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 $792 in Sale, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,354 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,237 in Sale, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,857 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,682 in Sale, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 8% 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 41% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿64.0

$4.58 MAD 42.37

-57.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.81 ฿615

$32.93 MAD 305

-42.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.92 ฿259

$6.61 MAD 61.2

19.82%

Cappuccino

$1.91 ฿62.6

$2.06 MAD 19.08

-7.28%

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

$0.84 ฿27.41

$0.63 MAD 5.85

33.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.51

$0.40 MAD 3.70

-12.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$5.42 MAD 50.1

-59.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 ฿124

$4.14 MAD 38.30

-8.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$0.96 MAD 8.91

70.83%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 ฿53.1

$0.55 MAD 5.06

194.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.62

$1.95 MAD 18.06

-39.49%

Eggs

$2.01 ฿65.8

$1.99 MAD 18.39

1.01%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.89 ฿520

$13.02 MAD 120

22.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.01 ฿98.5

$6.00 MAD 55.5

-49.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.77 ฿352

$11.69 MAD 108

-7.87%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 ฿85.5

$1.50 MAD 13.90

74.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿39.88

$1.34 MAD 12.44

-8.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.7

$0.90 MAD 8.33

88.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 ฿51.5

$0.85 MAD 7.82

85.88%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 ฿43.14

$0.80 MAD 7.37

65.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.23

$0.79 MAD 7.31

48.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿21.98

$0.43 MAD 3.94

55.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.32

$0.64 MAD 5.91

-12.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.53 ฿148

$4.36 MAD 40.30

3.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.20 ฿595

$7.13 MAD 66.0

155.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿60.0

$2.61 MAD 24.15

-29.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$2.55 MAD 23.55

26.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ฿29.00

$0.56 MAD 5.21

58.93%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.38 ฿634

$24.44 MAD 226

-20.70%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.35 ฿44.20

$0.53 MAD 4.88

154.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 ฿44.05

$0.52 MAD 4.81

159.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.25 ฿270

$4.47 MAD 41.37

84.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.64

$1.60 MAD 14.76

-20.63%

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

$21.2K ฿691.8K

$37.2K MAD 344.1K

-43.13%

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

$22.5K ฿735.3K

$29.9K MAD 277.0K

-24.91%

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

$70.2 ฿2,294

$33.03 MAD 305

112.38%

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

$13.77 ฿450

$10.91 MAD 101

26.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.60 ฿575

$45.43 MAD 420

-61.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.57 ฿1,360

$14.25 MAD 132

191.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.60 ฿216

$23.67 MAD 219

-72.12%

Cinema Ticket

$5.78 ฿189

$6.48 MAD 59.9

-10.80%

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

$306 ฿10.0K

$112 MAD 1,037

172.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿484.8K

$6,300 MAD 58.3K

135.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.4 ฿1,778

$42.36 MAD 392

28.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.14 ฿855

$49.69 MAD 460

-47.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.5 ฿2,764

$107 MAD 987

-20.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.4 ฿2,270

$100 MAD 927

-30.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$424 ฿13.9K

$283 MAD 2,620

49.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$238 ฿7,788

$175 MAD 1,617

36.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$825 ฿27.0K

$501 MAD 4,631

64.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$303 MAD 2,805

69.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,049 ฿67.0K

$1,201 MAD 11.1K

70.65%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,523 ฿49.8K

$852 MAD 7,882

78.70%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$635 ฿20.8K

$410 MAD 3,792

54.95%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Sale: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $424 in Chiang Mai versus $283 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 55% 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 – $243 in Chiang Mai vs $204 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 8% 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 $1,278 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,188 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 $306 per month in Chiang Mai and $112 in Sale. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 19% 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 $792 in Sale, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Sale costs $792 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.