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 $866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $817 in Saham, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,351 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,208 in Saham, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,835 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,598 in Saham, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 6% more than Saham, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and Saham are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Saham 39% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ฿63.5

$5.14 OMR 1.98

-62.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 ฿609

$25.89 OMR 9.97

-28.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 ฿255

$8.01 OMR 3.08

-2.37%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.8

$4.79 OMR 1.84

-59.29%

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

$0.85 ฿27.77

$1.02 OMR 0.39

-16.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.58

$0.32 OMR 0.12

9.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.6

$12.45 OMR 4.79

-82.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

$11.67 OMR 4.49

-68.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿56.0

$1.92 OMR 0.74

-10.94%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$1.18 OMR 0.45

38.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ฿37.15

$1.67 OMR 0.64

-31.74%

Eggs

$1.93 ฿63.1

$2.45 OMR 0.94

-21.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ฿530

$3.68 OMR 1.42

340.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿102

$4.97 OMR 1.91

-37.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿356

$8.41 OMR 3.24

29.61%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ฿90.0

$2.60 OMR 1.00

5.77%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.52

$1.71 OMR 0.66

-29.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.0

$1.86 OMR 0.72

-12.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$1.14 OMR 0.44

39.47%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿45.70

$0.96 OMR 0.37

45.83%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.17

$0.97 OMR 0.37

20.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.60

$1.09 OMR 0.42

-39.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.22

$0.56 OMR 0.22

-5.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿153

$6.48 OMR 2.50

-27.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿609

$15.43 OMR 5.94

20.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.8

$4.20 OMR 1.62

-57.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$7.98 OMR 3.07

-59.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.26

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.91

$3.18 OMR 1.22

-55.66%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.12

$0.82 OMR 0.31

57.32%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$10.30 OMR 3.96

-23.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.58

$0.60 OMR 0.23

111.67%

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

$21.3K ฿694.9K

$23.2K OMR 8,926

-8.22%

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

$22.2K ฿725.4K

$21.3K OMR 8,198

4.31%

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

$69.1 ฿2,256

$106 OMR 40.72

-34.70%

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

$14.08 ฿460

$40.95 OMR 15.76

-65.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿588

$70.5 OMR 27.13

-74.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,341

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿193

$10.34 OMR 3.98

-42.75%

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

$299 ฿9,766

$193 OMR 74.2

55.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿488.3K

$10.0K OMR 3,865

48.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,787

$50.9 OMR 19.59

7.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.77 ฿874

$38.91 OMR 14.98

-31.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 ฿2,776

$80.5 OMR 30.97

5.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,306

$89.4 OMR 34.40

-20.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,752

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.15

-2.91%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Last update for Saham: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $26.00 in Saham. Groceries tell a different story – $246 in Chiang Mai vs $229 in Saham – so Saham wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Chiang Mai costs about 6% more than Saham, 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 $1,300 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,226 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai and $26.00 in Saham. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 8% 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.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $866 in Chiang Mai and $817 in Saham, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Saham costs $817 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 Saham. 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.