Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Vologda

For one person, living is cheaper in Vologda: $897 a month against $936 in Chiang Mai, rent and utilities included – about $470 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

45

Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai Living Index
43

Cost of Living Index in Vologda
Learn more

Vologda Living Index

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Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$936

/mo nomad

Vologda

🇷🇺 Russia

$897

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

A single person spends $936 per month in Chiang Mai vs $897 in Vologda, rent included.

Chiang Mai $936
Vologda $897

A couple spends around $1,457 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,398 in Vologda, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,457
Vologda $1,398

A family of three spends $1,979 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,899 in Vologda, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,979
Vologda $1,899

Chiang Mai costs about 4% more than Vologda, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Chiang Mai and Vologda are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 31% lower, Vologda 34% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.24 ฿75.7

$6.36 ₽513

-64.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.00 ฿642

$31.20 ₽2,516

-39.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.55 ฿188

$5.41 ₽436

2.59%

Cappuccino

$1.67 ฿56.6

$2.85 ₽230

-41.40%

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

$0.64 ฿21.56

$1.02 ₽82.0

-37.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.32

$0.59 ₽47.93

-47.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.36 ฿79.6

$0.98 ₽78.8

140.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿124

$1.47 ₽118

148.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 ฿65.8

$1.03 ₽83.4

89.32%

White Bread (500g)

$1.44 ฿48.51

$0.62 ₽50.1

132.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 ฿45.07

$1.44 ₽116

-7.64%

Eggs

$2.28 ฿77.1

$2.18 ₽176

4.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.45 ฿556

$13.52 ₽1,091

21.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.78 ฿94.0

$5.95 ₽480

-53.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.31 ฿314

$9.18 ₽740

1.42%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 ฿79.5

$1.91 ₽154

23.04%

Banana (1kg)

$0.97 ฿32.82

$1.93 ₽156

-49.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.60 ฿53.9

$1.46 ₽118

9.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.7

$2.50 ₽202

-40.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿43.15

$0.65 ₽52.8

96.92%

Onion (1kg)

$1.10 ฿37.22

$0.73 ₽58.7

50.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 ฿23.84

$0.83 ₽66.8

-14.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.38

$0.86 ₽69.0

-43.02%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.14 ฿140

$2.24 ₽181

84.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.52 ฿592

$8.83 ₽712

98.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.61 ฿54.5

$1.07 ₽86.1

50.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿94.0

$2.58 ₽208

7.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.87 ฿29.33

$0.61 ₽49.50

42.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.1 ฿1,827

$31.08 ₽2,507

74.03%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.16 ฿39.08

$3.74 ₽301

-68.98%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ฿17.82

$0.21 ₽16.56

152.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.42 ฿81.8

$12.24 ₽987

-80.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.93

$0.90 ₽72.4

61.11%

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

$21.1K ฿711.2K

$54.7K ₽4.4M

-61.51%

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

$26.9K ฿909.8K

$41.4K ₽3.3M

-35.00%

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

$62.2 ฿2,100

$160 ₽12.9K

-61.03%

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

$12.17 ฿411

$7.74 ₽624

57.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.12 ฿680

$6.28 ₽506

220.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.31 ฿1,260

$30.75 ₽2,480

21.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.77 ฿127

Cinema Ticket

$6.49 ฿219

$5.33 ₽430

21.76%

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

$736 ฿24.9K

$182 ₽14.7K

304.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿498.6K

$3,739 ₽301.5K

294.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.4 ฿1,802

$37.87 ₽3,054

40.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.64 ฿832

$42.86 ₽3,456

-42.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.5 ฿3,089

$74.4 ₽5,997

23.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.9 ฿2,429

$88.3 ₽7,120

-18.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.3K

$244 ₽19.7K

97.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$309 ฿10.4K

$205 ₽16.5K

50.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 ฿34.0K

$528 ₽42.6K

90.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$633 ฿21.4K

$431 ₽34.8K

46.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,363 ฿79.8K

$1,370 ₽110.5K

72.50%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,589 ฿53.7K

$1,133 ₽91.3K

40.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$590 ฿19.9K

$549 ₽44.3K

7.42%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

21.82

-74.47%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 26, 2026

Last update for Vologda: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$309 33%

Vologda

$205 22.8% 33.7% $104

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$234 25.1%

Vologda

$214 23.8% 8.9% $21

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$109 11.6%

Vologda

$110 12.2% 0.8% $0.9

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$94 10.1%

Vologda

$174 19.4% 83.7% $79

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$78 8.3%

Vologda

$116 12.9% 49% $38

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$61 6.6%

Vologda

$38 4.3% 37.6% $23

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$50 5.4%

Vologda

$41 4.6% 17.7% $8.9

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Chiang Mai versus $244 in Vologda. 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 7% higher in Chiang Mai. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19 in Chiang Mai versus $31 in Vologda. Groceries tell a different story – $234 in Chiang Mai vs $214 in Vologda – so Vologda wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇷🇺 Vologda

🕒 Local time

06:15 6:15 AM

02:15 2:15 AM

4 h behind Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

308,530

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Russian Ruble RUB ₽

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.96 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

100 RUB = 1.24 USD

100 RUB = 1.11 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 28, 2026: 1 USD = 33.77 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.59 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

Russian Ruble exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 80.65 RUB (100 RUB = 1.24 USD). 1 EUR = 89.78 RUB (100 RUB = 1.11 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Chiang Mai Vologda 6,480 km ≈ 9 h nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
Vologda

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 Vologda: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 4% more than Vologda, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from transport. 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 $1,345 in Vologda. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Vologda, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $244 there versus $482 in Chiang Mai.

Kindergarten costs $736 per month in Chiang Mai and $182 in Vologda. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 10% more in Chiang Mai, though the gap depends on what you buy.

$800 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $936 in Chiang Mai and $897 in Vologda. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

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

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