.49%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 ฿40.84

$0.66 ₽56.5

87.88%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 ฿37.11

$0.50 ₽43.26

126.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 ฿24.21

$1.47 ₽126

-49.66%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 ฿16.37

$0.54 ₽46.39

-7.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.28 ฿140

$2.70 ₽232

58.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.97 ฿590

$5.89 ₽508

205.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 ฿55.7

$0.77 ₽66.6

120.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿95.0

$1.77 ₽152

63.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.94 ฿30.91

$0.48 ₽41.56

95.83%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.3 ฿1,814

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.23 ฿40.48

$2.32 ₽200

-46.98%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ฿17.53

$0.31 ₽26.63

70.97%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.40 ฿78.8

$7.02 ₽604

-65.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 ฿47.22

$0.80 ₽69.0

80.00%

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

$21.2K ฿695.3K

$29.2K ₽2.5M

-27.49%

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

$27.3K ฿895.9K

$29.2K ₽2.5M

-6.40%

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

$64.9 ฿2,130

$77.5 ₽6,672

-16.20%

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

$13.35 ฿438

$4.56 ₽393

192.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.83 ฿684

$8.36 ₽720

149.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.42 ฿1,326

$39.09 ₽3,366

3.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.95 ฿130

$21.48 ₽1,850

-81.61%

Cinema Ticket

$6.71 ฿220

$5.87 ₽505

14.31%

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

$787 ฿25.8K

$319 ₽27.4K

146.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.1K ฿496.2K

$5,896 ₽507.7K

156.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.2 ฿1,845

$45.64 ₽3,930

23.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.95 ฿819

$29.66 ₽2,554

-15.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.7 ฿3,042

$86.6 ₽7,458

7.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.1 ฿2,465

$52.0 ₽4,480

44.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$484 ฿15.9K

$470 ₽40.5K

2.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$287 ฿9,425

$272 ₽23.4K

5.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$910 ฿29.8K

$878 ₽75.6K

3.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$531 ฿17.4K

$466 ₽40.1K

13.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,980 ฿65.0K

$2,268 ₽195.3K

-12.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,451 ฿47.6K

$1,337 ₽115.2K

8.51%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$605 ฿19.9K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

20.34

-72.62%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 7, 2026

Last update for Polevskoy: September 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $484 in Chiang Mai versus $470 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $32.00 in Polevskoy. Groceries tell a different story – $242 in Chiang Mai vs $180 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

Chiang Mai costs about 10% more than Polevskoy, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,426 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,296 in Polevskoy. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Polevskoy, 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai and $32.00 in Polevskoy. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 35% 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 $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Polevskoy, where all-in costs run around $864, than in Chiang Mai at $950. In Polevskoy 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. Polevskoy costs $864 versus $950 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 Polevskoy. 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.