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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $869 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,021 in Yuzhnouralsk, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,362 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,609 in Yuzhnouralsk, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,855 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,196 in Yuzhnouralsk, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 15% cheaper than Yuzhnouralsk, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and Yuzhnouralsk are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Yuzhnouralsk 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.98 ฿64.3

$13.42 ₽972

-85.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.80 ฿612

$50.9 ₽3,690

-63.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.75 ฿252

$6.30 ₽457

23.02%

Cappuccino

$1.92 ฿62.5

$2.79 ₽202

-31.18%

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

$0.79 ฿25.79

$0.68 ₽49.11

16.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.62

$0.40 ₽28.80

-10.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$1.87 ₽135

18.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

$2.24 ₽163

63.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿53.8

$1.15 ₽83.0

43.48%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$0.66 ₽47.82

146.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.86

$1.39 ₽101

-14.39%

Eggs

$2.00 ฿65.1

$1.62 ₽117

23.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.98 ฿520

$12.53 ₽908

27.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.03 ฿98.5

$4.77 ₽346

-36.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 ฿354

$11.50 ₽833

-5.57%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 ฿90.0

$2.04 ₽148

35.29%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.42

$1.86 ₽135

-36.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$2.46 ₽178

-33.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.51

$2.86 ₽207

-46.85%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿45.10

$0.69 ₽49.71

100.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.84

$0.79 ₽57.2

50.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ฿22.86

$1.35 ₽97.6

-48.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.13

$0.72 ₽51.8

-22.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.58 ฿149

$2.60 ₽188

76.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.56 ฿539

$7.99 ₽579

107.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿59.5

$1.14 ₽82.6

60.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 ฿104

$2.40 ₽174

33.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿28.56

$0.50 ₽36.15

76.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.72 ฿610

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿44.16

$2.48 ₽180

-45.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿43.65

$0.33 ₽23.88

306.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$6.74 ₽488

16.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿39.92

$0.71 ₽51.4

73.24%

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

$21.6K ฿704.3K

$31.8K ₽2.3M

-31.90%

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

$22.5K ฿734.3K

$47.3K ₽3.4M

-52.34%

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

$70.5 ฿2,298

$127 ₽9,177

-44.30%

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

$13.68 ฿445

$7.20 ₽522

90.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.45 ฿568

$9.37 ₽679

86.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.33 ฿1,346

$35.74 ₽2,590

15.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

Cinema Ticket

$5.77 ฿188

$5.55 ₽402

3.96%

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

$307 ฿10.0K

$467 ₽33.9K

-34.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿475.9K

$8,960 ₽649.3K

63.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,817

$69.7 ₽5,048

-19.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.21 ฿854

$45.50 ₽3,297

-42.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 ฿2,793

$99.3 ₽7,194

-13.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.2 ฿2,353

$74.3 ₽5,386

-2.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$430 ฿14.0K

$440 ₽31.9K

-2.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿7,774

$299 ₽21.6K

-20.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$817 ฿26.6K

$755 ₽54.7K

8.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$511 ฿16.6K

$508 ₽36.8K

0.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,983 ฿64.6K

$2,532 ₽183.5K

-21.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,484 ฿48.3K

$1,895 ₽137.3K

-21.70%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$619 ฿20.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

-61.54%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 7, 2026

Last update for Yuzhnouralsk: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $430 in Chiang Mai versus $440 in Yuzhnouralsk. 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $51.0 in Yuzhnouralsk. Groceries tell a different story – $241 in Chiang Mai vs $216 in Yuzhnouralsk – so Yuzhnouralsk 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 Yuzhnouralsk: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yuzhnouralsk costs about 18% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by 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 $1,303 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,532 in Yuzhnouralsk. 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai and $51.0 in Yuzhnouralsk. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 12% cheaper in Yuzhnouralsk – 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 $869, than in Yuzhnouralsk at $1,021. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Yuzhnouralsk it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $869 versus $1,021 in Yuzhnouralsk. 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, Yuzhnouralsk makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.