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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,138 per month in Obninsk vs $869 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,788 per month in Obninsk vs $1,362 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,438 per month in Obninsk vs $1,855 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Obninsk costs about 31% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Obninsk and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Obninsk 15% lower, Chiang Mai 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.53 ₽908

$1.98 ฿64.3

532.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$57.1 ₽4,136

$18.80 ฿612

203.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.42 ₽466

$7.75 ฿252

-17.16%

Cappuccino

$3.30 ₽239

$1.92 ฿62.5

71.88%

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

$1.39 ₽101

$0.79 ฿25.79

75.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.64 ₽46.29

$0.36 ฿11.62

77.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.36 ₽98.2

$2.21 ฿72.1

-38.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.43 ₽321

$3.66 ฿119

21.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 ₽84.5

$1.65 ฿53.8

-29.09%

White Bread (500g)

$0.84 ₽61.1

$1.63 ฿53.2

-48.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 ₽128

$1.19 ฿38.86

47.90%

Eggs

$1.87 ₽136

$2.00 ฿65.1

-6.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.19 ₽956

$15.98 ฿520

-17.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.05 ₽438

$3.03 ฿98.5

99.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.05 ₽873

$10.86 ฿354

10.96%

Apples (1kg)

$1.86 ₽135

$2.76 ฿90.0

-32.61%

Banana (1kg)

$1.76 ₽128

$1.18 ฿38.42

49.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.38 ₽173

$1.64 ฿53.5

45.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.17 ₽302

$1.52 ฿49.51

174.34%

Potato (1kg)

$1.03 ₽74.8

$1.38 ฿45.10

-25.36%

Onion (1kg)

$0.84 ₽61.0

$1.19 ฿38.84

-29.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.66 ₽120

$0.70 ฿22.86

137.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.75 ₽54.7

$0.56 ฿18.13

33.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.23 ₽234

$4.58 ฿149

-29.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.41 ₽392

$16.56 ฿539

-67.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 ₽77.5

$1.83 ฿59.5

-41.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.42 ₽175

$3.20 ฿104

-24.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 ₽37.77

$0.88 ฿28.56

-40.91%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.72 ฿610

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.55 ₽185

$1.36 ฿44.16

87.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.47 ₽34.10

$1.34 ฿43.65

-64.93%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.19 ₽593

$7.84 ฿256

4.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.75 ₽54.7

$1.23 ฿39.92

-39.02%

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

$38.3K ₽2.8M

$21.6K ฿704.3K

76.97%

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

$37.4K ₽2.7M

$22.5K ฿734.3K

65.84%

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

$152 ₽11.0K

$70.5 ฿2,298

114.80%

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

$7.96 ₽577

$13.68 ฿445

-41.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.14 ₽590

$17.45 ฿568

-53.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.22 ₽2,552

$41.33 ฿1,346

-14.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.49 ₽905

$6.96 ฿227

79.45%

Cinema Ticket

$6.46 ₽468

$5.77 ฿188

11.96%

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

$329 ₽23.8K

$307 ฿10.0K

7.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,986 ₽506.2K

$14.6K ฿475.9K

-52.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$88.8 ₽6,436

$55.8 ฿1,817

59.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.1 ₽3,918

$26.21 ฿854

106.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$133 ₽9,605

$85.8 ฿2,793

54.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$165 ₽11.9K

$72.2 ฿2,353

127.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$451 ₽32.7K

$430 ฿14.0K

4.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$307 ₽22.3K

$239 ฿7,774

28.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$748 ₽54.2K

$817 ฿26.6K

-8.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$506 ₽36.7K

$511 ฿16.6K

-0.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,365 ₽171.4K

$1,983 ฿64.6K

19.25%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,589 ₽115.1K

$1,484 ฿48.3K

7.08%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$619 ฿20.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

60.00%

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

Last update for Obninsk: June 9, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $451 in Obninsk versus $430 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $57.0 in Obninsk versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $232 in Obninsk vs $241 in Chiang Mai – so Obninsk wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

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

Obninsk costs about 31% 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 $1,706 per month in Obninsk and $1,303 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $57.0 in Obninsk and $19.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 4% cheaper in Obninsk – 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 Obninsk at $1,138. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Obninsk it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $869 versus $1,138 in Obninsk. 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, Obninsk makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.