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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $685 in Volzhsky, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,354 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,077 in Volzhsky, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,857 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,470 in Volzhsky, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 24% more than Volzhsky, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Volzhsky are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Volzhsky 49% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿64.0

$6.21 ₽466

-68.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.81 ฿615

$38.72 ₽2,908

-51.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.92 ฿259

$4.52 ₽340

75.22%

Cappuccino

$1.91 ฿62.6

$1.95 ₽147

-2.05%

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

$0.84 ฿27.41

$0.91 ₽68.2

-7.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.51

$0.24 ₽17.88

45.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$1.07 ₽80.1

106.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 ฿124

$1.74 ₽131

118.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$0.93 ₽70.2

76.34%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 ฿53.1

$0.62 ₽46.22

161.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.62

$0.84 ₽63.2

40.48%

Eggs

$2.01 ฿65.8

$1.80 ₽135

11.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.89 ฿520

$11.59 ₽871

37.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.01 ฿98.5

$6.43 ₽483

-53.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.77 ฿352

$8.10 ₽608

32.96%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 ฿85.5

$1.56 ₽117

67.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿39.88

$1.62 ₽122

-24.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.7

$1.64 ₽123

3.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 ฿51.5

$1.24 ₽93.2

27.42%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 ฿43.14

$1.15 ₽86.7

14.78%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.23

$1.17 ₽87.8

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿21.98

$0.64 ₽48.28

4.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.32

$0.73 ₽54.5

-23.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.53 ฿148

$1.60 ₽121

183.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.20 ฿595

$3.98 ₽299

357.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿60.0

$0.78 ₽58.8

134.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$1.49 ₽112

116.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ฿29.00

$0.62 ₽46.49

43.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.38 ฿634

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.35 ฿44.20

$1.12 ₽84.0

20.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 ฿44.05

$0.33 ₽24.45

309.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.25 ฿270

$2.28 ₽171

261.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.64

$1.03 ₽77.5

23.30%

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

$21.2K ฿691.8K

$33.6K ₽2.5M

-37.12%

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

$22.5K ฿735.3K

$35.2K ₽2.6M

-36.19%

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

$70.2 ฿2,294

$110 ₽8,249

-36.12%

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

$13.77 ฿450

$3.91 ₽294

252.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.60 ฿575

$3.79 ₽285

364.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.57 ฿1,360

$19.04 ₽1,430

118.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.60 ฿216

$20.42 ₽1,534

-67.68%

Cinema Ticket

$5.78 ฿189

$4.47 ₽336

29.31%

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

$306 ฿10.0K

$327 ₽24.6K

-6.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿484.8K

$6,990 ₽525.0K

112.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.4 ฿1,778

$70.6 ₽5,302

-22.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.14 ฿855

$31.56 ₽2,371

-17.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.5 ฿2,764

$50.3 ₽3,775

68.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.4 ฿2,270

$57.2 ₽4,296

21.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$424 ฿13.9K

$194 ₽14.6K

118.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$238 ฿7,788

$150 ₽11.3K

58.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$825 ฿27.0K

$315 ₽23.6K

162.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$256 ₽19.3K

101.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,049 ฿67.0K

$1,287 ₽96.6K

59.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,523 ฿49.8K

$1,139 ₽85.6K

33.67%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$635 ฿20.8K

$365 ₽27.4K

74.21%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.5

-52.38%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 27, 2026

Last update for Volzhsky: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $424 in Chiang Mai versus $194 in Volzhsky. 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 74% higher in Chiang Mai, 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 Volzhsky. Groceries tell a different story – $243 in Chiang Mai vs $179 in Volzhsky – so Volzhsky 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 Volzhsky: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 24% more than Volzhsky, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. 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 $1,028 in Volzhsky. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Volzhsky, 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 Volzhsky. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 36% more in Chiang Mai, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $852 in Chiang Mai and $685 in Volzhsky, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Volzhsky costs $685 versus $852 in Chiang Mai. 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 Volzhsky. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chiang Mai makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.