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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,088 per month in Qapshaghay vs $932 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,652 per month in Qapshaghay vs $1,399 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,215 per month in Qapshaghay vs $1,866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Qapshaghay costs about 17% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Qapshaghay and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Qapshaghay 20% lower, Chiang Mai 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.03 ₸4,915

$2.08 ฿69.2

430.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.06 ₸9,831

$19.61 ฿652

12.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.58 ₸2,931

$5.67 ฿189

16.05%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ₸805

$1.81 ฿60.0

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

$1.00 ₸444

$0.77 ฿25.55

29.87%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.65 ₸291

$0.35 ฿11.48

85.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.31 ₸583

$2.21 ฿73.6

-40.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.36 ₸605

$3.79 ฿126

-64.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.69 ₸755

$2.05 ฿68.1

-17.56%

White Bread (500g)

$0.44 ₸195

$1.51 ฿50.4

-70.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.13 ₸950

$1.40 ฿46.51

52.14%

Eggs

$2.49 ₸1,109

$2.26 ฿75.1

10.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.29 ₸5,476

$16.19 ฿538

-24.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.86 ₸3,056

$2.90 ฿96.3

136.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.99 ₸4,897

$9.42 ฿313

16.67%

Apples (1kg)

$1.89 ₸841

$2.68 ฿89.1

-29.48%

Banana (1kg)

$2.39 ₸1,065

$1.09 ฿36.23

119.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.05 ₸1,359

$1.62 ฿53.8

88.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.80 ₸1,250

$1.46 ฿48.55

91.78%

Potato (1kg)

$0.75 ₸334

$1.28 ฿42.48

-41.41%

Onion (1kg)

$0.55 ₸247

$1.06 ฿35.17

-48.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.71 ₸761

$0.72 ฿23.85

137.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.00 ₸448

$0.53 ฿17.49

88.68%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.60 ₸714

$4.23 ฿141

-62.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.07 ₸4,934

$18.29 ฿608

-39.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 ₸532

$1.63 ฿54.2

-26.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 ₸1,057

$2.90 ฿96.5

-18.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.18 ₸80.1

$0.88 ฿29.20

-79.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.06 ₸7,158

$53.8 ฿1,788

-70.13%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.88 ₸393

$1.17 ฿38.99

-24.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.70 ₸310

$0.58 ฿19.22

20.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.10 ₸1,827

$2.39 ฿79.3

71.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.57 ₸253

$1.45 ฿48.22

-60.69%

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

$22.4K ₸10.0M

$21.0K ฿698.6K

6.75%

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

$30.0K ₸13.4M

$26.4K ฿878.6K

13.52%

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

$93.8 ₸41.8K

$63.7 ฿2,116

47.43%

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

$10.79 ₸4,808

$12.89 ฿429

-16.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.49 ₸7,797

$20.52 ฿682

-14.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.61 ₸19.0K

$39.02 ฿1,297

9.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.92 ฿130

Cinema Ticket

$6.85 ₸3,051

$6.58 ฿219

4.10%

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

$147 ₸65.7K

$784 ฿26.1K

-81.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,413 ₸2.0M

$14.7K ฿487.9K

-69.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$91.2 ₸40.6K

$55.1 ฿1,833

65.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.94 ₸20.9K

$24.74 ฿823

89.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$142 ₸63.4K

$94.1 ฿3,130

51.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$135 ₸60.1K

$74.0 ฿2,459

82.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$455 ₸202.7K

$490 ฿16.3K

-7.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$308 ₸137.4K

$288 ฿9,582

6.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$727 ₸323.9K

$891 ฿29.6K

-18.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$498 ₸221.8K

$521 ฿17.3K

-4.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,061 ₸472.7K

$1,974 ฿65.6K

-46.25%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$970 ₸432.4K

$1,444 ฿48.0K

-32.83%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿20.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

20.61

5.57

270.02%

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

Last update for Qapshaghay: September 12, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $455 in Qapshaghay versus $490 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 $22.00 in Qapshaghay versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $241 – making Chiang Mai the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

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

Qapshaghay costs about 17% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,633 per month in Qapshaghay and $1,398 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 $147 per month in Qapshaghay and $784 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 3% more in Qapshaghay, 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 $932, than in Qapshaghay at $1,088. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Qapshaghay it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $932 versus $1,088 in Qapshaghay. 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, Qapshaghay makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.