Moving to Russia from Thailand
What to Expect
Considering a move from Thailand to Russia? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Thailand to Russia, you would find that Russia is 5.5% more expensive than Thailand overall. A THB2,497,395 salary in Thailand would need to be roughly RUB5,836,788 in Russia to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Russian. You’ll also switch from driving on the left to the right. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Moscow averages 48°F vs 91°F in Bangkok, making it significantly cooler.
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A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Thailand and Russia.
What does your salary buy?
THB2,497,395 → RUB5,836,788
To maintain the same standard of living in Russia
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 81.6% more
Groceries
pay 12.0% less
Transportation
pay 29.1% less
Housing
pay 1.2% less
Childcare
pay 23.1% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 20.1% less
Data: MyLifeElsewhere's crowdsourced cost of living database, with prices submitted and updated by users worldwide. Exchange rates are refreshed regularly from public sources.
Cost of living by city
Cost of living varies a lot by city. Each figure is a city's overall cost of living as a percentage of New York City (the priciest, = 100%).
On average, cities in Russia cost about 28% more than cities in Thailand.
Compare cities head-to-head
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
What the data shows about people moving from Thailand to Russia.
Who's moving to Russia?
Top countries of origin for Russia's foreign-born residents.
- 3,268,263
- 2,558,907
- 1,146,175
- 766,918
- 763,879
- 591,025
- · · ·
-
91.215
Thailand
Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in Russia compared to Thailand.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
of residents who feel safe walking alone at night
per 100,000 people per year
Russia generally does better on safety, though Thailand leads in homicide rate.
How's the healthcare?
annual government + private spending per person
affects wait times and access to care
WHO index from 0–100 measuring essential service access
share of adults with obesity
per 100,000 people — a proxy for mental health support
Thailand generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Russia leads in doctors per 10,000 people.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
Thailand performs better than Russia across all environment metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work
higher means greater strain on freshwater supply
annual consumption — reflects grid capacity
share of households with internet
Russia performs significantly better than Thailand across all infrastructure metrics.
What are the job prospects?
percentage of the labour force without work
a broad measure of economic output per person
the highest marginal rate on personal income
share of people below the poverty line
Thailand generally does better on employment & economy, though Russia leads in gdp per capita.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better
government spending on education as % of GDP
percentage of adults who can read and write
Russia generally does better on family life, though Thailand leads in life expectancy.
Data: The Revenue Department, Government of Thailand, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Bangkok | Moscow |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 91°/74°F (33°/23°C) | 27°/15°F (-3°/-10°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 93°/78°F (34°/26°C) | 62°/45°F (17°/7°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 90°/77°F (32°/25°C) | 68°/52°F (20°/11°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 89°/73°F (32°/23°C) | 36°/26°F (2°/-3°C) |
View all months
| Month | Bangkok | Moscow |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 90°/70°F (32.0°/21.0°C) | 21°/10°F (-6.3°/-12.3°C) |
| Feb | 91°/74°F (32.7°/23.3°C) | 24°/12°F (-4.2°/-11.1°C) |
| Mar | 93°/77°F (33.7°/24.9°C) | 35°/22°F (1.5°/-5.6°C) |
| Apr | 95°/79°F (34.9°/26.1°C) | 51°/35°F (10.4°/1.7°C) |
| May | 93°/78°F (34.0°/25.6°C) | 65°/46°F (18.4°/7.6°C) |
| Jun | 92°/78°F (33.1°/25.4°C) | 71°/53°F (21.7°/11.5°C) |
| Jul | 91°/77°F (32.7°/25.0°C) | 74°/56°F (23.1°/13.5°C) |
| Aug | 90°/77°F (32.5°/24.9°C) | 71°/54°F (21.5°/12.0°C) |
| Sep | 90°/76°F (32.3°/24.6°C) | 60°/45°F (15.4°/7.1°C) |
| Oct | 90°/76°F (32.0°/24.3°C) | 47°/36°F (8.2°/2.1°C) |
| Nov | 89°/74°F (31.6°/23.1°C) | 34°/26°F (1.1°/-3.3°C) |
| Dec | 88°/69°F (31.3°/20.8°C) | 26°/17°F (-3.5°/-8.6°C) |
Data:
Thai Meteorological Department,
Russian Federal Service for Hydrometeorology and Environmental Monitoring
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Thailand and Russia. To live, work, or study long-term in Russia, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Russia's immigration authority.
Thailand passport holder visiting Russia
Electronic Travel Authorisation
Russia passport holder visiting Thailand
Visa FreeData: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it cheaper to live in Russia than Thailand?
Russia and Thailand are within a few percent on overall cost, though specific items in specific cities can swing either way.
How much money do I need to move to Russia?
Budget about RUB1,459,197 for 3 months in Russia (based on a THB2,497,395 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from Russia?
Connectivity is usually fine (Russia: 24.8 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does Russia offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?
Is Russia safe for expats?
Russia generally does better on safety, though Thailand leads in homicide rate. The homicide rate in Russia is 6.8 per 100,000 people, compared to 4.8 in Thailand. About 90% of people in Russia feel safe walking alone at night.
How is healthcare in Russia compared to Thailand?
Thailand generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Russia leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 38.3 doctors per 10,000 people in Russia, compared to 9.3 in Thailand. Russia scores 79 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Thailand: 82).
What's the weather like in Russia compared to Thailand?
The average high temperature in Moscow is 48°F, compared to 91°F in Bangkok. Moscow receives around 27.2 in of rainfall per year, while Bangkok gets 59.0 in.
What language do they speak in Russia?
The official language in Russia is Russian. In Thailand, the official language is Thai.
