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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $955 in Surgut, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,354 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,493 in Surgut, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,857 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,030 in Surgut, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 11% cheaper than Surgut, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and Surgut are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Surgut 29% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿64.0

$9.34 ₽701

-79.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.81 ฿615

$38.52 ₽2,893

-51.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.92 ฿259

$5.72 ₽430

38.46%

Cappuccino

$1.91 ฿62.6

$2.39 ₽179

-20.08%

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

$0.84 ฿27.41

$1.11 ₽83.4

-24.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.51

$0.48 ₽35.74

-27.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$1.41 ₽106

56.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 ฿124

$2.56 ₽192

48.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$1.15 ₽86.6

42.61%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 ฿53.1

$0.70 ₽52.8

131.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.62

$1.44 ₽108

-18.06%

Eggs

$2.01 ฿65.8

$1.72 ₽129

16.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.89 ฿520

$10.87 ₽817

46.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.01 ฿98.5

$4.88 ₽366

-38.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.77 ฿352

$9.07 ₽681

18.74%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 ฿85.5

$1.80 ₽135

45.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿39.88

$1.83 ₽137

-33.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.7

$1.99 ₽150

-14.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 ฿51.5

$2.80 ₽210

-43.57%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 ฿43.14

$0.81 ₽60.6

62.96%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.23

$0.72 ₽54.3

62.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿21.98

$1.35 ₽101

-50.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.32

$0.71 ₽53.0

-21.13%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.53 ฿148

$2.96 ₽222

53.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.20 ฿595

$6.76 ₽508

169.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿60.0

$1.02 ₽76.4

79.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$1.88 ₽141

71.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ฿29.00

$0.49 ₽36.99

81.63%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.38 ฿634

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.35 ฿44.20

$1.89 ₽142

-28.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 ฿44.05

$0.33 ₽24.78

309.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.25 ฿270

$6.18 ₽464

33.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.64

$0.73 ₽54.6

73.97%

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

$21.2K ฿691.8K

$34.5K ₽2.6M

-38.71%

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

$22.5K ฿735.3K

$35.9K ₽2.7M

-37.36%

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

$70.2 ฿2,294

$108 ₽8,122

-35.13%

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

$13.77 ฿450

$5.81 ₽437

137.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.60 ฿575

$7.83 ₽588

124.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.57 ฿1,360

$35.98 ₽2,703

15.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.60 ฿216

Cinema Ticket

$5.78 ฿189

$5.00 ₽376

15.60%

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

$306 ฿10.0K

$321 ₽24.1K

-4.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿484.8K

$7,000 ₽525.8K

111.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.4 ฿1,778

$69.3 ₽5,207

-21.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.14 ฿855

$44.96 ₽3,377

-41.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.5 ฿2,764

$114 ₽8,575

-25.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.4 ฿2,270

$107 ₽8,053

-35.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$424 ฿13.9K

$449 ₽33.7K

-5.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$238 ฿7,788

$306 ₽23.0K

-22.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$825 ฿27.0K

$758 ₽56.9K

8.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$516 ₽38.8K

-0.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,049 ฿67.0K

$1,612 ₽121.1K

27.10%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,523 ฿49.8K

$1,328 ₽99.8K

14.64%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$635 ฿20.8K

$902 ₽67.8K

-29.61%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

15.33

-67.38%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 27, 2026

Last update for Surgut: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $424 in Chiang Mai versus $449 in Surgut. 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 42% higher in Surgut, 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 $39.00 in Surgut. Groceries tell a different story – $243 in Chiang Mai vs $197 in Surgut – so Surgut wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Surgut: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Surgut costs about 12% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. 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 $1,433 in Surgut. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai and $39.00 in Surgut. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 23% cheaper in Surgut – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $852, than in Surgut at $955. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Surgut it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $852 versus $955 in Surgut. 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 Chiang Mai. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Surgut makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.