Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Yaroslavl

For one person, living is cheaper in Yaroslavl: $855 a month against $925 in Chiang Mai, rent and utilities included – about $840 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Chiang Mai
🇹🇭 Thailand
$925
/mo nomad
Yaroslavl
🇷🇺 Russia
$855
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

A single person spends $925 per month in Chiang Mai vs $855 in Yaroslavl, rent included.

  • Chiang Mai $925
  • Yaroslavl $855

A couple spends around $1,414 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,347 in Yaroslavl, rent included.

  • Chiang Mai $1,414
  • Yaroslavl $1,347

A family of three spends $1,903 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,839 in Yaroslavl, rent included.

  • Chiang Mai $1,903
  • Yaroslavl $1,839

Chiang Mai costs about 8% more than Yaroslavl, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chiang Mai and Yaroslavl are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 32% lower, Yaroslavl 37% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Chiang Mai
Yaroslavl
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.29 ฿76.5
$6.01 ₽501
-61.90%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$19.64 ฿656
$30.76 ₽2,567
-36.15%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.61 ฿188
$7.20 ₽601
-22.08%
Cappuccino
$1.66 ฿55.6
$2.88 ₽241
-42.36%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.70 ฿23.40
$1.00 ₽83.1
-30.00%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.31 ฿10.24
$0.56 ₽46.47
-44.64%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.41 ฿80.4
$0.92 ₽77.0
161.96%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.71 ฿124
$1.46 ₽122
154.11%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Chiang Mai
Yaroslavl
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.95 ฿65.3
$0.93 ₽77.6
109.68%
White Bread (500g)
$1.41 ฿47.03
$0.86 ₽72.0
63.95%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.31 ฿43.62
$1.20 ₽99.9
9.17%
Eggs
$2.18 ฿72.9
$1.61 ₽135
35.40%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$16.65 ฿556
$8.96 ₽748
85.83%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$2.76 ฿92.2
$5.16 ₽431
-46.51%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$9.11 ฿304
$12.32 ₽1,028
-26.06%
Apples (1kg)
$2.39 ฿80.0
$1.59 ₽132
50.31%
Banana (1kg)
$1.03 ฿34.26
$1.43 ₽119
-27.97%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.63 ฿54.4
$1.54 ₽129
5.84%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.50 ฿50.0
$2.57 ₽215
-41.63%
Potato (1kg)
$1.29 ฿43.13
$0.72 ₽60.1
79.17%
Onion (1kg)
$1.11 ฿37.03
$0.40 ₽33.43
177.50%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.72 ฿24.08
$1.47 ₽123
-51.02%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.53 ฿17.59
$0.41 ₽34.06
29.27%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.31 ฿144
$2.24 ₽187
92.41%
Wine (Bottle)
$17.95 ฿600
$7.11 ₽593
152.46%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.58 ฿52.9
$0.76 ₽63.8
107.89%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.84 ฿95.0
$1.47 ₽122
93.20%
🚌 Getting Around
Chiang Mai
Yaroslavl
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.86 ฿28.86
$0.50 ₽41.60
72.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$53.3 ฿1,780
$17.78 ₽1,484
199.66%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.21 ฿40.29
$3.60 ₽300
-66.39%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.57 ฿18.99
$0.23 ₽18.79
147.83%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$2.35 ฿78.6
$3.55 ₽297
-33.80%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.44 ฿47.96
$0.87 ₽72.5
65.52%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$20.7K ฿692.8K
$44.2K ₽3.7M
-53.15%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.8K ฿895.7K
$39.1K ₽3.3M
-31.49%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Chiang Mai
Yaroslavl
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$62.3 ฿2,083
$105 ₽8,789
-40.81%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$12.11 ฿405
$3.73 ₽311
224.66%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$19.94 ฿666
$4.96 ₽414
302.02%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Chiang Mai
Yaroslavl
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$37.07 ฿1,239
$26.81 ₽2,237
38.27%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$3.78 ฿126
$17.80 ₽1,485
-78.76%
Cinema Ticket
$6.50 ฿217
$5.87 ₽490
10.73%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Chiang Mai
Yaroslavl
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$793 ฿26.5K
$184 ₽15.4K
330.76%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$14.8K ฿494.9K
$3,557 ₽296.9K
316.28%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Chiang Mai
Yaroslavl
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$53.7 ฿1,796
$42.49 ₽3,546
26.48%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$24.62 ฿823
$24.39 ₽2,036
0.94%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$90.9 ฿3,036
$143 ₽11.9K
-36.44%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$71.1 ฿2,378
$118 ₽9,886
-39.94%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Chiang Mai
Yaroslavl
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$455 ฿15.2K
$383 ₽31.9K
18.98%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$298 ฿9,954
$223 ₽18.6K
33.46%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$908 ฿30.4K
$792 ₽66.1K
14.64%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$554 ฿18.5K
$416 ₽34.8K
32.98%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,931 ฿64.5K
$2,561 ₽213.7K
-24.60%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,445 ฿48.3K
$1,205 ₽100.6K
19.88%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Chiang Mai
Yaroslavl
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$591 ฿19.7K
$832 ₽69.4K
-28.99%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.57
19.56
-71.52%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 17, 2026

Last update for Yaroslavl: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Chiang Mai
$298
Yaroslavl
$223 25.1% $75
Groceries & Markets
Chiang Mai
$235
Yaroslavl
$189 19.7% $46
Clothing & Footwear
Chiang Mai
$108
Yaroslavl
$148 36.6% $40
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Chiang Mai
$94
Yaroslavl
$114 20.8% $20
Eating Out
Chiang Mai
$79
Yaroslavl
$118 50.1% $39
Getting Around
Chiang Mai
$61
Yaroslavl
$25 59.7% $36
Sport & Entertainment
Chiang Mai
$50
Yaroslavl
$39 23% $12

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $455 in Chiang Mai versus $383 in Yaroslavl. 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 41% higher in Yaroslavl, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $31.00 in Yaroslavl. Groceries tell a different story – $235 in Chiang Mai vs $189 in Yaroslavl – so Yaroslavl wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇹🇭 Chiang Mai
🇷🇺 Yaroslavl
🕒 Local time
19:43 7:43 PM
15:43 3:43 PM
4 h behind Chiang Mai
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
127,240
570,824
💱 Currency
Thai Baht THB ฿
Exchange rates and currency converter

RUB, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 20, 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 20, 2026: 1 USD = 83.46 RUB (100 RUB = 1.2 USD). 1 EUR = 93.83 RUB (100 RUB = 1.07 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Chiang Mai Yaroslavl 6,430 km ≈ 9 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Chiang Mai
  • Yaroslavl

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 Yaroslavl: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Chiang Mai or Yaroslavl?
Chiang Mai costs about 8% more than Yaroslavl, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Chiang Mai and in Yaroslavl?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,388 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,283 in Yaroslavl. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Chiang Mai or Yaroslavl?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Yaroslavl, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
How do childcare costs compare in Chiang Mai and in Yaroslavl?
Kindergarten costs $793 per month in Chiang Mai and $184 in Yaroslavl. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Are groceries more expensive in Chiang Mai or in Yaroslavl?
Groceries cost about 25% 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.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Chiang Mai or in Yaroslavl?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Yaroslavl, where all-in costs run around $855, than in Chiang Mai at $925. In Yaroslavl it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiang Mai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Chiang Mai or Yaroslavl?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Yaroslavl costs $855 versus $925 in Chiang Mai. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.
How safe is Chiang Mai compared to Yaroslavl?
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.
Should I move to Chiang Mai or to Yaroslavl?
If budget matters most, go with Yaroslavl. 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.

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