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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,003 per month in Tomsk vs $869 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,574 per month in Tomsk vs $1,362 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,144 per month in Tomsk vs $1,855 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Tomsk costs about 15% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Tomsk and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Tomsk 25% lower, Chiang Mai 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.27 ₽454

$1.98 ฿64.6

216.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.38 ₽2,345

$18.80 ฿615

72.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.87 ₽425

$7.75 ฿253

-24.26%

Cappuccino

$2.27 ₽164

$1.92 ฿62.7

18.23%

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

$0.98 ₽70.7

$0.79 ฿25.87

24.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.46 ₽33.16

$0.36 ฿11.66

27.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.25 ₽90.7

$2.21 ฿72.3

-43.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.96 ₽215

$3.66 ฿120

-19.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 ₽82.8

$1.65 ฿54.0

-30.91%

White Bread (500g)

$0.55 ₽39.71

$1.63 ฿53.3

-66.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.82 ₽132

$1.19 ฿38.99

52.94%

Eggs

$1.66 ₽120

$2.00 ฿65.3

-17.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.84 ₽785

$15.98 ฿522

-32.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.51 ₽399

$3.03 ฿98.9

81.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 ₽650

$10.86 ฿355

-17.40%

Apples (1kg)

$2.00 ₽145

$2.76 ฿90.3

-27.54%

Banana (1kg)

$1.97 ₽142

$1.18 ฿38.55

66.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 ₽154

$1.64 ฿53.7

29.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.76 ₽272

$1.52 ฿49.68

147.37%

Potato (1kg)

$0.69 ₽50.1

$1.38 ฿45.25

-50.00%

Onion (1kg)

$0.57 ₽41.39

$1.19 ฿38.97

-52.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.05 ₽76.0

$0.70 ฿22.94

50.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 ₽42.41

$0.56 ฿18.19

5.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.47 ₽179

$4.58 ฿150

-46.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.57 ₽548

$16.56 ฿541

-54.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 ₽61.8

$1.83 ฿59.7

-53.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.89 ₽137

$3.20 ฿105

-40.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 ₽28.32

$0.88 ฿28.66

-55.68%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.30 ₽1,905

$18.72 ฿612

40.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.70 ₽123

$1.36 ฿44.31

25.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.25 ₽18.18

$1.34 ฿43.80

-81.34%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.15 ₽446

$7.84 ฿256

-21.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.74 ₽53.5

$1.23 ฿40.06

-39.84%

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

$31.1K ₽2.3M

$21.6K ฿706.7K

43.92%

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

$41.5K ₽3.0M

$22.5K ฿736.8K

84.15%

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

$114 ₽8,291

$70.5 ฿2,305

62.28%

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

$5.13 ₽371

$13.68 ฿447

-62.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.28 ₽600

$17.45 ฿570

-52.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$63.1 ₽4,569

$41.33 ฿1,351

52.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.32 ₽1,834

$6.96 ฿228

263.79%

Cinema Ticket

$5.84 ₽423

$5.77 ฿189

1.21%

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

$76.5 ₽5,543

$307 ฿10.0K

-75.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,477 ₽324.3K

$14.6K ฿477.5K

-69.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$76.3 ₽5,529

$55.8 ฿1,823

36.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.31 ₽2,485

$26.21 ฿856

30.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$133 ₽9,659

$85.8 ฿2,802

55.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$181 ₽13.1K

$72.2 ฿2,361

150.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$438 ₽31.7K

$430 ฿14.0K

1.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$277 ₽20.1K

$239 ฿7,800

16.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$760 ₽55.1K

$817 ฿26.7K

-6.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$518 ₽37.5K

$511 ฿16.7K

1.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,482 ₽179.7K

$1,983 ฿64.8K

25.15%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,734 ₽125.6K

$1,484 ฿48.5K

16.84%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,002 ₽72.6K

$619 ฿20.2K

61.91%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

22.08

341.60%

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

Last update for Tomsk: June 7, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $438 in Tomsk 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.

Salaries run about 62% higher in Tomsk, 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 $32.00 in Tomsk versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $205 in Tomsk vs $241 in Chiang Mai – so Tomsk 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

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

Tomsk costs about 15% 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 $1,505 per month in Tomsk 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.

Kindergarten costs $76.5 per month in Tomsk and $307 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 18% cheaper in Tomsk – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $1,003 in Tomsk and $869 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $869 versus $1,003 in Tomsk. 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, Tomsk makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.