Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Ulan Ude and Chiang Mai

For one person, living is cheaper in Chiang Mai: $938 a month against $1,094 in Ulan Ude, rent and utilities included – about $1,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

53

Cost of Living Index in Ulan Ude
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Ulan Ude Living Index
45

Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
Learn more

Chiang Mai Living Index

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Ulan Ude

🇷🇺 Russia

$1,094

/mo nomad

Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$938

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Ulan Ude and in Chiang Mai

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Ulan Ude and in Chiang Mai actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,094 per month in Ulan Ude vs $938 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Ulan Ude $1,094
Chiang Mai $938

A couple spends around $1,704 per month in Ulan Ude vs $1,426 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Ulan Ude $1,704
Chiang Mai $1,426

A family of three spends $2,314 per month in Ulan Ude vs $1,914 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Ulan Ude $2,314
Chiang Mai $1,914

Ulan Ude costs about 17% more than Chiang Mai, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Ulan Ude and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Ulan Ude 19% lower, Chiang Mai 30% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.05 ₽589

$2.26 ฿75.4

211.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.40 ₽3,956

$19.18 ฿641

147.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.98 ₽583

$5.59 ฿187

24.87%

Cappuccino

$3.59 ₽300

$1.72 ฿57.6

108.72%

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

$1.77 ₽148

$0.64 ฿21.54

176.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.75 ₽146

$0.33 ฿11.18

430.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.58 ₽299

$2.36 ฿78.7

51.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.82 ₽486

$3.90 ฿130

49.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 ₽120

$2.05 ฿68.6

-29.76%

White Bread (500g)

$0.78 ₽64.9

$1.40 ฿46.70

-44.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 ₽112

$1.28 ฿42.89

4.69%

Eggs

$2.11 ₽176

$2.25 ฿75.3

-6.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.17 ₽1,015

$16.94 ฿566

-28.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.39 ₽533

$2.74 ฿91.6

133.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.98 ₽1,083

$9.36 ฿313

38.68%

Apples (1kg)

$2.12 ₽177

$2.40 ฿80.3

-11.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.87 ₽156

$1.01 ฿33.92

85.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.75 ₽146

$1.61 ฿53.9

8.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.75 ₽230

$1.52 ฿50.7

80.92%

Potato (1kg)

$0.68 ₽56.4

$1.28 ฿42.90

-46.88%

Onion (1kg)

$0.79 ₽66.1

$1.11 ฿37.22

-28.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.10 ₽175

$0.72 ฿24.09

191.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.67 ₽56.0

$0.52 ฿17.54

28.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.93 ₽245

$4.33 ฿145

-32.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.37 ₽532

$17.73 ฿593

-64.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.50 ₽125

$1.63 ฿54.4

-7.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.20 ₽100

$2.85 ฿95.3

-57.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.46 ₽38.55

$0.85 ฿28.31

-45.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$24.23 ₽2,022

$53.9 ฿1,801

-55.05%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.28 ₽107

$1.17 ฿39.18

9.40%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.17 ₽14.16

$0.57 ฿19.00

-70.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.36 ₽614

$2.37 ฿79.2

210.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.84 ₽70.4

$1.45 ฿48.32

-42.07%

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

$47.2K ₽3.9M

$20.5K ฿684.3K

130.39%

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

$35.0K ₽2.9M

$26.5K ฿886.1K

32.17%

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

$90.6 ₽7,558

$62.3 ฿2,083

45.28%

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

$4.84 ₽404

$12.27 ฿410

-60.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$7.58 ₽633

$19.97 ฿668

-62.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.71 ₽1,979

$37.91 ฿1,267

-37.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$47.45 ₽3,960

$3.76 ฿126

1161.97%

Cinema Ticket

$7.09 ₽592

$6.71 ฿224

5.66%

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

$797 ฿26.6K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿495.7K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$72.7 ₽6,067

$53.3 ฿1,780

36.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.73 ₽2,481

$25.05 ฿837

18.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$118 ₽9,870

$91.6 ฿3,062

29.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 ₽10.1K

$73.5 ฿2,455

65.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$514 ₽42.9K

$464 ฿15.5K

10.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$378 ₽31.5K

$305 ฿10.2K

23.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$779 ₽65.0K

$915 ฿30.6K

-14.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$591 ₽49.3K

$552 ฿18.5K

6.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,092 ₽174.6K

$1,912 ฿63.9K

9.44%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,557 ₽129.9K

$1,438 ฿48.1K

8.25%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$899 ₽75.0K

$595 ฿19.9K

51.02%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

21.67

5.57

289.05%

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

Last update for Ulan Ude: October 10, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Ulan Ude

$378 34.5%

Chiang Mai

$305 32.5% 19.3% $73

Groceries & Markets

Ulan Ude

$229 20.9%

Chiang Mai

$238 25.4% 4.1% $9.3

Eating Out

Ulan Ude

$164 15%

Chiang Mai

$79 8.4% 51.9% $85

Clothing & Footwear

Ulan Ude

$154 14.1%

Chiang Mai

$110 11.7% 28.9% $44

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Ulan Ude

$103 9.4%

Chiang Mai

$95 10.1% 8.2% $8.4

Sport & Entertainment

Ulan Ude

$38 3.5%

Chiang Mai

$51 5.5% 35.5% $13

Getting Around

Ulan Ude

$28 2.6%

Chiang Mai

$61 6.5% 117% $33

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $514 in Ulan Ude versus $464 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 51% higher in Ulan Ude, 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 $47.00 in Ulan Ude versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $229 in Ulan Ude vs $238 in Chiang Mai – so Ulan Ude wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇷🇺 Ulan Ude

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🕒 Local time

22:24 10:24 PM

21:24 9:24 PM

1 h behind Ulan Ude

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

436,138

127,240

💱 Currency

Russian Ruble RUB ₽

Thai Baht THB ฿

📈 Exchange rate

100 RUB = 1.2 USD

100 RUB = 1.07 EUR

100 THB = 2.99 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

THB, USD, EUR to RUB – Russian Ruble Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇷🇺 Russian Ruble (₽)

Russian Ruble exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 83.46 RUB (100 RUB = 1.2 USD). 1 EUR = 93.83 RUB (100 RUB = 1.07 EUR).

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 33.42 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.57 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

USD to RUB in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Ulan Ude Chiang Mai 3,750 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight

From you

Ulan Ude
Chiang Mai

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

Ulan Ude vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ulan Ude costs about 17% more than Chiang Mai, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from 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 $1,640 per month in Ulan Ude and $1,408 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.

Public transport costs about 122% less in Chiang Mai. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Interestingly, groceries are about 4% cheaper in Ulan Ude – 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 $938, than in Ulan Ude at $1,094. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ulan Ude it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $938 versus $1,094 in Ulan Ude. 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, Ulan Ude makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.