Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Rostov-on-Don

For one person, living is cheaper in Chiang Mai: $925 a month against $1,146 in Rostov-on-Don, rent and utilities included – about $2,700 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Rostov-on-Don outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

45

Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai Living Index
56

Cost of Living Index in Rostov-on-Don
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Rostov-on-Don Living Index

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Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$925

/mo nomad

Rostov-on-Don

🇷🇺 Russia

$1,146

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chiang Mai and in Rostov-on-Don

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 Rostov-on-Don actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $925 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,146 in Rostov-on-Don, rent included.

Chiang Mai $925
Rostov-on-Don $1,146

A couple spends around $1,414 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,600 in Rostov-on-Don, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,414
Rostov-on-Don $1,600

A family of three spends $1,903 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,055 in Rostov-on-Don, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,903
Rostov-on-Don $2,055

Chiang Mai is about 19% cheaper than Rostov-on-Don, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Chiang Mai and Rostov-on-Don are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 32% lower, Rostov-on-Don 15% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.29 ฿76.5

$10.73 ₽895

-78.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.64 ฿656

$24.52 ₽2,046

-19.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.61 ฿188

$5.97 ₽498

-6.03%

Cappuccino

$1.66 ฿55.6

$2.96 ₽247

-43.92%

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

$0.70 ฿23.40

$1.12 ₽93.5

-37.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.24

$0.51 ₽42.78

-39.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿80.4

$1.23 ₽102

95.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.71 ฿124

$3.11 ₽259

19.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 ฿65.3

$1.14 ₽94.9

71.05%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 ฿47.03

$0.74 ₽62.1

90.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.31 ฿43.62

$1.22 ₽102

7.38%

Eggs

$2.18 ฿72.9

$1.44 ₽120

51.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.65 ฿556

$9.29 ₽775

79.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.76 ฿92.2

$5.36 ₽448

-48.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.11 ฿304

$7.96 ₽664

14.45%

Apples (1kg)

$2.39 ฿80.0

$1.44 ₽120

65.97%

Banana (1kg)

$1.03 ฿34.26

$1.86 ₽155

-44.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.63 ฿54.4

$1.43 ₽120

13.99%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.0

$2.31 ₽192

-35.06%

Potato (1kg)

$1.29 ฿43.13

$0.68 ₽56.6

89.71%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 ฿37.03

$0.63 ₽52.6

76.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿24.08

$1.00 ₽83.5

-28.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.59

$0.65 ₽54.4

-18.46%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.31 ฿144

$2.75 ₽230

56.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.95 ฿600

$6.09 ₽508

194.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 ฿52.9

$0.97 ₽80.6

62.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 ฿95.0

$2.10 ₽175

35.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 ฿28.86

$0.51 ₽42.79

68.63%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.3 ฿1,780

$14.40 ₽1,202

270.00%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.21 ฿40.29

$3.58 ₽299

-66.20%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.57 ฿18.99

$0.14 ₽12.09

307.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.35 ฿78.6

$4.05 ₽338

-41.98%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 ฿47.96

$0.81 ₽67.4

77.78%

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

$20.7K ฿692.8K

$52.1K ₽4.3M

-60.22%

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

$26.8K ฿895.7K

$40.8K ₽3.4M

-34.39%

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

$62.3 ฿2,083

$124 ₽10.3K

-49.53%

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

$12.11 ฿405

$7.47 ₽623

62.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.94 ฿666

$8.95 ₽747

122.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.07 ฿1,239

$34.64 ₽2,891

7.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.78 ฿126

$21.30 ₽1,778

-82.25%

Cinema Ticket

$6.50 ฿217

$5.50 ₽459

18.18%

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

$793 ฿26.5K

$365 ₽30.4K

117.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿494.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.7 ฿1,796

$55.9 ₽4,661

-3.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.62 ฿823

$45.05 ₽3,760

-45.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.9 ฿3,036

$108 ₽9,013

-15.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.1 ฿2,378

$106 ₽8,832

-32.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$455 ฿15.2K

$642 ₽53.6K

-29.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$298 ฿9,954

$460 ₽38.4K

-35.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$908 ฿30.4K

$896 ₽74.8K

1.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$554 ฿18.5K

$572 ₽47.7K

-3.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,931 ฿64.5K

$2,355 ₽196.5K

-18.01%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,445 ฿48.3K

$1,508 ₽125.8K

-4.20%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$591 ฿19.7K

$825 ₽68.8K

-28.37%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

19.83

-71.91%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 17, 2026

Last update for Rostov-on-Don: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$298 32.2%

Rostov-on-Don

$460 40.1% 54.4% $162

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$235 25.5%

Rostov-on-Don

$180 15.7% 23.6% $56

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$108 11.7%

Rostov-on-Don

$142 12.4% 30.9% $33

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$94 10.2%

Rostov-on-Don

$140 12.2% 48.3% $46

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$79 8.5%

Rostov-on-Don

$158 13.8% 101% $80

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$61 6.6%

Rostov-on-Don

$21 1.8% 65.9% $40

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$50 5.4%

Rostov-on-Don

$46 4% 8.8% $4.4

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $455 in Chiang Mai versus $642 in Rostov-on-Don. 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 40% higher in Rostov-on-Don, 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $25.00 in Rostov-on-Don. Groceries tell a different story – $235 in Chiang Mai vs $180 in Rostov-on-Don – so Rostov-on-Don wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇷🇺 Rostov-on-Don

🕒 Local time

18:12 6:12 PM

14:12 2:12 PM

4 h behind Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

1,114,806

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Russian Ruble RUB ₽

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.99 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

100 RUB = 1.2 USD

100 RUB = 1.07 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 October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 33.42 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.57 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

Russian Ruble exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 83.46 RUB (100 RUB = 1.2 USD). 1 EUR = 93.83 RUB (100 RUB = 1.07 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Chiang Mai Rostov-on-Don 6,180 km ≈ 8 h nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
Rostov-on-Don

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 Rostov-on-Don: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Rostov-on-Don costs about 24% more than Chiang Mai, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from 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 $1,388 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,719 in Rostov-on-Don. 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.

Kindergarten costs $793 per month in Chiang Mai and $365 in Rostov-on-Don. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 31% cheaper in Rostov-on-Don – 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 $925, than in Rostov-on-Don at $1,146. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Rostov-on-Don it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $925 versus $1,146 in Rostov-on-Don. 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, Rostov-on-Don makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.