Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Sa'dah Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Sa'dah

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $920 per month in Chiang Mai vs $766 in Sa'dah, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,408 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,189 in Sa'dah, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,895 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,611 in Sa'dah, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 20% more than Sa'dah, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Chiang Mai and Sa'dah are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 33% lower, Sa'dah 44% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.11 ฿69.1

$6.16 YER 1,459

-65.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.75 ฿648

$25.34 YER 6,001

-22.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.85 ฿192

$9.36 YER 2,217

-37.50%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.97 YER 467

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.45 YER 580

Cappuccino

$1.76 ฿57.8

$3.75 YER 888

-53.07%

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

$0.74 ฿24.37

$1.16 YER 274

-36.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 ฿10.90

$0.63 YER 149

-47.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.47 ฿81.0

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.88 ฿127

Milk (1 liter)

$1.90 ฿62.4

$2.07 YER 491

-8.21%

White Bread (500g)

$1.67 ฿54.7

$1.71 YER 404

-2.34%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.35 ฿44.24

$1.99 YER 472

-32.16%

Eggs

$2.14 ฿70.2

$3.57 YER 845

-40.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.89 ฿521

$17.43 YER 4,128

-8.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.83 ฿92.9

$8.26 YER 1,955

-65.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.53 ฿345

$18.81 YER 4,456

-44.02%

Apples (1kg)

$2.38 ฿78.2

$3.35 YER 794

-28.96%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 ฿35.01

$1.00 YER 237

7.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.79

$2.19 YER 519

-30.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 ฿49.30

$1.62 YER 384

-7.41%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿41.96

$1.48 YER 350

-13.51%

Onion (1kg)

$1.10 ฿36.17

$1.37 YER 324

-19.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.69 ฿22.54

$1.21 YER 287

-42.98%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.18

$0.69 YER 164

-28.99%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.26 YER 773

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 YER 440

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.41 YER 807

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 ฿140

$5.52 YER 1,307

-22.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.78 ฿550

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 ฿54.4

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.81 ฿92.3

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.44

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.9 ฿1,801

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.20 ฿39.24

$4.22 YER 1,000

-71.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.54 ฿17.78

$2.15 YER 510

-74.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.37 ฿77.9

$7.03 YER 1,666

-66.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 ฿46.88

$2.10 YER 497

-31.90%

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

$21.1K ฿691.5K

$16.8K YER 4.0M

25.67%

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

$27.1K ฿890.2K

$35.1K YER 8.3M

-22.77%

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

$64.7 ฿2,124

$108 YER 25.6K

-40.09%

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

$13.19 ฿433

$23.19 YER 5,491

-43.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.44 ฿638

$103 YER 24.4K

-81.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.45 ฿1,294

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.77 ฿124

Cinema Ticket

$6.62 ฿217

$6.05 YER 1,432

9.42%

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

$805 ฿26.4K

$115 YER 27.2K

600.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.1K ฿496.1K

$2,150 YER 509.1K

603.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.8 ฿1,796

$42.74 YER 10.1K

28.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.43 ฿834

$121 YER 28.7K

-79.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.9 ฿3,015

$48.10 YER 11.4K

91.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.7 ฿2,449

$40.30 YER 9,545

85.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$467 ฿15.3K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$282 ฿9,251

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$891 ฿29.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$521 ฿17.1K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,985 ฿65.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,462 ฿48.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$592 ฿19.4K

$314 YER 74.4K

88.34%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

11.25

-50.49%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 17, 2026

Last update for Sa'dah: August 18, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 88% higher in Chiang Mai, 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $25.00 in Sa'dah. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $237 vs $270 – 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 Sa'dah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 20% more than Sa'dah, with the gap driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,380 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,150 in Sa'dah. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Chiang Mai and $25.00 in Sa'dah. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 14% cheaper in Chiang Mai – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Sa'dah, where all-in costs run around $766, than in Chiang Mai at $920. In Sa'dah it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiang Mai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Sa'dah costs $766 versus $920 in Chiang Mai. 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 Sa'dah. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chiang Mai makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.