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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $978 per month in Serov vs $847 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,474 per month in Serov vs $1,332 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,970 per month in Serov vs $1,816 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Serov costs about 15% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Serov and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Serov 27% lower, Chiang Mai 37% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.49 ₽737

$2.03 ฿68.4

367.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.59 ₽2,996

$18.71 ฿630

106.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.75 ₽446

$7.84 ฿264

-26.66%

Cappuccino

$2.36 ₽183

$1.93 ฿64.9

22.28%

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

$1.12 ₽87.1

$0.83 ฿28.00

34.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ₽37.94

$0.35 ฿11.80

40.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.38 ₽107

$2.22 ฿74.8

-37.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.55 ₽198

$3.79 ฿128

-32.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.16 ₽89.9

$1.65 ฿55.4

-29.70%

White Bread (500g)

$0.67 ₽51.7

$1.55 ฿52.3

-56.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.44 ₽111

$1.18 ฿39.79

22.03%

Eggs

$1.79 ₽139

$2.01 ฿67.9

-10.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.03 ₽856

$16.16 ฿544

-31.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.79 ₽372

$3.03 ฿102

58.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.05 ₽703

$10.84 ฿365

-16.51%

Apples (1kg)

$1.74 ₽135

$2.68 ฿90.3

-35.07%

Banana (1kg)

$1.79 ₽139

$1.22 ฿41.14

46.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 ₽148

$1.63 ฿54.8

16.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.66 ₽206

$1.53 ฿51.5

73.86%

Potato (1kg)

$0.84 ₽65.5

$1.34 ฿45.10

-37.31%

Onion (1kg)

$0.67 ₽52.0

$1.21 ฿40.86

-44.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.34 ₽104

$0.70 ฿23.63

91.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.68 ₽52.5

$0.53 ฿17.70

28.30%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.96 ₽230

$4.69 ฿158

-36.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.50 ₽582

$17.71 ฿597

-57.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.95 ₽73.6

$1.85 ฿62.2

-48.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.92 ₽149

$3.21 ฿108

-40.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.53 ₽41.26

$0.89 ฿30.01

-40.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.76 ฿632

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.87 ₽145

$1.41 ฿47.40

32.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 ₽25.28

$1.29 ฿43.52

-74.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.20 ₽481

$7.79 ฿262

-20.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.77 ₽59.7

$1.29 ฿43.59

-40.31%

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

$33.9K ₽2.6M

$21.8K ฿733.4K

55.70%

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

$35.3K ₽2.7M

$21.7K ฿730.7K

62.69%

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

$108 ₽8,356

$70.0 ฿2,358

53.79%

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

$5.90 ₽458

$14.19 ฿478

-58.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$7.96 ₽618

$17.42 ฿587

-54.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.46 ₽2,753

$41.64 ฿1,403

-14.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.89 ฿232

Cinema Ticket

$5.10 ₽396

$5.78 ฿195

-11.76%

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

$326 ₽25.3K

$300 ฿10.1K

8.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,923 ₽537.5K

$14.5K ฿489.2K

-52.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$69.2 ₽5,371

$55.4 ฿1,865

24.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.56 ₽3,382

$26.31 ฿886

65.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ₽8,918

$84.8 ฿2,858

35.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 ₽8,369

$70.5 ฿2,375

52.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$439 ₽34.1K

$425 ฿14.3K

3.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$310 ₽24.1K

$235 ฿7,919

32.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$755 ₽58.6K

$802 ฿27.0K

-5.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$511 ₽39.7K

$516 ฿17.4K

-0.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,188 ₽169.9K

$1,926 ฿64.9K

13.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,438 ₽111.7K

$1,451 ฿48.9K

-0.86%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$586 ฿19.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

15.33

206.60%

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

Last update for Serov: July 21, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $439 in Serov versus $425 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 $39.00 in Serov versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $197 in Serov vs $242 in Chiang Mai – so Serov 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

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

Serov costs about 15% 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 $1,467 per month in Serov and $1,271 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 $39.00 in Serov 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 23% cheaper in Serov – 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 $847, than in Serov at $978. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Serov it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $847 versus $978 in Serov. 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, Serov makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.