Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Semey

For one person, living is cheaper in Semey: $712 a month against $936 in Chiang Mai, rent and utilities included – about $2,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

45

Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai Living Index
34

Cost of Living Index in Semey
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Semey Living Index

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Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$936

/mo nomad

Semey

🇰🇿 Kazakhstan

$712

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

A single person spends $936 per month in Chiang Mai vs $712 in Semey, rent included.

Chiang Mai $936
Semey $712

A couple spends around $1,457 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,148 in Semey, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,457
Semey $1,148

A family of three spends $1,979 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,584 in Semey, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,979
Semey $1,584

Chiang Mai costs about 31% more than Semey, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chiang Mai and Semey are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 31% lower, Semey 48% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.24 ฿75.6

$4.93 ₸2,235

-54.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.00 ฿641

$21.82 ₸9,898

-12.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.55 ฿187

$5.49 ₸2,491

1.09%

Cappuccino

$1.67 ฿56.5

$1.70 ₸771

-1.76%

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

$0.64 ฿21.55

$0.76 ₸345

-15.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.31

$0.48 ₸216

-35.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.36 ฿79.6

$0.91 ₸412

159.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿124

$1.35 ₸614

171.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 ฿65.8

$1.03 ₸469

89.32%

White Bread (500g)

$1.44 ฿48.48

$0.37 ₸167

289.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 ฿45.04

$1.86 ₸845

-28.49%

Eggs

$2.28 ฿77.1

$1.53 ₸693

49.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.45 ฿555

$5.36 ₸2,432

206.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.78 ฿93.9

$3.86 ₸1,751

-27.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.31 ฿314

$5.43 ₸2,461

71.45%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 ฿79.4

$1.23 ₸559

91.06%

Banana (1kg)

$0.97 ฿32.80

$1.65 ₸748

-41.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.60 ฿53.9

$1.72 ₸781

-6.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.6

$1.69 ₸768

-11.24%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿43.12

$0.39 ₸176

228.21%

Onion (1kg)

$1.10 ฿37.19

$0.60 ₸274

83.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 ฿23.82

$1.02 ₸461

-30.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.37

$0.99 ₸448

-50.51%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.14 ฿140

$2.46 ₸1,116

68.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.52 ฿591

$7.24 ₸3,282

141.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.61 ฿54.5

$1.31 ₸596

22.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿94.0

$2.20 ₸998

26.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.87 ฿29.31

$0.25 ₸114

248.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.1 ฿1,826

$15.69 ₸7,119

244.74%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.16 ฿39.06

$1.29 ₸586

-10.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ฿17.80

$1.14 ₸515

-53.51%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.42 ฿81.8

$6.54 ₸2,968

-63.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.90

$0.65 ₸293

123.08%

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

$21.1K ฿710.7K

$32.4K ₸14.7M

-34.94%

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

$26.9K ฿909.3K

$26.3K ₸11.9M

2.53%

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

$62.2 ฿2,098

$33.66 ₸15.3K

84.70%

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

$12.17 ฿411

$9.01 ₸4,088

35.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.12 ฿679

$18.84 ₸8,544

6.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.31 ฿1,259

$42.36 ₸19.2K

-11.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.77 ฿127

$11.23 ₸5,095

-66.43%

Cinema Ticket

$6.49 ฿219

$4.39 ₸1,993

47.84%

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

$736 ฿24.8K

$132 ₸60.0K

456.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿498.3K

$4,406 ₸2.0M

235.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.4 ฿1,801

$28.90 ₸13.1K

84.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.64 ฿831

$25.47 ₸11.6K

-3.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.5 ฿3,087

$100 ₸45.4K

-8.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.9 ฿2,428

$76.6 ₸34.7K

-6.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.3K

$339 ₸153.5K

42.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$309 ฿10.4K

$229 ₸103.8K

35.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 ฿33.9K

$611 ₸276.9K

64.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$633 ฿21.4K

$489 ₸221.6K

29.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,363 ฿79.8K

$1,205 ₸546.7K

96.08%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,589 ฿53.6K

$739 ₸335.4K

114.93%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$590 ฿19.9K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

19.25

-71.06%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 26, 2026

Last update for Semey: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$309 33%

Semey

$229 32.2% 25.9% $80

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$234 25.1%

Semey

$154 21.7% 34.1% $80

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$109 11.6%

Semey

$104 14.6% 4.3% $4.7

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$94 10.1%

Semey

$62 8.6% 34.9% $33

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$78 8.3%

Semey

$88 12.4% 14.1% $11

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$61 6.6%

Semey

$24 3.3% 61.4% $38

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$50 5.4%

Semey

$51 7.2% 1.7% $0.9

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Chiang Mai versus $339 in Semey. 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 in Chiang Mai versus $22 in Semey. Groceries tell a different story – $234 in Chiang Mai vs $154 in Semey – so Semey wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇰🇿 Semey

🕒 Local time

17:08 5:08 PM

15:08 3:08 PM

2 h behind Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

310,456

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Kazakhstani Tenge KZT ₸

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.96 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

1,000 KZT = 2.2 USD

1,000 KZT = 1.98 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

KZT, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

Thai Baht exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 33.75 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.66 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

Kazakhstani Tenge exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 454 KZT (1,000 KZT = 2.2 USD). 1 EUR = 506 KZT (1,000 KZT = 1.98 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Chiang Mai Semey 3,890 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
Semey

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 Semey: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 31% more than Semey, 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 $1,068 in Semey. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Semey, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $339 there versus $482 in Chiang Mai.

Kindergarten costs $736 per month in Chiang Mai and $132 in Semey. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 52% more in Chiang Mai, though the gap depends on what you buy.

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