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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,037 in Tomsk, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,354 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,606 in Tomsk, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,857 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,176 in Tomsk, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 18% cheaper than Tomsk, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Chiang Mai and Tomsk are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Tomsk 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿63.6

$6.45 ₽485

-69.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.81 ฿611

$31.79 ₽2,388

-40.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.92 ฿258

$5.62 ₽422

40.93%

Cappuccino

$1.91 ฿62.2

$2.27 ₽170

-15.86%

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

$0.84 ฿27.25

$1.02 ₽76.9

-17.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.44

$0.43 ₽32.24

-18.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿71.7

$1.24 ₽93.4

78.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 ฿124

$3.14 ₽236

21.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 ฿53.2

$1.11 ₽83.1

47.75%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 ฿52.8

$0.58 ₽43.46

179.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.40

$1.85 ₽139

-36.22%

Eggs

$2.01 ฿65.4

$1.72 ₽129

16.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.89 ฿517

$10.96 ₽823

44.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.01 ฿98.0

$5.50 ₽413

-45.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.77 ฿350

$8.97 ₽674

20.07%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 ฿85.0

$2.05 ₽154

27.32%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿39.65

$1.98 ₽149

-38.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.4

$2.15 ₽161

-20.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 ฿51.2

$3.77 ₽283

-58.09%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 ฿42.89

$0.70 ₽52.6

88.57%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.01

$0.54 ₽40.20

116.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿21.85

$1.06 ₽79.5

-36.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.21

$0.61 ₽46.03

-8.20%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.53 ฿147

$2.58 ₽194

75.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.20 ฿592

$7.90 ₽594

130.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿59.6

$0.93 ₽70.2

96.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿105

$1.83 ₽137

76.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ฿28.83

$0.39 ₽29.63

128.21%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.38 ฿630

$26.15 ₽1,965

-25.89%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.35 ฿43.95

$1.68 ₽126

-19.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 ฿43.79

$0.25 ₽18.86

440.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.25 ฿268

$6.07 ₽456

35.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.40

$0.69 ₽51.7

84.06%

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

$21.2K ฿687.8K

$31.6K ₽2.4M

-33.02%

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

$22.5K ฿731.0K

$40.4K ₽3.0M

-44.41%

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

$70.2 ฿2,281

$114 ₽8,558

-38.42%

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

$13.77 ฿448

$5.09 ₽382

170.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.60 ฿572

$8.11 ₽609

117.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.57 ฿1,352

$61.1 ₽4,589

-31.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.60 ฿215

$25.54 ₽1,919

-74.16%

Cinema Ticket

$5.78 ฿188

$5.55 ₽417

4.14%

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

$306 ฿9,953

$75.0 ₽5,635

308.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿482.0K

$4,392 ₽330.0K

237.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.4 ฿1,768

$74.7 ₽5,612

-27.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.14 ฿850

$34.43 ₽2,587

-24.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.5 ฿2,748

$135 ₽10.1K

-37.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.4 ฿2,257

$185 ₽13.9K

-62.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$424 ฿13.8K

$445 ₽33.4K

-4.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$238 ฿7,743

$278 ₽20.9K

-14.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$825 ฿26.8K

$753 ₽56.6K

9.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.7K

$500 ₽37.6K

2.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,049 ฿66.6K

$2,153 ₽161.8K

-4.82%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,523 ฿49.5K

$1,504 ₽113.0K

1.24%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$635 ฿20.6K

$804 ₽60.4K

-21.00%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

22.08

-77.36%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 27, 2026

Last update for Tomsk: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $424 in Chiang Mai versus $445 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 27% higher in Tomsk, 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 in Chiang Mai versus $32 in Tomsk. Groceries tell a different story – $243 in Chiang Mai vs $207 in Tomsk – so Tomsk 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 Tomsk: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Tomsk costs about 22% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. 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 $1,555 in Tomsk. 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.

Kindergarten costs $306 per month in Chiang Mai and $75.0 in Tomsk. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 18% cheaper in Tomsk – 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 Tomsk at $1,037. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Tomsk it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $852 versus $1,037 in Tomsk. 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, Tomsk makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.