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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $869 per month in Chiang Mai vs $779 in Sale, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,362 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,232 in Sale, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,855 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,684 in Sale, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 11% more than Sale, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Sale are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Sale 42% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.98 ฿64.3

$4.55 MAD 42.09

-56.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.80 ฿612

$32.89 MAD 304

-42.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.75 ฿252

$6.80 MAD 62.9

13.97%

Cappuccino

$1.92 ฿62.5

$1.98 MAD 18.35

-3.03%

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

$0.79 ฿25.79

$0.69 MAD 6.36

14.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.62

$0.40 MAD 3.73

-10.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$5.42 MAD 50.2

-59.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

$4.20 MAD 38.88

-12.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿53.8

$0.95 MAD 8.79

73.68%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$0.57 MAD 5.31

185.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.86

$1.87 MAD 17.26

-36.36%

Eggs

$2.00 ฿65.1

$1.96 MAD 18.17

2.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.98 ฿520

$13.06 MAD 121

22.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.03 ฿98.5

$6.01 MAD 55.6

-49.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 ฿354

$12.03 MAD 111

-9.73%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 ฿90.0

$1.52 MAD 14.06

81.58%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.42

$1.32 MAD 12.23

-10.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$0.92 MAD 8.50

78.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.51

$0.89 MAD 8.21

70.79%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿45.10

$0.80 MAD 7.38

72.50%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.84

$0.80 MAD 7.45

48.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ฿22.86

$0.39 MAD 3.62

79.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.13

$0.59 MAD 5.44

-5.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.58 ฿149

$4.36 MAD 40.30

5.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.56 ฿539

$4.84 MAD 44.74

242.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿59.5

$2.72 MAD 25.20

-32.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 ฿104

$2.47 MAD 22.86

29.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿28.56

$0.57 MAD 5.27

54.39%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.72 ฿610

$25.11 MAD 232

-25.45%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿44.16

$0.53 MAD 4.86

156.60%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿43.65

$0.48 MAD 4.40

179.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$4.32 MAD 39.93

81.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿39.92

$1.52 MAD 14.04

-19.08%

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

$21.6K ฿704.3K

$37.3K MAD 344.9K

-42.01%

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

$22.5K ฿734.3K

$29.6K MAD 273.8K

-23.82%

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

$70.5 ฿2,298

$32.93 MAD 305

114.21%

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

$13.68 ฿445

$11.00 MAD 102

24.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.45 ฿568

$45.34 MAD 419

-61.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.33 ฿1,346

$14.22 MAD 132

190.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$23.46 MAD 217

-70.33%

Cinema Ticket

$5.77 ฿188

$6.41 MAD 59.3

-9.98%

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

$307 ฿10.0K

$113 MAD 1,044

172.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿475.9K

$6,442 MAD 59.6K

126.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,817

$43.49 MAD 402

28.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.21 ฿854

$50.8 MAD 470

-48.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 ฿2,793

$107 MAD 994

-20.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.2 ฿2,353

$98.8 MAD 914

-26.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$430 ฿14.0K

$282 MAD 2,611

52.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿7,774

$175 MAD 1,619

36.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$817 ฿26.6K

$511 MAD 4,724

60.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$511 ฿16.6K

$303 MAD 2,800

68.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,983 ฿64.6K

$1,208 MAD 11.2K

64.11%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,484 ฿48.3K

$880 MAD 8,143

68.59%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$619 ฿20.2K

$533 MAD 4,934

16.01%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.81

3.95%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 7, 2026

Last update for Sale: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $430 in Chiang Mai versus $282 in Sale. 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 16% higher in Chiang Mai, 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 $33.00 in Sale. Groceries tell a different story – $241 in Chiang Mai vs $200 in Sale – so Sale 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 Sale: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 11% more than Sale, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. 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 $1,169 in Sale. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Sale, 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 $113 in Sale. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 20% 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 $869 in Chiang Mai and $779 in Sale, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Sale costs $779 versus $869 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 Sale. 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.