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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $947 per month in Chiang Mai vs $960 in Saham, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,411 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,432 in Saham, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,874 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,904 in Saham, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 1% cheaper than Saham, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and Saham are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 31% lower, Saham 30% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿68.6

$5.32 OMR 2.05

-60.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.64 ฿646

$33.16 OMR 12.77

-40.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.65 ฿186

$7.96 OMR 3.07

-29.02%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿59.4

$4.90 OMR 1.89

-63.06%

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

$0.71 ฿23.45

$0.85 OMR 0.33

-16.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ฿10.38

$0.29 OMR 0.11

10.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.24 ฿73.6

$12.87 OMR 4.95

-82.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ฿119

$13.25 OMR 5.10

-72.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.96 ฿64.4

$2.26 OMR 0.87

-13.27%

White Bread (500g)

$1.50 ฿49.39

$1.24 OMR 0.48

20.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 ฿43.93

$1.91 OMR 0.73

-29.84%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿74.5

$2.84 OMR 1.09

-20.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.26 ฿535

$7.55 OMR 2.91

115.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.95 ฿97.1

$6.71 OMR 2.58

-56.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.94 ฿327

$10.72 OMR 4.13

-7.28%

Apples (1kg)

$2.57 ฿84.6

$3.53 OMR 1.36

-27.20%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 ฿34.73

$1.91 OMR 0.73

-44.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.61 ฿53.0

$2.30 OMR 0.89

-30.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.97

$1.24 OMR 0.48

22.58%

Potato (1kg)

$1.27 ฿41.77

$1.19 OMR 0.46

6.72%

Onion (1kg)

$1.07 ฿35.06

$1.29 OMR 0.50

-17.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.68

$1.84 OMR 0.71

-60.87%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.72

$0.62 OMR 0.24

-17.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 ฿138

$6.60 OMR 2.54

-36.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.87 ฿587

$15.65 OMR 6.03

14.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 ฿55.7

$5.56 OMR 2.14

-69.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 ฿93.3

$8.69 OMR 3.34

-67.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.93 ฿30.43

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.9 ฿1,771

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.23 ฿40.59

$3.21 OMR 1.24

-61.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿18.96

$2.53 OMR 0.97

-77.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.42 ฿79.7

$7.76 OMR 2.99

-68.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 ฿46.43

$0.59 OMR 0.23

138.98%

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

$21.4K ฿705.1K

$25.9K OMR 9,975

-17.24%

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

$27.3K ฿898.7K

$22.3K OMR 8,593

22.47%

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

$63.7 ฿2,093

$170 OMR 65.4

-62.52%

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

$12.85 ฿423

$31.30 OMR 12.05

-58.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.22 ฿665

$71.5 OMR 27.53

-71.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.74 ฿1,274

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.97 ฿130

Cinema Ticket

$6.74 ฿222

$10.29 OMR 3.96

-34.50%

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

$778 ฿25.6K

$286 OMR 110

172.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿480.4K

$10.5K OMR 4,025

39.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.3 ฿1,785

$57.3 OMR 22.07

-5.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.45 ฿837

$43.21 OMR 16.64

-41.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.3 ฿3,102

$91.6 OMR 35.25

3.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.4 ฿2,415

$94.1 OMR 36.21

-21.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$289 ฿9,512

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$894 ฿29.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$517 ฿17.0K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,955 ฿64.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,477 ฿48.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿19.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

5.25

6.10%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 31, 2026

Last update for Saham: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $33.00 in Saham. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $240 vs $284 – 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 Saham: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Saham costs about 1% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,421 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,440 in Saham. 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 $33.00 in Saham. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 18% more in Saham, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $947, than in Saham at $960. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Saham it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $947 versus $960 in Saham. 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, Saham makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.