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 $869 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,491 in Sala, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,362 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,247 in Sala, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,855 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,003 in Sala, rent included.

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

Chiang Mai sits 35% below the global median, while Sala is 11% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.98 ฿64.3

$12.55 SEK 118

-84.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.80 ฿612

$62.9 SEK 590

-70.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.75 ฿252

$10.48 SEK 98.4

-26.05%

Cappuccino

$1.92 ฿62.5

$3.20 SEK 29.99

-40.00%

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

$0.79 ฿25.79

$1.81 SEK 17.00

-56.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.62

$2.40 SEK 22.50

-85.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$7.53 SEK 70.6

-70.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

$7.57 SEK 71.0

-51.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿53.8

$1.84 SEK 17.26

-10.33%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$2.69 SEK 25.26

-39.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.86

$3.74 SEK 35.07

-68.18%

Eggs

$2.00 ฿65.1

$4.04 SEK 37.93

-50.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.98 ฿520

$11.78 SEK 111

35.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.03 ฿98.5

$11.64 SEK 109

-73.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 ฿354

$15.84 SEK 149

-31.44%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 ฿90.0

$3.15 SEK 29.59

-12.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.42

$2.70 SEK 25.35

-56.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$2.82 SEK 26.43

-41.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.51

$5.04 SEK 47.26

-69.84%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿45.10

$1.55 SEK 14.57

-10.97%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.84

$1.19 SEK 11.15

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ฿22.86

$2.71 SEK 25.46

-74.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.13

$1.04 SEK 9.73

-46.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.58 ฿149

$7.54 SEK 70.7

-39.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.56 ฿539

$6.41 SEK 60.2

158.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿59.5

$2.50 SEK 23.45

-26.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 ฿104

$1.93 SEK 18.14

65.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿28.56

$3.15 SEK 29.51

-72.06%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.72 ฿610

$21.82 SEK 205

-14.21%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿44.16

$6.30 SEK 59.1

-78.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿43.65

$1.58 SEK 14.84

-15.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$20.87 SEK 196

-62.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿39.92

$2.00 SEK 18.78

-38.50%

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

$21.6K ฿704.3K

$42.2K SEK 395.7K

-48.74%

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

$22.5K ฿734.3K

$34.2K SEK 321.0K

-34.12%

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

$70.5 ฿2,298

$88.8 SEK 833

-20.55%

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

$13.68 ฿445

$20.84 SEK 196

-34.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.45 ฿568

$37.20 SEK 349

-53.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.33 ฿1,346

$47.92 SEK 450

-13.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$20.95 SEK 197

-66.78%

Cinema Ticket

$5.77 ฿188

$19.22 SEK 180

-69.98%

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

$307 ฿10.0K

$146 SEK 1,373

109.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿475.9K

$1,254 SEK 11.8K

1065.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,817

$46.54 SEK 437

19.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.21 ฿854

$37.23 SEK 349

-29.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 ฿2,793

$54.8 SEK 514

56.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.2 ฿2,353

$57.4 SEK 538

25.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$430 ฿14.0K

$774 SEK 7,256

-44.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿7,774

$545 SEK 5,113

-56.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$817 ฿26.6K

$965 SEK 9,049

-15.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$511 ฿16.6K

$726 SEK 6,811

-29.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,983 ฿64.6K

$4,001 SEK 37.5K

-50.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,484 ฿48.3K

$3,328 SEK 31.2K

-55.42%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$619 ฿20.2K

$2,569 SEK 24.1K

-75.91%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Sala: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $430 in Chiang Mai versus $774 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 315% 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 $63.0 in Sala. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $241 vs $346 – 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 72% 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 $1,303 per month in Chiang Mai and $2,236 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 $307 per month in Chiang Mai and $146 in Sala. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 43% 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 $869, than in Sala at $1,491. 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 $869 versus $1,491 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.