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

Name: Chiang Mai
Address: Chiang Mai, TH

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $694 per month in Semey vs $852 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,111 per month in Semey vs $1,354 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,528 per month in Semey vs $1,857 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Semey is about 19% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Semey and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Semey 48% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.43 ₸2,033

$1.96 ฿63.6

126.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.96 ₸12.4K

$18.81 ฿611

43.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.65 ₸2,136

$7.92 ฿258

-41.29%

Cappuccino

$1.54 ₸705

$1.91 ฿62.2

-19.37%

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

$0.91 ₸417

$0.84 ฿27.25

8.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.56 ₸255

$0.35 ฿11.44

60.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.15 ₸529

$2.21 ฿71.7

-47.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.84 ₸846

$3.80 ฿124

-51.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.68 ₸313

$1.64 ฿53.2

-58.54%

White Bread (500g)

$0.34 ₸158

$1.62 ฿52.8

-79.01%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.66 ₸762

$1.18 ฿38.40

40.68%

Eggs

$1.28 ₸587

$2.01 ฿65.4

-36.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.75 ₸4,016

$15.89 ฿517

-44.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.50 ₸2,063

$3.01 ฿98.0

49.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.07 ₸3,243

$10.77 ฿350

-34.35%

Apples (1kg)

$1.29 ₸590

$2.61 ฿85.0

-50.57%

Banana (1kg)

$1.95 ₸895

$1.22 ฿39.65

59.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.97 ₸903

$1.70 ฿55.4

15.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.89 ₸867

$1.58 ฿51.2

19.62%

Potato (1kg)

$0.56 ₸257

$1.32 ฿42.89

-57.58%

Onion (1kg)

$0.37 ₸172

$1.17 ฿38.01

-68.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.00 ₸459

$0.67 ฿21.85

49.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.77 ₸352

$0.56 ฿18.21

37.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.60 ₸1,194

$4.53 ฿147

-42.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.82 ₸3,127

$18.20 ฿592

-62.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 ₸433

$1.83 ฿59.6

-48.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.61 ₸737

$3.23 ฿105

-50.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.18 ₸80.4

$0.89 ฿28.83

-79.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.38 ฿630

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.02 ₸469

$1.35 ฿43.95

-24.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.67 ₸309

$1.35 ฿43.79

-50.37%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.79 ₸2,199

$8.25 ฿268

-41.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.46 ₸211

$1.27 ฿41.40

-63.78%

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

$20.1K ₸9.2M

$21.2K ฿687.8K

-5.02%

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

$24.7K ₸11.3M

$22.5K ฿731.0K

9.64%

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

$50.3 ₸23.1K

$70.2 ฿2,281

-28.35%

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

$8.62 ₸3,956

$13.77 ฿448

-37.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$12.89 ₸5,913

$17.60 ฿572

-26.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.61 ₸15.4K

$41.57 ฿1,352

-19.15%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.68 ₸4,441

$6.60 ฿215

46.67%

Cinema Ticket

$4.36 ₸2,002

$5.78 ฿188

-24.57%

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

$214 ₸98.3K

$306 ฿9,953

-30.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,808 ₸2.2M

$14.8K ฿482.0K

-67.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.4 ₸25.9K

$54.4 ฿1,768

3.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.66 ₸16.4K

$26.14 ฿850

36.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.9 ₸40.3K

$84.5 ฿2,748

4.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.4 ₸36.0K

$69.4 ฿2,257

12.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$312 ₸143.0K

$424 ฿13.8K

-26.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$201 ₸92.1K

$238 ฿7,743

-15.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$520 ₸238.5K

$825 ฿26.8K

-36.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$386 ₸176.9K

$515 ฿16.7K

-25.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,049 ฿66.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,523 ฿49.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$635 ฿20.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

18.39

267.80%

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

Last update for Semey: April 25, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $312 in Semey 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $27.00 in Semey versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $165 in Semey vs $243 in Chiang Mai – so Semey 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

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

Chiang Mai costs about 23% more than Semey, 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 $1,041 per month in Semey 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 Semey, 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 $27.00 in Semey and $19.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 48% 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.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $694 in Semey and $852 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Semey costs $694 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 Semey. 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.