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 $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $541 in Samarkand, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,360 per month in Chiang Mai vs $896 in Samarkand, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,867 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,251 in Samarkand, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 58% more than Samarkand, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Samarkand are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Samarkand 59% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.04 ฿68.4

$4.53 UZS 54.4K

-54.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.71 ฿626

$17.33 UZS 208.0K

7.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.86 ฿263

$4.44 UZS 53.3K

77.03%

Cappuccino

$2.03 ฿67.9

$1.76 UZS 21.1K

15.34%

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

$0.80 ฿26.71

$0.42 UZS 5,098

90.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.71

$0.27 UZS 3,259

29.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.7

$1.29 UZS 15.4K

65.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿123

$1.94 UZS 23.3K

89.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 ฿57.8

$1.05 UZS 12.6K

64.76%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.5

$0.41 UZS 4,870

282.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.10

$1.52 UZS 18.2K

-21.05%

Eggs

$1.97 ฿66.0

$1.30 UZS 15.6K

51.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.23 ฿543

$7.74 UZS 92.9K

109.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.06 ฿102

$3.85 UZS 46.2K

-20.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.80 ฿361

$8.63 UZS 103.6K

25.14%

Apples (1kg)

$2.77 ฿92.6

$0.81 UZS 9,742

241.98%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿39.05

$1.68 UZS 20.2K

-30.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 ฿57.1

$1.61 UZS 19.3K

6.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿53.3

$1.45 UZS 17.4K

9.66%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.63

$0.46 UZS 5,521

202.17%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 ฿38.67

$0.17 UZS 2,100

582.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿22.11

$0.25 UZS 3,020

164.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.35

$0.37 UZS 4,498

40.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 ฿155

$1.56 UZS 18.7K

198.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.78 ฿595

$3.40 UZS 40.8K

422.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ฿59.8

$0.92 UZS 11.1K

94.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 ฿112

$1.95 UZS 23.4K

71.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿30.35

$0.23 UZS 2,756

295.65%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.64 ฿624

$3.21 UZS 38.6K

480.69%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿47.17

$0.41 UZS 4,885

243.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.82

$0.16 UZS 1,969

737.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.11 ฿271

$2.34 UZS 28.1K

246.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿41.27

$1.01 UZS 12.1K

21.78%

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

$21.4K ฿717.0K

$19.9K UZS 239.2M

7.60%

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

$21.8K ฿730.0K

$25.0K UZS 300.5M

-12.81%

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

$71.3 ฿2,386

$39.90 UZS 479.0K

78.77%

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

$14.01 ฿469

$3.57 UZS 42.9K

292.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.93 ฿600

$11.59 UZS 139.2K

54.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.82 ฿1,365

$37.12 UZS 445.6K

9.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿230

$6.15 UZS 73.9K

11.87%

Cinema Ticket

$5.72 ฿191

$2.94 UZS 35.3K

94.56%

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

$308 ฿10.3K

$117 UZS 1.4M

162.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿491.0K

$4,798 UZS 57.6M

205.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,865

$19.65 UZS 235.9K

183.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.04 ฿871

$40.12 UZS 481.7K

-35.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 ฿2,837

$70.0 UZS 840.0K

21.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.0 ฿2,375

$55.2 UZS 662.8K

28.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$423 ฿14.2K

$225 UZS 2.7M

88.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 ฿8,110

$129 UZS 1.5M

88.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$797 ฿26.7K

$436 UZS 5.2M

82.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$507 ฿17.0K

$293 UZS 3.5M

72.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,918 ฿64.2K

$1,226 UZS 14.7M

56.41%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,464 ฿49.0K

$533 UZS 6.4M

174.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

$301 UZS 3.6M

97.81%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Samarkand: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $423 in Chiang Mai versus $225 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 98% 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 $17.00 in Samarkand. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $244 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 58% 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 $1,279 per month in Chiang Mai and $811 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 $308 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 69% 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 $852 in Chiang Mai and $541 in Samarkand, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Samarkand costs $541 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 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.