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

Name: Chiang Mai
Address: Chiang Mai, TH

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $650 per month in Poltava vs $852 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,012 per month in Poltava vs $1,354 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,374 per month in Poltava vs $1,857 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Poltava is about 24% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Poltava and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Poltava 51% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.74 ₴253

$1.96 ฿64.0

192.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.97 ₴1,057

$18.81 ฿615

27.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.67 ₴206

$7.92 ฿259

-41.04%

Cappuccino

$1.29 ₴56.9

$1.91 ฿62.6

-32.46%

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

$0.64 ₴28.07

$0.84 ฿27.41

-23.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.46 ₴20.19

$0.35 ฿11.51

31.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.88 ₴38.86

$2.21 ฿72.1

-60.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.64 ₴72.3

$3.80 ฿124

-56.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.02 ₴44.82

$1.64 ฿53.5

-37.80%

White Bread (500g)

$0.66 ₴29.14

$1.62 ฿53.1

-59.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.28 ₴56.6

$1.18 ฿38.62

8.47%

Eggs

$1.71 ₴75.4

$2.01 ฿65.8

-14.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.22 ₴362

$15.89 ฿520

-48.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.78 ₴167

$3.01 ฿98.5

25.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.31 ₴234

$10.77 ฿352

-50.70%

Apples (1kg)

$0.78 ₴34.23

$2.61 ฿85.5

-70.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.20 ₴53.0

$1.22 ฿39.88

-1.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.27 ₴56.2

$1.70 ฿55.7

-25.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.54 ₴67.9

$1.58 ฿51.5

-2.53%

Potato (1kg)

$0.40 ₴17.59

$1.32 ฿43.14

-69.70%

Onion (1kg)

$0.55 ₴24.24

$1.17 ฿38.23

-52.99%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ₴28.89

$0.67 ฿21.98

-1.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 ₴25.81

$0.56 ฿18.32

5.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.04 ₴89.9

$4.53 ฿148

-54.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.13 ₴226

$18.20 ฿595

-71.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.89 ₴39.25

$1.83 ฿60.0

-51.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.60 ₴70.3

$3.23 ฿106

-50.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 ₴11.06

$0.89 ฿29.00

-71.91%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.29 ₴630

$19.38 ฿634

-26.26%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.98 ₴87.4

$1.35 ฿44.20

46.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.18 ₴7.87

$1.35 ฿44.05

-86.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.48 ₴197

$8.25 ฿270

-45.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 ₴57.6

$1.27 ฿41.64

3.15%

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

$27.1K ₴1.2M

$21.2K ฿691.8K

28.17%

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

$20.3K ₴894.2K

$22.5K ฿735.3K

-9.77%

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

$93.5 ₴4,122

$70.2 ฿2,294

33.33%

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

$4.54 ₴200

$13.77 ฿450

-67.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$4.82 ₴212

$17.60 ฿575

-72.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$13.63 ₴601

$41.57 ฿1,360

-67.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.32 ₴411

$6.60 ฿216

41.21%

Cinema Ticket

$4.73 ₴209

$5.78 ฿189

-18.17%

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

$269 ₴11.9K

$306 ฿10.0K

-12.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,611 ₴335.4K

$14.8K ฿484.8K

-48.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$69.8 ₴3,078

$54.4 ฿1,778

28.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.97 ₴1,145

$26.14 ฿855

-0.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.4 ₴3,411

$84.5 ฿2,764

-8.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.3 ₴3,669

$69.4 ฿2,270

19.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$261 ₴11.5K

$424 ฿13.9K

-38.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$158 ₴6,960

$238 ฿7,788

-33.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$435 ₴19.2K

$825 ฿27.0K

-47.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$319 ₴14.1K

$515 ฿16.8K

-38.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$904 ₴39.8K

$2,049 ฿67.0K

-55.90%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,523 ฿49.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$445 ₴19.6K

$635 ฿20.8K

-30.00%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

17.5

250.00%

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

Last update for Poltava: April 25, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $261 in Poltava versus $424 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 43% 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 $24.00 in Poltava versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $142 in Poltava vs $243 in Chiang Mai – so Poltava 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

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

Chiang Mai costs about 31% more than Poltava, 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 $974 per month in Poltava and $1,278 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Poltava, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $269 per month in Poltava and $306 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 71% 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.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $650 in Poltava and $852 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Poltava costs $650 versus $852 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 Poltava. 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.