Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Zaporizhzhya

For one person, living is cheaper in Zaporizhzhya: $684 a month against $925 in Chiang Mai, rent and utilities included – about $2,900 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
33

Cost of Living Index in Zaporizhzhya
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Zaporizhzhya Living Index

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Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$925

/mo nomad

Zaporizhzhya

🇺🇦 Ukraine

$684

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

A single person spends $925 per month in Chiang Mai vs $684 in Zaporizhzhya, rent included.

Chiang Mai $925
Zaporizhzhya $684

A couple spends around $1,414 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,065 in Zaporizhzhya, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,414
Zaporizhzhya $1,065

A family of three spends $1,903 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,446 in Zaporizhzhya, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,903
Zaporizhzhya $1,446

Chiang Mai costs about 35% more than Zaporizhzhya, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chiang Mai and Zaporizhzhya are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 32% lower, Zaporizhzhya 50% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.29 ฿76.5

$6.81 ₴306

-66.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.64 ฿656

$22.05 ₴990

-10.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.61 ฿188

$4.63 ₴208

21.17%

Cappuccino

$1.66 ฿55.6

$1.11 ₴50.0

49.55%

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

$0.70 ฿23.40

$0.58 ₴26.13

20.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.24

$0.38 ₴17.01

-18.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿80.4

$0.92 ₴41.51

161.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.71 ฿124

$1.70 ₴76.4

118.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 ฿65.3

$1.08 ₴48.64

80.56%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 ฿47.03

$0.70 ₴31.51

101.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.31 ฿43.62

$1.20 ₴53.8

9.17%

Eggs

$2.18 ฿72.9

$1.68 ₴75.4

29.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.65 ฿556

$7.79 ₴350

113.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.76 ฿92.2

$4.28 ₴192

-35.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.11 ฿304

$6.29 ₴282

44.83%

Apples (1kg)

$2.39 ฿80.0

$1.23 ₴55.0

94.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.03 ฿34.26

$1.55 ₴69.7

-33.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.63 ฿54.4

$1.62 ₴72.7

0.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.0

$2.18 ₴97.9

-31.19%

Potato (1kg)

$1.29 ฿43.13

$0.69 ₴31.17

86.96%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 ฿37.03

$0.53 ₴23.63

109.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿24.08

$1.26 ₴56.5

-42.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.59

$0.59 ₴26.40

-10.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.31 ฿144

$2.69 ₴121

60.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.95 ฿600

$4.42 ₴198

306.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 ฿52.9

$0.79 ₴35.47

100.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 ฿95.0

$1.16 ₴52.3

144.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 ฿28.86

$0.39 ₴17.66

120.51%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.3 ฿1,780

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.21 ฿40.29

$1.41 ₴63.3

-14.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.57 ฿18.99

$0.35 ₴15.55

62.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.35 ฿78.6

$2.24 ₴101

4.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 ฿47.96

$1.54 ₴69.3

-6.49%

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

$20.7K ฿692.8K

$30.2K ₴1.4M

-31.43%

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

$26.8K ฿895.7K

$24.2K ₴1.1M

10.71%

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

$62.3 ฿2,083

$96.1 ₴4,315

-35.15%

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

$12.11 ฿405

$5.59 ₴251

116.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.94 ฿666

$6.27 ₴281

218.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.07 ฿1,239

$30.03 ₴1,348

23.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.78 ฿126

Cinema Ticket

$6.50 ฿217

$4.55 ₴204

42.86%

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

$793 ฿26.5K

$280 ₴12.6K

183.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿494.9K

$2,692 ₴120.8K

450.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.7 ฿1,796

$42.33 ₴1,900

26.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.62 ฿823

$40.06 ₴1,798

-38.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.9 ฿3,036

$88.6 ₴3,979

2.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.1 ฿2,378

$103 ₴4,628

-30.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$455 ฿15.2K

$210 ₴9,410

117.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$298 ฿9,954

$159 ₴7,134

87.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$908 ฿30.4K

$393 ₴17.7K

130.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$554 ฿18.5K

$303 ₴13.6K

82.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,931 ฿64.5K

$560 ₴25.1K

244.93%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,445 ฿48.3K

$386 ₴17.3K

273.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$591 ฿19.7K

$472 ₴21.2K

25.10%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

-65.19%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 17, 2026

Last update for Zaporizhzhya: October 20, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$298 32.2%

Zaporizhzhya

$159 23.2% 46.6% $139

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$235 25.5%

Zaporizhzhya

$156 22.8% 33.7% $79

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$108 11.7%

Zaporizhzhya

$123 18% 14.1% $15

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$94 10.2%

Zaporizhzhya

$108 15.8% 14.4% $14

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$79 8.5%

Zaporizhzhya

$94 13.7% 19.2% $15

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$61 6.6%

Zaporizhzhya

$4.7 * 0.7% 92.2% $56

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$50 5.4%

Zaporizhzhya

$39 5.7% 21.8% $11

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 $210 in Zaporizhzhya. 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 25% 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $22.00 in Zaporizhzhya. Groceries tell a different story – $235 in Chiang Mai vs $156 in Zaporizhzhya – so Zaporizhzhya wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇺🇦 Zaporizhzhya

🕒 Local time

20:36 8:36 PM

16:36 4:36 PM

4 h behind Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

750,685

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Ukrainian Hryvnia UAH ₴

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.99 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

100 UAH = 2.23 USD

100 UAH = 1.98 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

UAH, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

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).

Ukrainian Hryvnia exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 44.89 UAH (100 UAH = 2.23 USD). 1 EUR = 50.46 UAH (100 UAH = 1.98 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Chiang Mai Zaporizhzhya 6,530 km ≈ 9 h nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
Zaporizhzhya

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 Zaporizhzhya: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 35% more than Zaporizhzhya, 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.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,388 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,026 in Zaporizhzhya. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Zaporizhzhya, 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 $22.00 in Zaporizhzhya. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 51% 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.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Zaporizhzhya, where all-in costs run around $684, than in Chiang Mai at $925. In Zaporizhzhya it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiang Mai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Zaporizhzhya costs $684 versus $925 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 Zaporizhzhya. 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.