Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Tomsk

For one person, living is cheaper in Chiang Mai: $936 a month against $1,147 in Tomsk, rent and utilities included – about $2,500 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
55

Cost of Living Index in Tomsk
Learn more

Tomsk Living Index

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Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$936

/mo nomad

Tomsk

🇷🇺 Russia

$1,147

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

A single person spends $936 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,147 in Tomsk, rent included.

Chiang Mai $936
Tomsk $1,147

A couple spends around $1,457 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,768 in Tomsk, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,457
Tomsk $1,768

A family of three spends $1,979 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,389 in Tomsk, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,979
Tomsk $2,389

Chiang Mai is about 18% cheaper than Tomsk, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both Chiang Mai and Tomsk are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 31% lower, Tomsk 16% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.24 ฿75.5

$8.05 ₽644

-72.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.00 ฿640

$30.48 ₽2,438

-37.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.55 ฿187

$6.68 ₽535

-16.92%

Cappuccino

$1.67 ฿56.4

$2.21 ₽177

-24.43%

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

$0.64 ฿21.51

$0.91 ₽72.5

-29.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.29

$0.42 ₽33.39

-26.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.36 ฿79.5

$1.17 ₽93.6

101.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿123

$3.34 ₽267

9.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 ฿65.7

$1.23 ₽98.3

58.54%

White Bread (500g)

$1.44 ฿48.41

$0.70 ₽56.2

105.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 ฿44.97

$0.99 ₽79.1

34.34%

Eggs

$2.28 ฿77.0

$1.36 ₽109

67.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.45 ฿554

$12.20 ₽976

34.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.78 ฿93.8

$4.71 ₽376

-40.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.31 ฿314

$9.92 ₽793

-6.15%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 ฿79.3

$1.73 ₽138

35.84%

Banana (1kg)

$0.97 ฿32.75

$1.95 ₽156

-50.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.60 ฿53.8

$2.23 ₽178

-28.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.6

$2.94 ₽235

-48.98%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿43.06

$0.47 ₽37.29

172.34%

Onion (1kg)

$1.10 ฿37.14

$0.36 ₽28.62

205.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 ฿23.79

$1.74 ₽139

-59.20%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.34

$0.51 ₽40.44

-3.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.14 ฿140

$2.79 ₽223

48.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.52 ฿590

$6.17 ₽493

183.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.61 ฿54.4

$0.92 ₽73.4

75.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿93.8

$1.65 ₽132

68.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.87 ฿29.27

$0.45 ₽36.37

93.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.1 ฿1,823

$18.51 ₽1,480

192.22%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.16 ฿39.00

$2.42 ₽193

-52.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ฿17.78

$0.32 ₽25.82

65.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.42 ฿81.6

$7.27 ₽582

-66.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.82

$0.83 ₽66.4

74.70%

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

$21.1K ฿709.7K

$54.1K ₽4.3M

-61.07%

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

$26.9K ฿907.9K

$41.8K ₽3.3M

-35.51%

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

$62.2 ฿2,095

$169 ₽13.5K

-63.22%

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

$12.17 ฿410

$8.39 ₽671

45.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.12 ฿678

$13.60 ₽1,088

47.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.31 ฿1,257

$39.40 ₽3,151

-5.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.77 ฿127

$16.58 ₽1,326

-77.26%

Cinema Ticket

$6.49 ฿219

$4.87 ₽390

33.26%

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

$736 ฿24.8K

$252 ₽20.1K

192.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿497.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.4 ฿1,799

$122 ₽9,747

-56.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.64 ฿830

$74.6 ₽5,969

-66.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.5 ฿3,083

$176 ₽14.1K

-48.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.9 ฿2,424

$126 ₽10.1K

-42.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.3K

$511 ₽40.9K

-5.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$309 ฿10.4K

$332 ₽26.5K

-6.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 ฿33.9K

$828 ₽66.3K

21.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$633 ฿21.3K

$651 ₽52.1K

-2.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,363 ฿79.6K

$2,096 ₽167.7K

12.74%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,589 ฿53.6K

$1,534 ₽122.7K

3.59%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$590 ฿19.9K

$930 ₽74.4K

-36.62%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

-74.68%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 26, 2026

Last update for Tomsk: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$309 33%

Tomsk

$332 28.9% 7.3% $23

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$234 25.1%

Tomsk

$198 17.3% 15.6% $36

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$109 11.6%

Tomsk

$224 19.6% 107% $116

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$94 10.1%

Tomsk

$191 16.7% 102% $97

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$78 8.3%

Tomsk

$129 11.2% 66.1% $51

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$61 6.6%

Tomsk

$24 2.1% 60.3% $37

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$50 5.4%

Tomsk

$49 4.3% 2.2% $1.1

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Chiang Mai versus $511 in Tomsk. 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 58% higher in Tomsk. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19 in Chiang Mai versus $30 in Tomsk. Groceries tell a different story – $234 in Chiang Mai vs $198 in Tomsk – so Tomsk wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇷🇺 Tomsk

🕒 Local time

11:27 11:27 AM

Same time as Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

551,505

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Russian Ruble RUB ₽

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.97 USD

100 THB = 2.67 EUR

100 RUB = 1.25 USD

100 RUB = 1.12 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

RUB, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 29, 2026: 1 USD = 33.7 THB (100 THB = 2.97 USD). 1 EUR = 37.52 THB (100 THB = 2.67 EUR).

Russian Ruble exchange rates as of October 29, 2026: 1 USD = 79.99 RUB (100 RUB = 1.25 USD). 1 EUR = 89.04 RUB (100 RUB = 1.12 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Chiang Mai Tomsk 4,350 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
Tomsk

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 Tomsk: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Tomsk costs about 23% more than Chiang Mai, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from clothing. 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 $1,721 in Tomsk. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A central 1-bedroom goes for about $482 in Chiang Mai and $511 in Tomsk. The gap holds across neighborhoods – outer areas show a similar spread, just at lower price points.

Kindergarten costs $736 per month in Chiang Mai and $252 in Tomsk. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 16% cheaper in Tomsk – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value.

$800 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $936 in Chiang Mai and $1,147 in Tomsk. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

It depends on your priorities. Chiang Mai has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $936 in Chiang Mai to $1,147 in Tomsk. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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