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

😐 Solo nomad: Chiang Mai is 89.1% more expensive than Salem without rent, and 128.4% more expensive with rent.

😐 Family of 3: Chiang Mai is 90.8% more expensive than Salem without rent, and 122.9% more expensive with rent.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.97 ฿62.0

$2.40 ₹218

-17.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.68 ฿587

$8.06 ₹731

131.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.92 ฿249

$4.56 ₹414

73.68%

Cappuccino

$2.02 ฿63.7

$1.28 ₹117

57.81%

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

$0.84 ฿26.45

$0.50 ₹45.71

68.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.07

$0.24 ₹21.90

45.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.22 ฿69.9

$1.79 ₹163

24.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 ฿113

$5.37 ₹487

-33.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.67 ฿52.4

$0.58 ₹52.9

187.93%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 ฿51.1

$0.42 ₹38.47

285.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 ฿37.83

$0.75 ₹67.7

60.00%

Eggs

$1.93 ฿60.8

$0.77 ₹69.8

150.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.00 ฿503

$9.01 ₹818

77.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.16 ฿99.2

$2.78 ₹252

13.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.93 ฿344

Apples (1kg)

$2.67 ฿83.8

$2.09 ₹190

27.75%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 ฿36.99

$0.77 ₹70.3

53.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 ฿51.5

$1.55 ₹141

5.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿49.83

$0.43 ₹38.62

269.77%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 ฿41.64

$0.40 ₹36.72

230.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 ฿37.49

$0.48 ₹43.70

147.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 ฿22.20

$0.24 ₹21.90

195.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿17.75

$0.37 ₹33.32

51.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.64 ฿146

$3.01 ₹273

54.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.96 ฿596

$4.05 ₹368

368.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 ฿55.7

$1.85 ₹168

-4.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 ฿101

$2.70 ₹245

18.52%

Buffalo Round (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) (1kg)

$5.45 ₹494

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿28.32

$0.22 ₹19.86

309.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.24 ฿605

$8.91 ₹808

115.94%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿42.78

$1.19 ₹108

14.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 ฿42.37

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.15 ฿256

$1.19 ₹108

584.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ฿38.43

$1.15 ₹105

6.09%

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

$21.4K ฿671.8K

$17.1K ₹1.5M

25.31%

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

$21.7K ฿683.8K

$28.6K ₹2.6M

-23.97%

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

$70.3 ฿2,210

$34.95 ₹3,171

101.14%

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

$13.91 ฿437

$3.32 ₹301

318.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿566

$6.95 ₹631

158.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.78 ฿1,314

$16.11 ₹1,462

159.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.80 ฿214

$10.76 ₹977

-36.80%

Cinema Ticket

$5.72 ฿180

$2.26 ₹205

153.10%

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

$308 ฿9,693

$32.16 ₹2,919

858.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿465.7K

$1,302 ₹118.2K

1037.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.9 ฿1,756

$21.69 ₹1,968

157.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.71 ฿840

$23.36 ₹2,120

14.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.5 ฿2,658

$39.94 ₹3,625

111.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.8 ฿2,227

$27.49 ₹2,495

157.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$431 ฿13.5K

$98.9 ₹8,978

335.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,439

$63.7 ₹5,778

271.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$811 ฿25.5K

$267 ₹24.2K

203.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$501 ฿15.7K

$165 ₹15.0K

203.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,202 ฿69.2K

$1,360 ₹123.4K

61.91%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,600 ฿50.3K

$447 ₹40.6K

258.04%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$684 ฿21.5K

$367 ₹33.3K

86.37%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.47

-47.20%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: January 13, 2026

Last update for Salem: January 12, 2026

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated December 2025)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

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