Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Ukhta

For one person, living is cheaper in Chiang Mai: $925 a month against $1,114 in Ukhta, rent and utilities included – about $2,300 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
51

Cost of Living Index in Ukhta
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Ukhta Living Index

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Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$925

/mo nomad

Ukhta

🇷🇺 Russia

$1,114

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

A single person spends $925 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,114 in Ukhta, rent included.

Chiang Mai $925
Ukhta $1,114

A couple spends around $1,414 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,675 in Ukhta, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,414
Ukhta $1,675

A family of three spends $1,903 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,236 in Ukhta, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,903
Ukhta $2,236

Chiang Mai is about 17% cheaper than Ukhta, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Chiang Mai and Ukhta are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 32% lower, Ukhta 18% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.29 ฿76.5

$12.41 ₽1,036

-81.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.64 ฿656

$36.18 ₽3,019

-45.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.61 ฿188

$5.77 ₽482

-2.77%

Cappuccino

$1.66 ฿55.6

$2.63 ₽219

-36.88%

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

$0.70 ฿23.40

$1.22 ₽102

-42.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.24

$0.63 ₽52.5

-50.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿80.4

$1.91 ₽160

26.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.71 ฿124

$3.03 ₽253

22.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 ฿65.3

$1.31 ₽109

48.85%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 ฿47.03

$0.71 ₽59.6

98.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.31 ฿43.62

$1.20 ₽100

9.17%

Eggs

$2.18 ฿72.9

$1.64 ₽137

32.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.65 ฿556

$10.36 ₽864

60.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.76 ฿92.2

$5.63 ₽470

-50.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.11 ฿304

$13.02 ₽1,086

-30.03%

Apples (1kg)

$2.39 ฿80.0

$1.93 ₽161

23.83%

Banana (1kg)

$1.03 ฿34.26

$1.94 ₽162

-46.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.63 ฿54.4

$1.69 ₽141

-3.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.0

$2.70 ₽226

-44.44%

Potato (1kg)

$1.29 ฿43.13

$0.80 ₽66.9

61.25%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 ฿37.03

$0.56 ₽46.71

98.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿24.08

$1.45 ₽121

-50.34%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.59

$0.63 ₽52.5

-15.87%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.31 ฿144

$2.99 ₽250

44.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.95 ฿600

$8.14 ₽680

120.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 ฿52.9

$0.98 ₽81.4

61.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 ฿95.0

$1.93 ₽161

47.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 ฿28.86

$0.59 ₽49.43

45.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.3 ฿1,780

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.21 ฿40.29

$2.33 ₽194

-48.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.57 ฿18.99

$0.41 ₽34.04

39.02%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.35 ฿78.6

$5.13 ₽428

-54.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 ฿47.96

$0.77 ₽64.1

87.01%

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

$20.7K ฿692.8K

$56.8K ₽4.7M

-63.50%

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

$26.8K ฿895.7K

$39.6K ₽3.3M

-32.29%

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

$62.3 ฿2,083

$126 ₽10.5K

-50.43%

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

$12.11 ฿405

$6.03 ₽503

100.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.94 ฿666

$8.53 ₽712

133.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.07 ฿1,239

$36.26 ₽3,026

2.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.78 ฿126

$24.65 ₽2,057

-84.67%

Cinema Ticket

$6.50 ฿217

$6.59 ₽550

-1.37%

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

$793 ฿26.5K

$367 ₽30.6K

116.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿494.9K

$6,377 ₽532.2K

132.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.7 ฿1,796

$82.8 ₽6,909

-35.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.62 ฿823

$56.3 ₽4,700

-56.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.9 ฿3,036

$131 ₽10.9K

-30.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.1 ฿2,378

$117 ₽9,731

-38.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$455 ฿15.2K

$503 ₽42.0K

-9.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$298 ฿9,954

$359 ₽30.0K

-17.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$908 ฿30.4K

$796 ₽66.4K

14.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$554 ฿18.5K

$532 ₽44.4K

4.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,931 ฿64.5K

$2,256 ₽188.3K

-14.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,445 ฿48.3K

$1,394 ₽116.3K

3.63%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$591 ฿19.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

21.45

-74.03%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 17, 2026

Last update for Ukhta: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$298 32.2%

Ukhta

$359 32.3% 20.7% $62

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$235 25.5%

Ukhta

$213 19.1% 9.4% $22

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$108 11.7%

Ukhta

$174 15.6% 60.9% $66

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$94 10.2%

Ukhta

$140 12.6% 48.7% $46

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$79 8.5%

Ukhta

$171 15.4% 118% $93

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$61 6.6%

Ukhta

$6.7 * 0.6% 88.9% $54

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$50 5.4%

Ukhta

$49 4.4% 1.2% $0.6

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $455 in Chiang Mai versus $503 in Ukhta. 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $36.00 in Ukhta. Groceries tell a different story – $235 in Chiang Mai vs $213 in Ukhta – so Ukhta wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇷🇺 Ukhta

🕒 Local time

04:34 4:34 AM

00:34 12:34 AM

4 h behind Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

98,293

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Russian Ruble RUB ₽

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.99 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

100 RUB = 1.2 USD

100 RUB = 1.07 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 23, 2026: 1 USD = 33.42 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.57 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

Russian Ruble exchange rates as of October 23, 2026: 1 USD = 83.46 RUB (100 RUB = 1.2 USD). 1 EUR = 93.83 RUB (100 RUB = 1.07 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Chiang Mai Ukhta 6,030 km ≈ 8 h nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
Ukhta

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 Ukhta: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ukhta costs about 20% more than Chiang Mai, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from 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 $1,388 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,672 in Ukhta. 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai and $36.00 in Ukhta. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 10% cheaper in Ukhta – 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 $925, than in Ukhta at $1,114. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ukhta it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $925 versus $1,114 in Ukhta. 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, Ukhta makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.