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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $869 per month in Chiang Mai vs $921 in Zlatoust, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,362 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,444 in Zlatoust, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,855 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,967 in Zlatoust, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 6% cheaper than Zlatoust, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Zlatoust are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Zlatoust 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.98 ฿65.0

$6.17 ₽443

-67.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.80 ฿619

$38.08 ₽2,738

-50.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.75 ฿255

$5.88 ₽423

31.80%

Cappuccino

$1.92 ฿63.2

$2.33 ₽168

-17.60%

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

$0.79 ฿26.07

$1.12 ₽80.6

-29.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.74

$0.48 ₽34.85

-25.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.9

$1.42 ₽102

55.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿120

$2.57 ₽185

42.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿54.4

$1.15 ₽82.5

43.48%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.7

$0.66 ₽47.74

146.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿39.28

$1.38 ₽99.2

-13.77%

Eggs

$2.00 ฿65.8

$1.73 ₽124

15.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.98 ฿526

$10.65 ₽766

50.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.03 ฿99.6

$4.97 ₽357

-39.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 ฿357

$8.82 ₽634

23.13%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 ฿90.9

$1.74 ₽125

58.62%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.83

$1.83 ₽132

-35.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 ฿54.0

$1.92 ₽138

-14.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿50.0

$2.74 ₽197

-44.53%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿45.59

$0.84 ₽60.4

64.29%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 ฿39.25

$0.67 ₽47.87

77.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ฿23.11

$1.41 ₽101

-50.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.32

$0.67 ₽47.86

-16.42%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.58 ฿151

$2.86 ₽206

60.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.56 ฿545

$5.86 ₽421

182.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿60.2

$1.00 ₽72.2

83.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 ฿105

$1.89 ₽136

69.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿28.87

$0.53 ₽37.95

66.04%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.72 ฿616

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿44.64

$1.87 ₽135

-27.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.12

$0.35 ₽25.26

282.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿258

$6.29 ₽452

24.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿40.35

$0.77 ₽55.3

59.74%

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

$21.6K ฿711.8K

$35.0K ₽2.5M

-38.16%

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

$22.5K ฿742.2K

$35.8K ₽2.6M

-37.08%

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

$70.5 ฿2,322

$109 ₽7,852

-35.40%

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

$13.68 ฿450

$5.98 ₽430

128.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.45 ฿574

$7.68 ₽552

127.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.33 ฿1,361

$36.17 ₽2,601

14.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿229

Cinema Ticket

$5.77 ฿190

$5.21 ₽375

10.75%

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

$307 ฿10.1K

$327 ₽23.5K

-6.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿481.0K

$6,957 ₽500.2K

110.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,837

$70.2 ₽5,048

-20.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.21 ฿863

$44.00 ₽3,164

-40.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 ฿2,823

$113 ₽8,134

-24.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.2 ฿2,378

$105 ₽7,564

-31.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$430 ฿14.1K

$437 ₽31.4K

-1.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿7,857

$308 ₽22.2K

-22.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$817 ฿26.9K

$753 ₽54.1K

8.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$511 ฿16.8K

$517 ₽37.2K

-1.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,983 ฿65.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,484 ฿48.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$619 ฿20.4K

$679 ₽48.8K

-8.81%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

15.33

-67.38%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 7, 2026

Last update for Zlatoust: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $430 in Chiang Mai versus $437 in Zlatoust. 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 10% higher in Zlatoust, 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 $38.00 in Zlatoust. Groceries tell a different story – $241 in Chiang Mai vs $193 in Zlatoust – so Zlatoust 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 Zlatoust: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Zlatoust costs about 6% more than Chiang Mai, 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 $1,303 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,381 in Zlatoust. 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 $38.00 in Zlatoust. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 25% cheaper in Zlatoust – 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 Zlatoust at $921. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Zlatoust it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $869 versus $921 in Zlatoust. 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, Zlatoust makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.