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

😐 Solo nomad: Chiang Mai is 82.9% more expensive than Salem without rent, and 134% more expensive with rent.
😐 Family of 3: Chiang Mai is 83.5% more expensive than Salem without rent, and 124.5% more expensive with rent.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Chiang Mai
Salem
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.02 ฿65.3
$2.4 ₹205
-15.83%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$18.78 ฿608
$7.92 ₹677
137.12%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.67 ฿248
$4.76 ₹407
61.13%
Cappuccino
$1.98 ฿64.2
$1.31 ₹112
51.15%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.82 ฿26.64
$0.5 ₹42.63
64.00%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.33 ฿10.58
$0.22 ₹18.69
50.00%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.12 ฿68.6
$1.77 ₹152
19.77%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.73 ฿121
$5.35 ₹458
-30.28%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Chiang Mai
Salem
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.64 ฿53.2
$0.6 ₹50.9
173.33%
White Bread (500g)
$1.57 ฿50.9
$0.39 ₹33.67
302.56%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.19 ฿38.62
$0.69 ₹58.8
72.46%
Eggs
$1.98 ฿64.1
$0.83 ₹70.9
138.55%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$15.99 ฿517
$9.13 ₹781
75.14%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.12 ฿101
$2.73 ₹234
14.29%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.16 ฿361
-
-
Apples (1kg)
$2.76 ฿89.2
$2 ₹171
38.00%
Banana (1kg)
$1.22 ฿39.5
$0.77 ₹65.6
58.44%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.71 ฿55.4
$1.56 ₹133
9.62%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.55 ฿50.2
$0.46 ₹39
236.96%
Potato (1kg)
$1.34 ฿43.21
$0.37 ₹31.84
262.16%
Onion (1kg)
$1.21 ฿39.23
$0.45 ₹38.46
168.89%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.72 ฿23.2
$0.24 ₹20.54
200.00%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.53 ฿17.05
$0.34 ₹28.84
55.88%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.72 ฿153
$2.93 ₹250
61.09%
Wine (Bottle)
$18.39 ฿595
$4.23 ₹362
334.75%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.79 ฿57.9
$1.87 ₹160
-4.28%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.21 ฿104
$2.78 ₹238
15.47%
Buffalo Round (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) (1kg)
-
$5.31 ₹454
-
🚌 Getting Around
Chiang Mai
Salem
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.94 ฿30.44
$0.22 ₹18.76
327.27%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$18.9 ฿612
$10.31 ₹882
83.32%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.42 ฿46.08
$1.18 ₹101
20.34%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.35 ฿43.53
-
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$7.85 ฿254
$1.18 ₹101
565.25%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.25 ฿40.4
$1.17 ₹100
6.84%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.2K ฿684.9K
$16.8K ₹1.4M
26.06%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$21.8K ฿706.8K
$29.3K ₹2.5M
-25.57%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Chiang Mai
Salem
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$70.6 ฿2,285
$34.83 ₹2,979
102.73%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.72 ฿444
$3.41 ₹292
302.35%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$17.56 ฿568
$6.79 ₹580
158.62%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Chiang Mai
Salem
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$41.64 ฿1,347
$19.17 ₹1,640
117.21%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$6.9 ฿223
$10.78 ₹922
-35.99%
Cinema Ticket
$5.8 ฿188
$2.31 ₹197
151.08%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Chiang Mai
Salem
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$308 ฿9,963
$32.16 ₹2,751
857.34%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$14.7K ฿475.8K
$1,313 ₹112.3K
1019.94%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Chiang Mai
Salem
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$55.4 ฿1,793
$22.17 ₹1,896
149.89%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$26.4 ฿854
$23.29 ₹1,992
13.35%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$85.1 ฿2,755
$39.8 ₹3,404
113.89%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$71.8 ฿2,323
$27.93 ₹2,389
157.00%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Chiang Mai
Salem
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$434 ฿14K
$97.3 ₹8,319
346.40%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$235 ฿7,610
$63.4 ₹5,418
271.22%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$821 ฿26.6K
$268 ₹22.9K
206.56%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$498 ฿16.1K
$164 ₹14K
203.64%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,180 ฿70.6K
$1,380 ₹118K
57.99%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,543 ฿49.9K
$369 ₹31.6K
317.77%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Chiang Mai
Salem
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$703 ฿22.8K
$359 ₹30.7K
95.89%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5
9.47
-47.20%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 29, 2025

Last update for Salem: October 28, 2025

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