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 $845 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,054 in Polevskoy, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,323 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,593 in Polevskoy, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,802 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,132 in Polevskoy, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 20% 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 21% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.95 ฿62.8

$6.23 ₽467

-68.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.43 ฿594

$44.53 ₽3,341

-58.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.50 ฿241

$5.61 ₽421

33.69%

Cappuccino

$1.93 ฿62.3

$2.26 ₽170

-14.60%

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

$0.78 ฿25.08

$1.29 ₽96.5

-39.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ฿10.42

$0.37 ₽27.52

-13.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.15 ฿69.2

$0.85 ₽63.6

152.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.71 ฿120

$1.95 ₽146

90.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿55.2

$1.17 ₽88.0

46.15%

White Bread (500g)

$1.56 ฿50.3

$0.74 ₽55.5

110.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.06

$1.38 ₽104

-14.49%

Eggs

$1.98 ฿63.9

$1.76 ₽132

12.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.04 ฿517

$10.09 ₽757

58.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.17 ฿102

$6.92 ₽520

-54.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿353

$11.31 ₽849

-3.27%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 ฿84.7

$1.88 ₽141

39.89%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿37.61

$2.04 ₽153

-42.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.65 ฿53.0

$2.05 ₽154

-19.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.54 ฿49.51

$3.48 ₽261

-55.75%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿44.34

$1.08 ₽81.1

27.78%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿37.54

$0.75 ₽56.1

56.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.25

$0.54 ₽40.67

22.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.55

$0.57 ₽42.87

-10.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.52 ฿146

$2.59 ₽195

74.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.32 ฿590

$6.54 ₽491

180.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿57.9

$0.92 ₽68.8

95.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 ฿102

$1.66 ₽125

91.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿28.97

$0.52 ₽39.07

73.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.00 ฿612

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.50

$1.94 ₽146

-27.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.31 ฿42.15

$0.32 ₽24.37

309.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.09 ฿261

$5.28 ₽396

53.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 ฿41.08

$0.79 ₽59.1

62.03%

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

$21.3K ฿686.1K

$62.7K ₽4.7M

-66.04%

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

$21.7K ฿699.3K

$31.5K ₽2.4M

-31.10%

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

$69.2 ฿2,230

$139 ₽10.4K

-50.26%

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

$13.97 ฿450

$9.41 ₽706

48.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.95 ฿578

$7.89 ₽592

127.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.31 ฿1,363

$35.95 ₽2,698

17.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.66 ฿214

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿191

$5.77 ₽433

2.60%

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

$299 ฿9,640

$447 ₽33.6K

-33.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿478.4K

$4,420 ₽331.7K

235.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.2 ฿1,810

$49.14 ₽3,688

14.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.94 ฿868

$42.78 ₽3,210

-37.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.9 ฿2,735

$165 ₽12.4K

-48.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.8 ฿2,314

$187 ₽14.0K

-61.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$435 ฿14.0K

$446 ₽33.5K

-2.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$240 ฿7,727

$306 ₽23.0K

-21.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$798 ฿25.7K

$774 ₽58.1K

3.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$498 ฿16.1K

$510 ₽38.2K

-2.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,995 ฿64.3K

$2,301 ₽172.6K

-13.27%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,532 ฿49.4K

$1,589 ₽119.2K

-3.59%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$628 ฿20.2K

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: April 20, 2026

Last update for Polevskoy: April 19, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $435 in Chiang Mai versus $446 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 $18 in Chiang Mai versus $45 in Polevskoy. Groceries tell a different story – $244 in Chiang Mai vs $212 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 25% 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 $1,267 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,580 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 $18.00 in Chiang Mai and $45.00 in Polevskoy. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 15% cheaper in Polevskoy – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $845 in Chiang Mai and $1,054 in Polevskoy, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $845 versus $1,054 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.