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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $869 per month in Chiang Mai vs $872 in Rustavi, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,362 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,287 in Rustavi, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,855 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,703 in Rustavi, rent included.

Chiang Mai and Rustavi have comparable living costs – the differences are in the details.

Both Chiang Mai and Rustavi are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Rustavi 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.98 ฿64.3

$11.00 ₾29.12

-82.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.80 ฿612

$28.81 ₾76.3

-34.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.75 ฿252

$8.47 ₾22.43

-8.50%

Cappuccino

$1.92 ฿62.5

$1.90 ₾5.04

1.05%

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

$0.79 ฿25.79

$0.76 ₾2.01

3.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.62

$0.46 ₾1.22

-21.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$2.16 ₾5.73

2.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

$2.84 ₾7.53

28.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿53.8

$1.85 ₾4.91

-10.81%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$0.69 ₾1.82

136.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.86

$1.56 ₾4.12

-23.72%

Eggs

$2.00 ฿65.1

$2.22 ₾5.88

-9.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.98 ฿520

$7.58 ₾20.07

110.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.03 ฿98.5

$4.50 ₾11.92

-32.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 ฿354

$9.13 ₾24.17

18.95%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 ฿90.0

$0.90 ₾2.38

206.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.42

$1.65 ₾4.38

-28.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$1.80 ₾4.76

-8.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.51

$0.99 ₾2.63

53.54%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿45.10

$0.65 ₾1.72

112.31%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.84

$0.62 ₾1.63

91.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ฿22.86

$1.22 ₾3.23

-42.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.13

$0.70 ₾1.85

-20.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.58 ฿149

$2.93 ₾7.75

56.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.56 ฿539

$3.77 ₾9.99

339.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿59.5

$1.46 ₾3.87

25.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 ฿104

$2.21 ₾5.85

44.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿28.56

$0.23 ₾0.60

282.61%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.72 ฿610

$10.66 ₾28.25

75.61%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿44.16

$1.31 ₾3.48

3.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿43.65

$0.35 ₾0.93

282.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$3.56 ₾9.42

120.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿39.92

$1.10 ₾2.91

11.82%

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

$21.6K ฿704.3K

$18.4K ₾48.8K

17.46%

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

$22.5K ฿734.3K

$8,992 ₾23.8K

150.73%

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

$70.5 ฿2,298

$73.5 ₾195

-4.04%

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

$13.68 ฿445

$7.41 ₾19.62

84.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.45 ฿568

$11.05 ₾29.27

57.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.33 ฿1,346

$25.38 ₾67.2

62.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$18.42 ₾48.79

-62.21%

Cinema Ticket

$5.77 ฿188

$6.61 ₾17.51

-12.71%

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

$307 ฿10.0K

$268 ₾709

14.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿475.9K

$5,143 ₾13.6K

184.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,817

$73.3 ₾194

-23.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.21 ฿854

$43.75 ₾116

-40.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 ฿2,793

$105 ₾277

-18.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.2 ฿2,353

$103 ₾273

-29.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$430 ฿14.0K

$253 ₾670

69.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿7,774

$239 ₾634

-0.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$817 ฿26.6K

$447 ₾1,185

82.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$511 ฿16.6K

$296 ₾785

72.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,983 ฿64.6K

$1,045 ₾2,767

89.81%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,484 ฿48.3K

$746 ₾1,976

98.91%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$619 ฿20.2K

$431 ₾1,143

43.46%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.89

-57.95%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 7, 2026

Last update for Rustavi: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $430 in Chiang Mai versus $253 in Rustavi. 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. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $29.00 in Rustavi. Groceries tell a different story – $241 in Chiang Mai vs $175 in Rustavi – so Rustavi 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 Rustavi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,303 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,308 in Rustavi. 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 $29.00 in Rustavi. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Public transport costs about 76% less in Chiang Mai. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $869 in Chiang Mai and $872 in Rustavi, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $869 versus $872 in Rustavi. 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, Rustavi makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.