Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Samarkand

For one person, living is cheaper in Samarkand: $636 a month against $936 in Chiang Mai, rent and utilities included – about $3,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

45

Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai Living Index
31

Cost of Living Index in Samarkand
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Samarkand Living Index

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Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$936

/mo nomad

Samarkand

🇺🇿 Uzbekistan

$636

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chiang Mai and in Samarkand

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 Samarkand actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $936 per month in Chiang Mai vs $636 in Samarkand, rent included.

Chiang Mai $936
Samarkand $636

A couple spends around $1,457 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,013 in Samarkand, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,457
Samarkand $1,013

A family of three spends $1,979 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,391 in Samarkand, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,979
Samarkand $1,391

Chiang Mai costs about 47% more than Samarkand, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chiang Mai and Samarkand are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 31% lower, Samarkand 53% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.24 ฿75.6

$6.82 UZS 81.7K

-67.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.00 ฿641

$19.65 UZS 235.4K

-3.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.55 ฿187

$4.78 UZS 57.3K

16.11%

Cappuccino

$1.67 ฿56.5

$2.54 UZS 30.4K

-34.25%

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

$0.64 ฿21.53

$0.76 UZS 9,055

-15.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.30

$0.21 UZS 2,501

47.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.36 ฿79.5

$1.64 UZS 19.7K

43.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿124

$2.26 UZS 27.1K

61.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 ฿65.7

$1.07 UZS 12.8K

82.24%

White Bread (500g)

$1.44 ฿48.45

$0.32 UZS 3,796

350.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 ฿45.01

$1.59 UZS 19.1K

-16.35%

Eggs

$2.28 ฿77.0

$1.33 UZS 15.9K

71.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.45 ฿555

$8.19 UZS 98.1K

100.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.78 ฿93.8

$4.19 UZS 50.1K

-33.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.31 ฿314

$10.48 UZS 125.6K

-11.16%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 ฿79.4

$0.86 UZS 10.3K

173.26%

Banana (1kg)

$0.97 ฿32.78

$1.76 UZS 21.1K

-44.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.60 ฿53.9

$1.71 UZS 20.5K

-6.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.6

$1.71 UZS 20.5K

-12.28%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿43.10

$0.51 UZS 6,166

150.98%

Onion (1kg)

$1.10 ฿37.17

$0.15 UZS 1,823

633.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 ฿23.81

$0.26 UZS 3,144

173.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.36

$0.41 UZS 4,896

19.51%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.14 ฿140

$1.65 UZS 19.8K

150.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.52 ฿591

$3.44 UZS 41.2K

409.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.61 ฿54.5

$1.02 UZS 12.3K

57.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿93.9

$2.04 UZS 24.4K

36.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.87 ฿29.29

$0.24 UZS 2,863

262.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.1 ฿1,825

$3.42 UZS 40.9K

1481.58%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.16 ฿39.03

$0.33 UZS 3,907

251.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ฿17.79

$0.32 UZS 3,893

65.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.42 ฿81.7

$3.40 UZS 40.7K

-28.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.87

$1.19 UZS 14.3K

21.85%

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

$21.1K ฿710.3K

$17.3K UZS 207.4M

21.67%

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

$26.9K ฿908.7K

$21.1K UZS 252.9M

27.64%

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

$62.2 ฿2,097

$41.16 UZS 493.1K

51.04%

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

$12.17 ฿410

$3.92 UZS 46.9K

210.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.12 ฿679

$13.63 UZS 163.3K

47.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.31 ฿1,259

$39.16 UZS 469.2K

-4.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.77 ฿127

$6.56 UZS 78.6K

-42.53%

Cinema Ticket

$6.49 ฿219

$3.21 UZS 38.5K

102.18%

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

$736 ฿24.8K

$380 UZS 4.6M

93.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿498.0K

$7,387 UZS 88.5M

99.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.4 ฿1,800

$20.48 UZS 245.4K

160.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.64 ฿831

$41.29 UZS 494.7K

-40.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.5 ฿3,086

$75.4 UZS 903.0K

21.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.9 ฿2,426

$59.2 UZS 708.7K

21.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.3K

$239 UZS 2.9M

101.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$309 ฿10.4K

$164 UZS 2.0M

88.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 ฿33.9K

$457 UZS 5.5M

120.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$633 ฿21.4K

$319 UZS 3.8M

98.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,363 ฿79.7K

$1,248 UZS 14.9M

89.38%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,589 ฿53.6K

$536 UZS 6.4M

196.24%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$590 ฿19.9K

$306 UZS 3.7M

92.75%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

23.31

-76.10%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 26, 2026

Last update for Samarkand: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$309 33%

Samarkand

$164 25.8% 46.9% $145

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$234 25.1%

Samarkand

$157 24.6% 33.2% $78

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$109 11.6%

Samarkand

$88 13.9% 18.7% $20

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$94 10.1%

Samarkand

$59 9.2% 37.8% $36

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$78 8.3%

Samarkand

$116 18.3% 49.5% $38

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$61 6.6%

Samarkand

$6.3 1% 89.7% $55

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$50 5.4%

Samarkand

$46 7.2% 9.3% $4.7

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Chiang Mai versus $239 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 93% higher in Chiang Mai. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19 in Chiang Mai versus $20 in Samarkand. Groceries tell a different story – $234 in Chiang Mai vs $157 in Samarkand – so Samarkand wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇺🇿 Samarkand

🕒 Local time

05:49 5:49 AM

03:49 3:49 AM

2 h behind Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

573,200

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Uzbekistani Som UZS soʻm

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.96 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

100,000 UZS = 8.35 USD

100,000 UZS = 7.49 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

UZS, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 29, 2026: 1 USD = 33.73 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.59 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

Uzbekistani Som exchange rates as of October 29, 2026: 1 USD = 11,980 UZS (100,000 UZS = 8.35 USD). 1 EUR = 13,351 UZS (100,000 UZS = 7.49 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Chiang Mai Samarkand 3,840 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
Samarkand

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 Samarkand: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 47% more than Samarkand, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,403 per month in Chiang Mai and $953 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: a one-bedroom in the center costs $239 there versus $482 in Chiang Mai.

Kindergarten costs $736 per month in Chiang Mai and $380 in Samarkand. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 50% more in Chiang Mai, though the gap depends on what you buy.

Families tend to lean toward Samarkand – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.

If budget matters most, go with Samarkand. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chiang Mai makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.