Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and As Salt Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and As Salt

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $852 in Chiang Mai versus $676 in As Salt.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,360 in Chiang Mai versus $1,084 in As Salt.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,867 in Chiang Mai versus $1,491 in As Salt.

Living in Chiang Mai is roughly 26% more expensive than in As Salt, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Chiang Mai 36% lower, As Salt 49% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.04 ฿68.2

$4.21 JOD 2.98

-51.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.71 ฿624

$21.03 JOD 14.89

-11.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.86 ฿262

$6.93 JOD 4.90

13.42%

Cappuccino

$2.03 ฿67.7

$1.44 JOD 1.02

40.97%

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

$0.80 ฿26.64

$0.36 JOD 0.26

122.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.68

$0.27 JOD 0.19

29.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.5

$5.53 JOD 3.92

-61.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿122

$4.27 JOD 3.02

-14.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 ฿57.6

$1.44 JOD 1.02

20.14%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.4

$0.34 JOD 0.24

361.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 ฿39.99

$1.62 JOD 1.15

-25.93%

Eggs

$1.97 ฿65.8

$1.73 JOD 1.23

13.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.23 ฿541

$4.14 JOD 2.93

292.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.06 ฿102

$4.16 JOD 2.95

-26.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.80 ฿360

$11.62 JOD 8.23

-7.06%

Apples (1kg)

$2.77 ฿92.3

$1.44 JOD 1.02

92.36%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.94

$1.49 JOD 1.06

-21.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 ฿57.0

$1.43 JOD 1.01

19.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿53.2

$0.58 JOD 0.41

174.14%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.51

$0.69 JOD 0.49

101.45%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 ฿38.56

$0.73 JOD 0.52

58.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿22.05

$0.60 JOD 0.42

10.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.31

$0.62 JOD 0.44

-16.13%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 ฿155

$3.63 JOD 2.57

28.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.78 ฿593

$13.93 JOD 9.86

27.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ฿59.6

$4.63 JOD 3.27

-61.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 ฿111

$5.27 JOD 3.73

-36.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿30.27

$0.89 JOD 0.63

2.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.64 ฿622

$28.60 JOD 20.25

-34.83%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿47.04

$0.58 JOD 0.41

143.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.70

$1.38 JOD 0.98

-2.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.11 ฿270

$7.00 JOD 4.96

15.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿41.16

$1.31 JOD 0.93

-6.11%

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

$21.4K ฿715.1K

$21.3K JOD 15.1K

0.65%

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

$21.8K ฿728.0K

$25.6K JOD 18.1K

-14.84%

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

$71.3 ฿2,379

$34.96 JOD 24.75

104.03%

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

$14.01 ฿467

$11.07 JOD 7.84

26.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.93 ฿598

$14.37 JOD 10.18

24.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.82 ฿1,362

$33.10 JOD 23.44

23.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿230

$35.19 JOD 24.91

-80.45%

Cinema Ticket

$5.72 ฿191

$9.09 JOD 6.44

-37.07%

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

$308 ฿10.3K

$143 JOD 101

115.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿489.7K

$5,477 JOD 3,878

168.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,860

$24.44 JOD 17.31

128.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.04 ฿869

$49.02 JOD 34.70

-46.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 ฿2,829

$50.3 JOD 35.63

68.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.0 ฿2,368

$27.94 JOD 19.78

154.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$423 ฿14.1K

$140 JOD 99.3

201.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 ฿8,088

$154 JOD 109

57.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$797 ฿26.6K

$245 JOD 173

226.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$507 ฿16.9K

$282 JOD 200

79.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,918 ฿64.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,464 ฿48.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

$567 JOD 402

4.90%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.27

-31.22%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 27, 2026

Last update for As Salt: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $423 in Chiang Mai and $140 in As Salt. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Chiang Mai pays 5% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $19.00 in Chiang Mai vs $21.00 in As Salt. Groceries flip the comparison at $244 vs $199, with As Salt cheaper for home cooking.

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

Chiang Mai vs As Salt: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

As Salt wins on cost – living expenses run 26% lower than in Chiang Mai. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making As Salt the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 5% higher in Chiang Mai, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $423 in Chiang Mai versus $140 in As Salt. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in As Salt – a meal for two runs $21.00 versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $852 per month in Chiang Mai versus $676 in As Salt – a 26% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Either city works on $800 a month, though As Salt gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

Both work as nomad bases, but As Salt delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $676 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes As Salt hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Chiang Mai and As Salt are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find As Salt gentler on the wallet – expenses run 26% less than in Chiang Mai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.