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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $650 in Poltava, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,354 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,012 in Poltava, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,857 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,374 in Poltava, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 31% more than Poltava, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Poltava are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Poltava 51% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿64.0

$5.74 ₴253

-65.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.81 ฿615

$23.97 ₴1,057

-21.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.92 ฿259

$4.67 ₴206

69.59%

Cappuccino

$1.91 ฿62.6

$1.29 ₴56.9

48.06%

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

$0.84 ฿27.41

$0.64 ₴28.07

31.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.51

$0.46 ₴20.19

-23.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$0.88 ₴38.86

151.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 ฿124

$1.64 ₴72.3

131.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$1.02 ₴44.82

60.78%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 ฿53.1

$0.66 ₴29.14

145.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.62

$1.28 ₴56.6

-7.81%

Eggs

$2.01 ฿65.8

$1.71 ₴75.4

17.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.89 ฿520

$8.22 ₴362

93.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.01 ฿98.5

$3.78 ₴167

-20.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.77 ฿352

$5.31 ₴234

102.82%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 ฿85.5

$0.78 ₴34.23

234.62%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿39.88

$1.20 ₴53.0

1.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.7

$1.27 ₴56.2

33.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 ฿51.5

$1.54 ₴67.9

2.60%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 ฿43.14

$0.40 ₴17.59

230.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.23

$0.55 ₴24.24

112.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿21.98

$0.66 ₴28.89

1.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.32

$0.59 ₴25.81

-5.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.53 ฿148

$2.04 ₴89.9

122.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.20 ฿595

$5.13 ₴226

254.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿60.0

$0.89 ₴39.25

105.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$1.60 ₴70.3

101.87%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ฿29.00

$0.25 ₴11.06

256.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.38 ฿634

$14.29 ₴630

35.62%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.35 ฿44.20

$1.98 ₴87.4

-31.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 ฿44.05

$0.18 ₴7.87

650.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.25 ฿270

$4.48 ₴197

84.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.64

$1.31 ₴57.6

-3.05%

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

$21.2K ฿691.8K

$27.1K ₴1.2M

-21.98%

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

$22.5K ฿735.3K

$20.3K ₴894.2K

10.82%

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

$70.2 ฿2,294

$93.5 ₴4,122

-25.00%

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

$13.77 ฿450

$4.54 ₴200

203.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.60 ฿575

$4.82 ₴212

265.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.57 ฿1,360

$13.63 ₴601

204.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.60 ฿216

$9.32 ₴411

-29.18%

Cinema Ticket

$5.78 ฿189

$4.73 ₴209

22.20%

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

$306 ฿10.0K

$269 ₴11.9K

13.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿484.8K

$7,611 ₴335.4K

94.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.4 ฿1,778

$69.8 ₴3,078

-22.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.14 ฿855

$25.97 ₴1,145

0.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.5 ฿2,764

$77.4 ₴3,411

9.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.4 ฿2,270

$83.3 ₴3,669

-16.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$424 ฿13.9K

$261 ₴11.5K

62.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$238 ฿7,788

$158 ₴6,960

50.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$825 ฿27.0K

$435 ₴19.2K

89.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$319 ₴14.1K

61.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,049 ฿67.0K

$904 ₴39.8K

126.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,523 ฿49.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$635 ฿20.8K

$445 ₴19.6K

42.85%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

17.5

-71.43%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 27, 2026

Last update for Poltava: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $424 in Chiang Mai versus $261 in Poltava. 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 43% higher in Chiang Mai, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $24.00 in Poltava. Groceries tell a different story – $243 in Chiang Mai vs $142 in Poltava – so Poltava 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 Poltava: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 31% more than Poltava, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,278 per month in Chiang Mai and $974 in Poltava. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $306 per month in Chiang Mai and $269 in Poltava. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 71% 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.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $852 in Chiang Mai and $650 in Poltava, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Poltava costs $650 versus $852 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 Poltava. 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.