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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $869 per month in Chiang Mai vs $962 in Salekhard, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,362 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,495 in Salekhard, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,855 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,029 in Salekhard, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 10% cheaper than Salekhard, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and Salekhard are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Salekhard 28% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.98 ฿65.0

$9.30 ₽669

-78.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.80 ฿619

$37.82 ₽2,720

-50.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.75 ฿255

$5.60 ₽403

38.39%

Cappuccino

$1.92 ฿63.2

$2.26 ₽162

-15.04%

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

$0.79 ฿26.07

$1.08 ₽77.4

-26.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.74

$0.48 ₽34.85

-25.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.9

$1.36 ₽97.9

62.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿120

$2.55 ₽184

43.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿54.4

$1.16 ₽83.4

42.24%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.7

$0.66 ₽47.23

146.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿39.28

$1.39 ₽99.6

-14.39%

Eggs

$2.00 ฿65.8

$1.80 ₽129

11.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.98 ฿526

$10.91 ₽785

46.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.03 ฿99.6

$4.73 ₽340

-35.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 ฿357

$8.76 ₽630

23.97%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 ฿90.9

$1.81 ₽130

52.49%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.83

$1.90 ₽136

-37.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 ฿54.0

$1.89 ₽136

-13.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿50.0

$2.75 ₽197

-44.73%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿45.59

$0.85 ₽61.5

62.35%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 ฿39.25

$0.71 ₽51.0

67.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ฿23.11

$1.35 ₽97.4

-48.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.32

$0.72 ₽51.6

-22.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.58 ฿151

$2.99 ₽215

53.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.56 ฿545

$7.56 ₽543

119.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿60.2

$1.00 ₽71.9

83.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 ฿105

$1.85 ₽133

72.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿28.87

$0.49 ₽35.52

79.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.72 ฿616

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿44.64

$1.87 ₽135

-27.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.12

$0.35 ₽25.42

282.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿258

$6.45 ₽464

21.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿40.35

$0.73 ₽52.7

68.49%

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

$21.6K ฿711.8K

$34.8K ₽2.5M

-37.94%

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

$22.5K ฿742.2K

$35.8K ₽2.6M

-37.07%

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

$70.5 ฿2,322

$110 ₽7,905

-35.84%

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

$13.68 ฿450

$6.13 ₽441

123.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.45 ฿574

$8.02 ₽577

117.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.33 ฿1,361

$35.26 ₽2,535

17.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿229

Cinema Ticket

$5.77 ฿190

$4.99 ₽359

15.63%

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

$307 ฿10.1K

$325 ₽23.3K

-5.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿481.0K

$6,976 ₽501.6K

109.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,837

$69.2 ₽4,975

-19.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.21 ฿863

$45.10 ₽3,243

-41.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 ฿2,823

$114 ₽8,190

-24.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.2 ฿2,378

$108 ₽7,772

-33.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$430 ฿14.1K

$442 ₽31.8K

-2.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿7,857

$305 ₽21.9K

-21.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$817 ฿26.9K

$759 ₽54.6K

7.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$511 ฿16.8K

$515 ₽37.0K

-0.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,983 ฿65.3K

$2,755 ₽198.1K

-28.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,484 ฿48.9K

$1,747 ₽125.6K

-15.05%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$619 ฿20.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

15.33

-67.38%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 7, 2026

Last update for Salekhard: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $430 in Chiang Mai versus $442 in Salekhard. 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $38.00 in Salekhard. Groceries tell a different story – $241 in Chiang Mai vs $197 in Salekhard – so Salekhard 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 Salekhard: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Salekhard costs about 11% more than Chiang Mai, 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 $1,303 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,442 in Salekhard. 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 $38.00 in Salekhard. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 22% cheaper in Salekhard – 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 $869, than in Salekhard at $962. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Salekhard it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $869 versus $962 in Salekhard. 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, Salekhard makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.