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 $540 in Samarkand, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,354 per month in Chiang Mai vs $889 in Samarkand, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,857 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,238 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 60% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿64.0

$4.51 UZS 54.3K

-56.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.81 ฿615

$17.62 UZS 212.1K

6.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.92 ฿259

$4.26 UZS 51.3K

85.92%

Cappuccino

$1.91 ฿62.6

$1.76 UZS 21.2K

8.52%

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

$0.84 ฿27.41

$0.39 UZS 4,721

115.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.51

$0.25 UZS 2,980

40.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$1.27 UZS 15.3K

74.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 ฿124

$1.95 UZS 23.5K

94.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$1.00 UZS 12.0K

64.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 ฿53.1

$0.40 UZS 4,875

305.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.62

$1.54 UZS 18.5K

-23.38%

Eggs

$2.01 ฿65.8

$1.25 UZS 15.0K

60.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.89 ฿520

$7.79 UZS 93.8K

103.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.01 ฿98.5

$3.75 UZS 45.2K

-19.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.77 ฿352

$8.43 UZS 101.5K

27.76%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 ฿85.5

$0.77 UZS 9,263

238.96%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿39.88

$1.75 UZS 21.1K

-30.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.7

$1.55 UZS 18.6K

9.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 ฿51.5

$1.51 UZS 18.1K

4.64%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 ฿43.14

$0.49 UZS 5,882

169.39%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.23

$0.15 UZS 1,836

680.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿21.98

$0.25 UZS 3,021

168.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.32

$0.38 UZS 4,538

47.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.53 ฿148

$1.54 UZS 18.5K

194.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.20 ฿595

$3.24 UZS 39.1K

461.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿60.0

$0.91 UZS 10.9K

101.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$2.00 UZS 24.1K

61.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ฿29.00

$0.23 UZS 2,758

286.96%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.38 ฿634

$3.11 UZS 37.4K

523.15%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.35 ฿44.20

$0.37 UZS 4,495

264.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 ฿44.05

$0.18 UZS 2,205

650.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.25 ฿270

$2.39 UZS 28.8K

245.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.64

$0.96 UZS 11.6K

32.29%

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

$21.2K ฿691.8K

$20.4K UZS 245.4M

3.81%

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

$22.5K ฿735.3K

$24.7K UZS 297.9M

-9.12%

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

$70.2 ฿2,294

$39.20 UZS 472.0K

78.95%

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

$13.77 ฿450

$3.63 UZS 43.8K

279.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.60 ฿575

$11.76 UZS 141.7K

49.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.57 ฿1,360

$36.63 UZS 441.0K

13.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.60 ฿216

$6.23 UZS 75.0K

5.94%

Cinema Ticket

$5.78 ฿189

$2.99 UZS 36.0K

93.31%

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

$306 ฿10.0K

$117 UZS 1.4M

161.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿484.8K

$4,738 UZS 57.0M

212.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.4 ฿1,778

$20.04 UZS 241.3K

171.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.14 ฿855

$38.87 UZS 468.0K

-32.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.5 ฿2,764

$71.7 UZS 862.8K

17.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.4 ฿2,270

$55.7 UZS 670.5K

24.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$424 ฿13.9K

$229 UZS 2.8M

85.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$238 ฿7,788

$132 UZS 1.6M

80.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$825 ฿27.0K

$430 UZS 5.2M

91.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$301 UZS 3.6M

71.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,049 ฿67.0K

$1,241 UZS 14.9M

65.10%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,523 ฿49.8K

$530 UZS 6.4M

187.54%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$635 ฿20.8K

$296 UZS 3.6M

114.26%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Samarkand: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $424 in Chiang Mai versus $229 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 114% 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: $243 vs $143 – 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 $1,278 per month in Chiang Mai and $810 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 $306 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 70% 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 $540 in Samarkand, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

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