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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $869 per month in Chiang Mai vs $540 in Samarkand, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,362 per month in Chiang Mai vs $884 in Samarkand, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,855 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,228 in Samarkand, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 61% more than Samarkand, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Samarkand are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Samarkand 60% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.98 ฿64.3

$4.52 UZS 54.1K

-56.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.80 ฿612

$17.65 UZS 211.4K

6.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.75 ฿252

$4.30 UZS 51.5K

80.23%

Cappuccino

$1.92 ฿62.5

$1.75 UZS 21.0K

9.71%

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

$0.79 ฿25.79

$0.42 UZS 5,048

88.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.62

$0.25 UZS 2,983

44.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$1.30 UZS 15.5K

70.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

$2.01 UZS 24.1K

82.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿53.8

$1.01 UZS 12.1K

63.37%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$0.41 UZS 4,896

297.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.86

$1.58 UZS 18.9K

-24.68%

Eggs

$2.00 ฿65.1

$1.32 UZS 15.8K

51.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.98 ฿520

$7.65 UZS 91.6K

108.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.03 ฿98.5

$3.71 UZS 44.4K

-18.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 ฿354

$8.75 UZS 104.8K

24.11%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 ฿90.0

$0.76 UZS 9,151

263.16%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.42

$1.69 UZS 20.3K

-30.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$1.62 UZS 19.4K

1.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.51

$1.52 UZS 18.2K

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿45.10

$0.48 UZS 5,759

187.50%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.84

$0.16 UZS 1,921

643.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ฿22.86

$0.25 UZS 3,011

180.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.13

$0.40 UZS 4,808

40.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.58 ฿149

$1.59 UZS 19.1K

188.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.56 ฿539

$3.37 UZS 40.4K

391.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿59.5

$0.97 UZS 11.6K

88.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 ฿104

$1.99 UZS 23.8K

60.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿28.56

$0.25 UZS 2,997

252.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.72 ฿610

$3.18 UZS 38.1K

488.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿44.16

$0.38 UZS 4,512

257.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿43.65

$0.19 UZS 2,303

605.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$2.34 UZS 28.0K

235.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿39.92

$0.95 UZS 11.4K

29.47%

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

$21.6K ฿704.3K

$20.1K UZS 240.4M

7.72%

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

$22.5K ฿734.3K

$25.2K UZS 302.2M

-10.66%

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

$70.5 ฿2,298

$38.86 UZS 465.4K

81.52%

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

$13.68 ฿445

$3.67 UZS 44.0K

272.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.45 ฿568

$11.65 UZS 139.5K

49.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.33 ฿1,346

$36.09 UZS 432.3K

14.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$6.13 UZS 73.4K

13.54%

Cinema Ticket

$5.77 ฿188

$2.88 UZS 34.4K

100.35%

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

$307 ฿10.0K

$117 UZS 1.4M

162.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿475.9K

$4,734 UZS 56.7M

208.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,817

$19.72 UZS 236.1K

182.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.21 ฿854

$39.41 UZS 472.0K

-33.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 ฿2,793

$71.3 UZS 853.5K

20.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.2 ฿2,353

$54.6 UZS 654.3K

32.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$430 ฿14.0K

$230 UZS 2.8M

86.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿7,774

$129 UZS 1.5M

85.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$817 ฿26.6K

$440 UZS 5.3M

85.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$511 ฿16.6K

$296 UZS 3.5M

72.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,983 ฿64.6K

$1,229 UZS 14.7M

61.40%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,484 ฿48.3K

$533 UZS 6.4M

178.31%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$619 ฿20.2K

$306 UZS 3.7M

102.03%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

22.07

-77.34%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 7, 2026

Last update for Samarkand: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $430 in Chiang Mai versus $230 in Samarkand. 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 102% 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 $18.00 in Samarkand. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $241 vs $145 – making Samarkand the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Samarkand: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 61% more than Samarkand, 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 $1,303 per month in Chiang Mai and $809 in Samarkand. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $307 per month in Chiang Mai and $117 in Samarkand. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 67% 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.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $869 in Chiang Mai and $540 in Samarkand, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Samarkand costs $540 versus $869 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 Samarkand. 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.