Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Sa Pa Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Sa Pa

😐 Solo nomad: Chiang Mai is 32.1% more expensive than Sa Pa without rent, and 19.4% more expensive with rent.

😐 Family of 3: Chiang Mai is 27.2% more expensive than Sa Pa without rent, and 15.4% more expensive with rent.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.02 ฿64.7

$1.96 ₫51.6K

3.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.77 ฿601

$20.92 ₫551.1K

-10.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.74 ฿248

$4.69 ₫123.5K

65.03%

Cappuccino

$2.02 ฿64.5

$1.7 ₫44.8K

18.82%

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

$0.83 ฿26.51

$0.51 ₫13.4K

62.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 ฿10.48

$0.3 ₫8,006

10.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿68.5

$1 ₫26.3K

114.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 ฿115

$1.56 ₫41K

130.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.66 ฿53.3

$1.42 ₫37.4K

16.90%

White Bread (500g)

$1.61 ฿51.6

$0.97 ₫25.4K

65.98%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.15 ฿36.65

$0.94 ₫24.9K

22.34%

Eggs

$2 ฿64.1

$1.46 ₫38.3K

36.99%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.05 ฿514

$11.61 ₫305.7K

38.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.02 ฿96.7

$3.6 ₫94.8K

-16.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.15 ฿357

$9.75 ₫256.9K

14.36%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 ฿83.5

$2.69 ₫70.9K

-2.97%

Banana (1kg)

$1.24 ฿39.55

$1.02 ₫26.8K

21.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 ฿54.8

$1.34 ₫35.4K

27.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 ฿50.4

$1.08 ₫28.4K

46.30%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 ฿44.46

$1.02 ₫27K

36.27%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.18

$1.05 ₫27.6K

13.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.05

$0.7 ₫18.5K

2.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿16.91

$0.49 ₫12.9K

8.16%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿150

$1.32 ₫34.8K

255.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.57 ฿594

$11.43 ₫301.1K

62.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 ฿58.9

$0.8 ₫21.2K

130.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.21 ฿103

$1.64 ₫43.2K

95.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿28.22

$0.31 ₫8,266

183.87%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.05 ฿609

$6.36 ₫167.5K

199.53%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿43.42

$0.71 ₫18.7K

91.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.3 ฿41.47

$0.63 ₫16.6K

106.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.98 ฿255

$2.84 ₫74.7K

180.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.3 ฿41.49

$0.85 ₫22.5K

52.94%

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

$21.8K ฿697.7K

$35.2K ₫927.6M

-38.08%

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

$22.3K ฿714.3K

$32.1K ₫844.3M

-30.36%

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

$70 ฿2,240

$75.4 ₫2M

-7.14%

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

$14.18 ฿454

$5.78 ₫152.3K

145.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.63 ฿564

$8.87 ₫233.6K

98.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.17 ฿1,317

$22.21 ₫584.9K

85.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.63 ฿212

$7.75 ₫204.1K

-14.45%

Cinema Ticket

$5.77 ฿185

$3.12 ₫82.1K

84.94%

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

$308 ฿9,867

$263 ₫6.9M

17.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K ฿476.1K

$11.6K ₫306.7M

27.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.4 ฿1,771

$40.55 ₫1.1M

36.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.51 ฿848

$22.87 ₫602.4K

15.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.9 ฿2,684

$86.9 ₫2.3M

-3.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.7 ฿2,261

$74.6 ₫2M

-5.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$424 ฿13.6K

$354 ₫9.3M

19.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$240 ฿7,679

$243 ₫6.4M

-1.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$798 ฿25.5K

$717 ₫18.9M

11.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$513 ฿16.4K

$528 ₫13.9M

-2.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,193 ฿70.2K

$2,112 ₫55.6M

3.82%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,555 ฿49.8K

$1,268 ₫33.4M

22.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$761 ฿24.3K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.1

-45.05%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: November 23, 2025

Last update for Sa Pa: November 23, 2025

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Similar cities

Cebu

🇵🇭 Philippines

Minsk

🇧🇾 Belarus

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

🇻🇳 Vietnam

Jakarta

🇮🇩 Indonesia

Curitiba

🇧🇷 Brazil

Astana

🇰🇿 Kazakhstan

Bishkek

🇰🇬 Kyrgyzstan

Brasilia

🇧🇷 Brazil