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 $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,478 in Sala, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,360 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,218 in Sala, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,867 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,957 in Sala, rent included.

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

Chiang Mai sits 36% below the global median, while Sala is 11% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.04 ฿68.2

$12.53 SEK 119

-83.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.71 ฿624

$63.7 SEK 605

-70.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.86 ฿262

$10.20 SEK 96.9

-22.94%

Cappuccino

$2.03 ฿67.7

$3.19 SEK 30.28

-36.36%

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

$0.80 ฿26.64

$1.86 SEK 17.70

-56.99%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.68

$2.39 SEK 22.67

-85.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.5

$7.42 SEK 70.5

-71.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿122

$7.24 SEK 68.8

-49.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 ฿57.6

$1.78 SEK 16.87

-2.81%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.4

$2.69 SEK 25.53

-41.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 ฿39.99

$3.63 SEK 34.44

-66.94%

Eggs

$1.97 ฿65.8

$3.86 SEK 36.68

-48.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.23 ฿541

$12.12 SEK 115

33.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.06 ฿102

$11.89 SEK 113

-74.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.80 ฿360

$15.97 SEK 152

-32.37%

Apples (1kg)

$2.77 ฿92.3

$3.14 SEK 29.85

-11.78%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.94

$2.57 SEK 24.45

-54.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 ฿57.0

$2.84 SEK 27.01

-39.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿53.2

$5.13 SEK 48.74

-69.01%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.51

$1.56 SEK 14.78

-10.90%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 ฿38.56

$1.18 SEK 11.17

-1.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿22.05

$2.71 SEK 25.77

-75.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.31

$1.02 SEK 9.71

-49.02%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 ฿155

$7.20 SEK 68.4

-35.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.78 ฿593

$6.24 SEK 59.3

184.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ฿59.6

$2.50 SEK 23.73

-28.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 ฿111

$1.92 SEK 18.28

73.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿30.27

$3.25 SEK 30.83

-72.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.64 ฿622

$22.30 SEK 212

-16.41%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿47.04

$6.15 SEK 58.5

-77.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.70

$1.58 SEK 15.05

-15.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.11 ฿270

$21.29 SEK 202

-61.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿41.16

$1.97 SEK 18.69

-37.56%

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

$21.4K ฿715.1K

$41.4K SEK 393.5K

-48.25%

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

$21.8K ฿728.0K

$34.5K SEK 328.1K

-36.81%

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

$71.3 ฿2,379

$89.6 SEK 852

-20.43%

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

$14.01 ฿467

$21.17 SEK 201

-33.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.93 ฿598

$36.99 SEK 351

-51.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.82 ฿1,362

$48.67 SEK 462

-16.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿230

$21.31 SEK 202

-67.71%

Cinema Ticket

$5.72 ฿191

$18.75 SEK 178

-69.49%

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

$308 ฿10.3K

$148 SEK 1,404

108.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿489.7K

$1,284 SEK 12.2K

1043.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,860

$45.96 SEK 437

21.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.04 ฿869

$36.96 SEK 351

-29.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 ฿2,829

$54.4 SEK 517

55.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.0 ฿2,368

$58.4 SEK 554

21.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$423 ฿14.1K

$764 SEK 7,261

-44.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 ฿8,088

$531 SEK 5,044

-54.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$797 ฿26.6K

$985 SEK 9,354

-19.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$507 ฿16.9K

$737 SEK 7,002

-31.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,918 ฿64.0K

$4,100 SEK 38.9K

-53.21%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,464 ฿48.8K

$3,033 SEK 28.8K

-51.73%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

$2,507 SEK 23.8K

-76.27%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.53

10.38%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 27, 2026

Last update for Sala: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $423 in Chiang Mai versus $764 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 321% 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $64.0 in Sala. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $244 vs $345 – 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 73% 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 $1,279 per month in Chiang Mai and $2,217 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 $308 per month in Chiang Mai and $148 in Sala. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 41% 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 $852, than in Sala at $1,478. 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 $852 versus $1,478 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.