Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Safi Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Safi

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $611 in Safi, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,351 per month in Chiang Mai vs $958 in Safi, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,835 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,305 in Safi, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 42% more than Safi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Safi are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Safi 54% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ฿63.5

$3.76 MAD 34.55

-48.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 ฿609

$16.53 MAD 152

12.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 ฿255

$4.64 MAD 42.64

68.53%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.8

$1.96 MAD 17.99

-0.51%

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

$0.85 ฿27.77

$0.61 MAD 5.62

39.34%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.58

$0.31 MAD 2.88

12.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.6

$1.67 MAD 15.35

27.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

$1.62 MAD 14.84

130.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿56.0

$0.83 MAD 7.63

106.02%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$0.47 MAD 4.29

246.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ฿37.15

$1.49 MAD 13.65

-23.49%

Eggs

$1.93 ฿63.1

$1.92 MAD 17.61

0.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ฿530

$7.10 MAD 65.2

128.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿102

$6.91 MAD 63.6

-54.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿356

$9.50 MAD 87.3

14.74%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ฿90.0

$1.21 MAD 11.13

127.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.52

$1.24 MAD 11.41

-2.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.0

$0.83 MAD 7.64

95.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$0.71 MAD 6.52

123.94%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿45.70

$0.64 MAD 5.92

118.75%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.17

$0.66 MAD 6.08

77.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.60

$0.43 MAD 3.93

53.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.22

$0.60 MAD 5.47

-11.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿153

$4.09 MAD 37.56

14.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿609

$7.98 MAD 73.3

133.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.8

$2.03 MAD 18.67

-11.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$1.91 MAD 17.55

69.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.26

$0.47 MAD 4.32

91.49%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

$10.79 MAD 99.1

78.04%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.91

$0.58 MAD 5.29

143.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.12

$0.48 MAD 4.43

168.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$6.39 MAD 58.7

22.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.58

$1.58 MAD 14.50

-19.62%

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

$21.3K ฿694.9K

$37.9K MAD 348.0K

-43.81%

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

$22.2K ฿725.4K

$29.6K MAD 271.8K

-24.89%

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

$69.1 ฿2,256

$29.75 MAD 273

132.17%

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

$14.08 ฿460

$10.93 MAD 100

28.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿588

$40.66 MAD 374

-55.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,341

$21.84 MAD 201

88.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$5.39 MAD 49.50

29.13%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿193

$3.87 MAD 35.54

52.97%

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

$299 ฿9,766

$160 MAD 1,467

87.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿488.3K

$3,763 MAD 34.6K

297.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,787

$41.95 MAD 386

30.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.77 ฿874

$35.23 MAD 324

-24.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 ฿2,776

$97.1 MAD 892

-12.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,306

$38.73 MAD 356

82.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

$241 MAD 2,214

77.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,752

$138 MAD 1,267

72.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.2K

$453 MAD 4,163

76.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$237 MAD 2,176

117.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

$946 MAD 8,695

108.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

$592 MAD 5,440

149.16%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

$463 MAD 4,251

33.48%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.81

3.95%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Last update for Safi: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $428 in Chiang Mai versus $241 in Safi. 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 33% 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $17.00 in Safi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $246 vs $173 – making Safi 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 Safi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 42% more than Safi, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. 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 $917 in Safi. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Safi, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $299 per month in Chiang Mai and $160 in Safi. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 42% more in Chiang Mai, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $866 in Chiang Mai and $611 in Safi, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Safi costs $611 versus $866 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 Safi. 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.