Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Kyzyl-Kiya and Chiang Mai

For one person, living is cheaper in Kyzyl-Kiya: $363 a month against $925 in Chiang Mai, rent and utilities included – about $6,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Kyzyl-Kiya
🇰🇬 Kyrgyzstan
$363
/mo nomad
Chiang Mai
🇹🇭 Thailand
$925
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Kyzyl-Kiya and in Chiang Mai

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Kyzyl-Kiya and in Chiang Mai actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $363 per month in Kyzyl-Kiya vs $925 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

  • Kyzyl-Kiya $363
  • Chiang Mai $925

A couple spends around $598 per month in Kyzyl-Kiya vs $1,414 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

  • Kyzyl-Kiya $598
  • Chiang Mai $1,414

A family of three spends $833 per month in Kyzyl-Kiya vs $1,903 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

  • Kyzyl-Kiya $833
  • Chiang Mai $1,903

Kyzyl-Kiya is about 61% cheaper than Chiang Mai, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Kyzyl-Kiya and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Kyzyl-Kiya 73% lower, Chiang Mai 32% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Kyzyl-Kiya
Chiang Mai
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.81 KGS 245
$2.29 ฿76.5
22.71%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$22.97 KGS 2,009
$19.64 ฿656
16.96%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.33 KGS 816
$5.61 ฿188
66.31%
Cappuccino
$1.89 KGS 165
$1.66 ฿55.6
13.86%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.32 KGS 28.43
$0.70 ฿23.40
-54.29%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.16 KGS 13.65
$0.31 ฿10.24
-48.39%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.12 KGS 97.9
$2.41 ฿80.4
-53.53%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.24 KGS 108
$3.71 ฿124
-66.58%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Kyzyl-Kiya
Chiang Mai
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.77 KGS 67.0
$1.95 ฿65.3
-60.51%
White Bread (500g)
$0.33 KGS 28.55
$1.41 ฿47.03
-76.60%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.16 KGS 101
$1.31 ฿43.62
-11.45%
Eggs
$1.41 KGS 123
$2.18 ฿72.9
-35.32%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$4.94 KGS 432
$16.65 ฿556
-70.33%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$2.06 KGS 180
$2.76 ฿92.2
-25.36%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$6.82 KGS 596
$9.11 ฿304
-25.14%
Apples (1kg)
$0.60 KGS 52.2
$2.39 ฿80.0
-74.90%
Banana (1kg)
$1.50 KGS 131
$1.03 ฿34.26
45.63%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.41 KGS 123
$1.63 ฿54.4
-13.50%
Tomato (1kg)
$0.45 KGS 39.27
$1.50 ฿50.0
-70.00%
Potato (1kg)
$0.47 KGS 40.85
$1.29 ฿43.13
-63.57%
Onion (1kg)
$0.43 KGS 37.46
$1.11 ฿37.03
-61.26%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.62 KGS 54.3
$0.72 ฿24.08
-13.89%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.52 KGS 45.67
$0.53 ฿17.59
-1.89%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.03 KGS 177
$4.31 ฿144
-52.90%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.23 KGS 457
$17.95 ฿600
-70.86%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.16 KGS 102
$1.58 ฿52.9
-26.58%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.65 KGS 144
$2.84 ฿95.0
-41.90%
🚌 Getting Around
Kyzyl-Kiya
Chiang Mai
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.36 KGS 31.11
$0.86 ฿28.86
-58.14%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$53.3 ฿1,780
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.24 KGS 21.07
$1.21 ฿40.29
-80.17%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.37 KGS 32.05
$0.57 ฿18.99
-35.09%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$7.79 KGS 681
$2.35 ฿78.6
231.49%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.69 KGS 60.5
$1.44 ฿47.96
-52.08%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$18.4K KGS 1.6M
$20.7K ฿692.8K
-11.01%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$17.0K KGS 1.5M
$26.8K ฿895.7K
-36.47%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Kyzyl-Kiya
Chiang Mai
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$39.87 KGS 3,487
$62.3 ฿2,083
-36.03%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$2.62 KGS 229
$12.11 ฿405
-78.36%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$8.92 KGS 781
$19.94 ฿666
-55.27%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Kyzyl-Kiya
Chiang Mai
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$40.06 KGS 3,505
$37.07 ฿1,239
8.07%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$3.78 ฿126
-
Cinema Ticket
$1.70 KGS 149
$6.50 ฿217
-73.85%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Kyzyl-Kiya
Chiang Mai
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$170 KGS 14.8K
$793 ฿26.5K
-78.59%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$1,894 KGS 165.7K
$14.8K ฿494.9K
-87.21%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Kyzyl-Kiya
Chiang Mai
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$18.95 KGS 1,658
$53.7 ฿1,796
-64.74%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$36.13 KGS 3,160
$24.62 ฿823
46.75%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$53.1 KGS 4,646
$90.9 ฿3,036
-41.54%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$34.75 KGS 3,040
$71.1 ฿2,378
-51.15%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Kyzyl-Kiya
Chiang Mai
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
-
$455 ฿15.2K
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
-
$298 ฿9,954
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
-
$908 ฿30.4K
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
-
$554 ฿18.5K
-
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$393 KGS 34.4K
$1,931 ฿64.5K
-79.62%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$346 KGS 30.2K
$1,445 ฿48.3K
-76.06%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Kyzyl-Kiya
Chiang Mai
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$427 KGS 37.3K
$591 ฿19.7K
-27.74%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
0
5.57
-

