Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Moscow and Chiang Mai

For one person, living is cheaper in Chiang Mai: $938 a month against $1,833 in Moscow, rent and utilities included – about $10,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

90

Cost of Living Index in Moscow
Learn more

Moscow Living Index
45

Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
Learn more

Chiang Mai Living Index

Jump to prices

Moscow

🇷🇺 Russia

$1,833

/mo nomad

Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$938

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Moscow 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 Moscow and in Chiang Mai actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,833 per month in Moscow vs $938 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Moscow $1,833
Chiang Mai $938

A couple spends around $2,835 per month in Moscow vs $1,426 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Moscow $2,835
Chiang Mai $1,426

A family of three spends $3,837 per month in Moscow vs $1,914 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Moscow $3,837
Chiang Mai $1,914

Moscow costs about 95% more than Chiang Mai, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Moscow sits 36% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 30% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.01 ₽1,002

$2.26 ฿75.4

431.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$59.8 ₽4,987

$19.18 ฿641

211.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.97 ₽582

$5.59 ฿187

24.69%

Cappuccino

$3.90 ₽326

$1.72 ฿57.6

126.74%

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

$1.67 ₽140

$0.64 ฿21.54

160.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 ₽73.1

$0.33 ฿11.18

166.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.88 ₽408

$2.36 ฿78.7

106.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.50 ₽459

$3.90 ฿130

41.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 ₽106

$2.05 ฿68.6

-38.05%

White Bread (500g)

$1.02 ₽85.1

$1.40 ฿46.70

-27.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.67 ₽139

$1.28 ฿42.89

30.47%

Eggs

$1.92 ₽161

$2.25 ฿75.3

-14.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.46 ₽1,207

$16.94 ฿566

-14.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.69 ₽558

$2.74 ฿91.6

144.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.11 ₽1,261

$9.36 ฿313

61.43%

Apples (1kg)

$2.04 ₽170

$2.40 ฿80.3

-15.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.86 ₽155

$1.01 ฿33.92

84.16%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.02 ₽169

$1.61 ฿53.9

25.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.06 ₽338

$1.52 ฿50.7

167.11%

Potato (1kg)

$0.92 ₽76.9

$1.28 ฿42.90

-28.13%

Onion (1kg)

$0.75 ₽62.5

$1.11 ฿37.22

-32.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.63 ₽136

$0.72 ฿24.09

126.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 ₽76.0

$0.52 ฿17.54

75.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.42 ₽286

$4.33 ฿145

-21.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.97 ₽999

$17.73 ฿593

-32.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 ₽100

$1.63 ฿54.4

-26.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.64 ₽221

$2.85 ฿95.3

-7.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ₽75.7

$0.85 ฿28.31

7.06%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.33 ₽3,449

$53.9 ฿1,801

-23.32%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.60 ₽300

$1.17 ฿39.18

207.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.85 ₽71.1

$0.57 ฿19.00

49.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.10 ₽1,010

$2.37 ฿79.2

410.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.87 ₽72.8

$1.45 ฿48.32

-40.00%

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

$39.3K ₽3.3M

$20.5K ฿684.3K

91.74%

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

$38.5K ₽3.2M

$26.5K ฿886.1K

45.25%

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

$191 ₽16.0K

$62.3 ฿2,083

207.16%

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

$8.65 ₽722

$12.27 ฿410

-29.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.19 ₽850

$19.97 ฿668

-48.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.73 ₽3,566

$37.91 ฿1,267

12.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$44.45 ₽3,710

$3.76 ฿126

1082.18%

Cinema Ticket

$9.50 ₽793

$6.71 ฿224

41.58%

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

$817 ₽68.2K

$797 ฿26.6K

2.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$26.7K ₽2.2M

$14.8K ฿495.7K

80.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$110 ₽9,172

$53.3 ฿1,780

106.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$67.9 ₽5,664

$25.05 ฿837

170.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$146 ₽12.2K

$91.6 ฿3,062

59.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$184 ₽15.4K

$73.5 ฿2,455

150.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,499 ₽125.1K

$464 ฿15.5K

223.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$804 ₽67.1K

$305 ฿10.2K

163.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,068 ₽256.0K

$915 ฿30.6K

235.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,501 ₽125.3K

$552 ฿18.5K

171.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$10.2K ₽855.4K

$1,912 ฿63.9K

436.08%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,709 ₽393.0K

$1,438 ฿48.1K

227.40%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,715 ₽143.1K

$595 ฿19.9K

188.16%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

19.56

5.57

251.17%

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

Last update for Moscow: October 11, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Moscow

$804 43.9%

Chiang Mai

$305 32.5% 62.1% $499

Groceries & Markets

Moscow

$266 14.5%

Chiang Mai

$238 25.4% 10.5% $28

Clothing & Footwear

Moscow

$229 12.5%

Chiang Mai

$110 11.7% 52.1% $119

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Moscow

$210 11.5%

Chiang Mai

$95 10.1% 55% $116

Eating Out

Moscow

$209 11.4%

Chiang Mai

$79 8.4% 62.3% $130

Sport & Entertainment

Moscow

$62 3.4%

Chiang Mai

$51 5.5% 16.8% $10

Getting Around

Moscow

$53 2.9%

Chiang Mai

$61 6.5% 16.1% $8.5

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,499 in Moscow versus $464 in Chiang Mai. 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 188% higher in Moscow, 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 $60.0 in Moscow versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $266 vs $238 – making Chiang Mai the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇷🇺 Moscow

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🕒 Local time

03:16 3:16 AM

07:16 7:16 AM

4 h ahead of Moscow

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

12,700,000 Capital

127,240

💱 Currency

Russian Ruble RUB ₽

Thai Baht THB ฿

📈 Exchange rate

100 RUB = 1.2 USD

100 RUB = 1.07 EUR

100 THB = 2.99 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

THB, USD, EUR to RUB – Russian Ruble Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇷🇺 Russian Ruble (₽)

Russian Ruble exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 83.46 RUB (100 RUB = 1.2 USD). 1 EUR = 93.83 RUB (100 RUB = 1.07 EUR).

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 33.42 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.57 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

USD to RUB in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Moscow Chiang Mai 6,510 km ≈ 9 h nonstop flight

From you

Moscow
Chiang Mai

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated March 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Moscow vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Moscow costs about 95% more than Chiang Mai, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from 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 $2,749 per month in Moscow and $1,408 in Chiang Mai. 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.

Kindergarten costs $817 per month in Moscow and $797 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 12% more in Moscow, 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 Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $938, than in Moscow at $1,833. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Moscow it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $938 versus $1,833 in Moscow. 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, Moscow makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.