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 $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $776 in Sale, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,360 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,256 in Sale, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,867 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,736 in Sale, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 10% more than Sale, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Sale are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Sale 42% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.04 ฿68.2

$4.59 MAD 42.83

-55.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.71 ฿624

$32.67 MAD 305

-42.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.86 ฿262

$6.88 MAD 64.2

14.24%

Cappuccino

$2.03 ฿67.7

$2.05 MAD 19.08

-0.98%

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

$0.80 ฿26.64

$0.65 MAD 6.03

23.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.68

$0.40 MAD 3.75

-12.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.5

$5.42 MAD 50.5

-60.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿122

$4.13 MAD 38.54

-11.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 ฿57.6

$0.89 MAD 8.31

94.38%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.4

$0.55 MAD 5.11

185.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 ฿39.99

$1.94 MAD 18.08

-38.14%

Eggs

$1.97 ฿65.8

$2.07 MAD 19.27

-4.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.23 ฿541

$12.87 MAD 120

26.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.06 ฿102

$6.26 MAD 58.4

-51.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.80 ฿360

$11.61 MAD 108

-6.98%

Apples (1kg)

$2.77 ฿92.3

$1.57 MAD 14.64

76.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.94

$1.33 MAD 12.43

-12.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 ฿57.0

$0.94 MAD 8.79

81.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿53.2

$0.89 MAD 8.34

78.65%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.51

$0.75 MAD 6.98

85.33%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 ฿38.56

$0.76 MAD 7.08

52.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿22.05

$0.43 MAD 3.97

53.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.31

$0.64 MAD 5.97

-18.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 ฿155

$4.29 MAD 40.05

8.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.78 ฿593

$4.80 MAD 44.71

270.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ฿59.6

$2.74 MAD 25.50

-34.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 ฿111

$2.47 MAD 23.06

35.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿30.27

$0.53 MAD 4.99

71.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.64 ฿622

$24.24 MAD 226

-23.10%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿47.04

$0.54 MAD 5.03

161.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.70

$0.52 MAD 4.85

157.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.11 ฿270

$4.29 MAD 40.01

89.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿41.16

$1.53 MAD 14.23

-19.61%

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

$21.4K ฿715.1K

$37.6K MAD 351.0K

-43.05%

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

$21.8K ฿728.0K

$29.8K MAD 277.7K

-26.74%

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

$71.3 ฿2,379

$33.53 MAD 313

112.73%

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

$14.01 ฿467

$11.05 MAD 103

26.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.93 ฿598

$46.02 MAD 429

-61.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.82 ฿1,362

$14.63 MAD 136

179.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿230

$22.77 MAD 212

-69.78%

Cinema Ticket

$5.72 ฿191

$6.51 MAD 60.7

-12.14%

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

$308 ฿10.3K

$111 MAD 1,039

176.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿489.7K

$6,308 MAD 58.8K

132.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,860

$41.92 MAD 391

33.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.04 ฿869

$50.7 MAD 473

-48.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 ฿2,829

$106 MAD 991

-20.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.0 ฿2,368

$98.0 MAD 914

-27.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$423 ฿14.1K

$286 MAD 2,664

48.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 ฿8,088

$177 MAD 1,649

37.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$797 ฿26.6K

$505 MAD 4,709

57.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$507 ฿16.9K

$302 MAD 2,818

67.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,918 ฿64.0K

$1,198 MAD 11.2K

60.08%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,464 ฿48.8K

$853 MAD 7,951

71.67%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

$541 MAD 5,046

9.96%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Sale: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $423 in Chiang Mai versus $286 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 10% 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 – $244 in Chiang Mai vs $201 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 10% 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 $1,279 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,165 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 $308 per month in Chiang Mai and $111 in Sale. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 22% 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 $852 in Chiang Mai and $776 in Sale, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Sale costs $776 versus $852 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.