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

Last update for Kyzyl-Kiya: October 18, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 17, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Groceries & Markets
Kyzyl-Kiya
$117
Chiang Mai
$235 101% $118
Eating Out
Kyzyl-Kiya
$83
Chiang Mai
$79 5.4% $4.5
Clothing & Footwear
Kyzyl-Kiya
$64
Chiang Mai
$108 68.2% $44
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Kyzyl-Kiya
$51
Chiang Mai
$94 83.6% $43
Sport & Entertainment
Kyzyl-Kiya
$43
Chiang Mai
$50 15.2% $6.6
Getting Around
Kyzyl-Kiya
$3.5 *
Chiang Mai
$61 1637% $57
Accommodation & Living
Kyzyl-Kiya
- *
Chiang Mai
$298

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 38% 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 $23.00 in Kyzyl-Kiya versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $117 in Kyzyl-Kiya vs $235 in Chiang Mai – so Kyzyl-Kiya wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇰🇬 Kyzyl-Kiya
🇹🇭 Chiang Mai
🕒 Local time
07:59 7:59 AM
08:59 8:59 AM
1 h ahead of Kyzyl-Kiya
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
51,300
127,240
💱 Currency
Thai Baht THB ฿
Exchange rates and currency converter

THB, USD, EUR to KGS – Kyrgyzstani Som Converter

Kyrgyzstani Som exchange rates as of October 21, 2026: 1 USD = 87.48 KGS (100 KGS = 1.14 USD). 1 EUR = 98.35 KGS (100 KGS = 1.02 EUR).

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 21, 2026: 1 USD = 33.42 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.57 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Kyzyl-Kiya Chiang Mai 3,500 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Kyzyl-Kiya
  • Chiang Mai

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
Kyzyl-Kiya vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Kyzyl-Kiya or Chiang Mai?
Chiang Mai costs about 155% more than Kyzyl-Kiya, 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 Kyzyl-Kiya and in Chiang Mai?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $544 per month in Kyzyl-Kiya and $1,388 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do dining costs compare in Kyzyl-Kiya and in Chiang Mai?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $23.00 in Kyzyl-Kiya and $20.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Are groceries more expensive in Kyzyl-Kiya or in Chiang Mai?
Groceries cost about 101% 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 $2,000/month in Kyzyl-Kiya or in Chiang Mai?
A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Kyzyl-Kiya, where all-in costs run around $363, than in Chiang Mai at $925. In Kyzyl-Kiya 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, Kyzyl-Kiya or Chiang Mai?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Kyzyl-Kiya costs $363 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 Kyzyl-Kiya compared to Chiang Mai?
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 Kyzyl-Kiya or to Chiang Mai?
If budget matters most, go with Kyzyl-Kiya. 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.

Kyzyl-Kiya vs other spots: cost of living compared

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