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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $932 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,619 in Sala, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,399 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,351 in Sala, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,083 in Sala, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 42% cheaper than Sala, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Chiang Mai sits 32% below the global median, while Sala is 18% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿69.5

$12.46 SEK 123

-83.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.61 ฿655

$61.7 SEK 608

-68.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.67 ฿189

$10.06 SEK 99.2

-43.64%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿60.3

$3.30 SEK 32.50

-45.15%

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

$0.77 ฿25.65

$1.87 SEK 18.44

-58.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.53

$2.33 SEK 23.01

-84.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿73.9

$7.12 SEK 70.2

-68.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿127

$7.32 SEK 72.2

-48.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 ฿68.4

$1.81 SEK 17.88

13.26%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 ฿50.6

$2.62 SEK 25.85

-42.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 ฿46.69

$3.64 SEK 35.85

-61.54%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿75.4

$5.00 SEK 49.28

-54.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿540

$11.89 SEK 117

36.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.90 ฿96.7

$13.80 SEK 136

-78.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.42 ฿314

$22.79 SEK 225

-58.67%

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 ฿89.4

$3.08 SEK 30.39

-12.99%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.37

$2.68 SEK 26.39

-59.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.0

$2.72 SEK 26.85

-40.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.74

$4.92 SEK 48.51

-70.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.65

$1.54 SEK 15.16

-16.88%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 ฿35.31

$1.22 SEK 12.06

-13.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.94

$2.72 SEK 26.82

-73.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.56

$1.02 SEK 10.05

-48.04%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.23 ฿141

$7.33 SEK 72.2

-42.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.29 ฿611

$6.30 SEK 62.1

190.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ฿54.4

$2.01 SEK 19.80

-18.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿96.8

$1.93 SEK 19.00

50.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.32

$3.11 SEK 30.65

-71.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.8 ฿1,795

$21.82 SEK 215

146.43%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 ฿39.14

$6.03 SEK 59.4

-80.60%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿19.30

$1.84 SEK 18.17

-68.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.39 ฿79.6

$83.3 SEK 820

-97.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.41

$1.76 SEK 17.31

-17.61%

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

$21.0K ฿701.4K

$34.5K SEK 339.8K

-39.06%

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

$26.4K ฿882.0K

$34.3K SEK 337.7K

-22.88%

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

$63.7 ฿2,125

$186 SEK 1,835

-65.83%

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

$12.89 ฿430

$21.01 SEK 207

-38.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.52 ฿685

$39.07 SEK 385

-47.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.02 ฿1,302

$47.16 SEK 465

-17.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.92 ฿131

$20.57 SEK 203

-80.94%

Cinema Ticket

$6.58 ฿220

$16.44 SEK 162

-59.98%

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

$784 ฿26.2K

$164 SEK 1,618

377.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿489.8K

$1,266 SEK 12.5K

1058.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 ฿1,840

$45.96 SEK 453

19.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.74 ฿826

$36.55 SEK 360

-32.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.1 ฿3,142

$55.3 SEK 544

70.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.0 ฿2,469

$57.8 SEK 570

27.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.4K

$757 SEK 7,464

-35.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$288 ฿9,620

$536 SEK 5,285

-46.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$891 ฿29.8K

$967 SEK 9,533

-7.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$521 ฿17.4K

$714 SEK 7,040

-27.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,974 ฿65.9K

$4,196 SEK 41.3K

-52.96%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,444 ฿48.2K

$2,926 SEK 28.8K

-50.63%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿20.1K

$2,489 SEK 24.5K

-75.83%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

3.2

74.06%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 13, 2026

Last update for Sala: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $490 in Chiang Mai versus $757 in Sala. 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 314% higher in Sala, 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $62.0 in Sala. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $241 vs $376 – 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 Sala: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Sala costs about 74% 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 $1,398 per month in Chiang Mai and $2,429 in Sala. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $784 per month in Chiang Mai and $164 in Sala. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 56% more in Sala, 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 $932, than in Sala at $1,619. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Sala it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $932 versus $1,619 in Sala. 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, Sala makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.