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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,060 in Saku, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,351 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,654 in Saku, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,835 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,248 in Saku, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 18% cheaper than Saku, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and Saku are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Saku 21% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ฿63.5

$16.29 €14.01

-88.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 ฿609

$70.5 €60.7

-73.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 ฿255

$9.51 €8.18

-17.77%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.8

$3.76 €3.24

-48.14%

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

$0.85 ฿27.77

$2.58 €2.22

-67.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.58

$2.58 €2.22

-86.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.6

$5.14 €4.42

-58.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

$5.85 €5.03

-36.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿56.0

$1.28 €1.10

33.59%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$1.41 €1.21

15.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ฿37.15

$2.27 €1.96

-49.78%

Eggs

$1.93 ฿63.1

$2.87 €2.47

-32.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ฿530

$12.57 €10.81

28.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿102

$8.52 €7.33

-63.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿356

$11.48 €9.87

-5.05%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ฿90.0

$1.92 €1.65

43.23%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.52

$1.53 €1.32

-20.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.0

$2.45 €2.11

-33.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$2.50 €2.15

-36.40%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿45.70

$1.03 €0.89

35.92%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.17

$0.98 €0.84

19.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.60

$1.94 €1.67

-65.98%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.22

$1.01 €0.87

-47.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿153

$6.41 €5.52

-26.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿609

$10.71 €9.21

74.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.8

$1.91 €1.64

-5.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$2.11 €1.82

53.08%

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

$3.37 €2.90

-58.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.12

$0.75 €0.65

72.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$17.19 €14.79

-54.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.58

$1.85 €1.59

-31.35%

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

$21.3K ฿694.9K

$29.4K €25.3K

-27.70%

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

$22.2K ฿725.4K

$30.5K €26.3K

-27.29%

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

$69.1 ฿2,256

$269 €231

-74.28%

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

$14.08 ฿460

$20.12 €17.31

-30.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿588

$36.35 €31.27

-50.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,341

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿193

$11.69 €10.05

-49.36%

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

$299 ฿9,766

$116 €99.5

158.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿488.3K

$7,882 €6,781

89.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,787

$114 €97.7

-51.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.77 ฿874

$39.00 €33.55

-31.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 ฿2,776

$98.5 €84.7

-13.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,306

$109 €93.9

-35.32%

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

$4,269 €3,672

-53.75%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

$2,761 €2,375

-46.57%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

$1,884 €1,621

-67.23%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.3

16.28%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Last update for Saku: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 205% higher in Saku, 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 $71.0 in Saku. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $246 vs $263 – 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 Saku: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Saku costs about 22% 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 $1,300 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,590 in Saku. 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 $71.0 in Saku. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 7% more in Saku, 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 $1,060 in Saku, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $866 versus $1,060 in Saku. 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, Saku makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.