Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Nakhon Sawan Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Nakhon Sawan

Name: Nakhon Sawan
Address: Nakhon Sawan, TH

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $959 in Nakhon Sawan, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,351 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,532 in Nakhon Sawan, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,835 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,105 in Nakhon Sawan, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 10% cheaper than Nakhon Sawan, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Chiang Mai and Nakhon Sawan are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Nakhon Sawan 28% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ฿63.5

$3.14 ฿103

-38.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 ฿609

$30.39 ฿993

-38.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 ฿255

$6.14 ฿200

27.36%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.8

$1.56 ฿50.9

25.00%

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

$0.85 ฿27.77

$0.36 ฿11.70

136.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.58

$0.29 ฿9.57

20.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.6

$2.50 ฿81.5

-14.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

$3.91 ฿128

-4.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿56.0

$1.86 ฿60.7

-8.06%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$1.40 ฿45.81

16.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ฿37.15

$1.45 ฿47.46

-21.38%

Eggs

$1.93 ฿63.1

$1.69 ฿55.3

14.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ฿530

$18.58 ฿607

-12.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿102

$2.98 ฿97.2

4.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿356

$9.57 ฿312

13.90%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ฿90.0

$3.50 ฿114

-21.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.52

$0.81 ฿26.31

49.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.0

$2.29 ฿74.9

-29.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$1.93 ฿62.9

-17.62%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿45.70

$1.20 ฿39.13

16.67%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.17

$1.25 ฿40.84

-6.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.60

$0.98 ฿32.14

-32.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.22

$0.49 ฿15.93

8.16%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿153

$2.80 ฿91.4

67.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿609

$15.27 ฿499

22.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.8

$1.62 ฿52.9

11.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$3.27 ฿107

-1.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.26

$0.60 ฿19.55

50.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.91

$1.07 ฿34.87

31.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.12

$1.19 ฿38.71

8.40%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$6.34 ฿207

23.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.58

$1.20 ฿39.05

5.83%

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

$21.3K ฿694.9K

$37.1K ฿1.2M

-42.72%

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

$22.2K ฿725.4K

$28.9K ฿944.9K

-23.23%

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

$69.1 ฿2,256

$90.2 ฿2,945

-23.41%

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

$14.08 ฿460

$12.80 ฿418

10.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿588

$17.51 ฿572

2.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,341

$49.78 ฿1,626

-17.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$12.19 ฿398

-42.90%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿193

$7.65 ฿250

-22.61%

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

$299 ฿9,766

$598 ฿19.5K

-49.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿488.3K

$13.3K ฿434.2K

12.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,787

$57.4 ฿1,874

-4.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.77 ฿874

$39.43 ฿1,288

-32.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 ฿2,776

$107 ฿3,495

-20.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,306

$91.9 ฿3,002

-23.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

$417 ฿13.6K

2.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,752

$286 ฿9,348

-17.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.2K

$826 ฿27.0K

-3.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$646 ฿21.1K

-20.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

$2,002 ฿65.4K

-1.39%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

$1,704 ฿55.7K

-13.46%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

$494 ฿16.1K

24.99%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.84

-14.38%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Last update for Nakhon Sawan: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $428 in Chiang Mai versus $417 in Nakhon Sawan. 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 25% higher in Chiang Mai, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $30.00 in Nakhon Sawan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $246 vs $247 – making Chiang Mai the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Nakhon Sawan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Nakhon Sawan costs about 11% 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 $1,300 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,439 in Nakhon Sawan. 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai and $30.00 in Nakhon Sawan. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 0% more in Nakhon Sawan, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $866 in Chiang Mai and $959 in Nakhon Sawan, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $866 versus $959 in Nakhon Sawan. 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, Nakhon Sawan makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.