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

🙂 Solo nomad: Chiang Mai is 18.8% cheaper than Salmiya without rent, and 38.7% cheaper with rent.

🙂 Family of 3: Chiang Mai is 21.7% cheaper than Salmiya without rent, and 41.1% cheaper with rent.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.03 ฿64.2

$8.81 KWD 2.70

-76.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.59 ฿588

$49.28 KWD 15.13

-62.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.48 ฿237

$7.63 KWD 2.34

-1.97%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.60 KWD 0.49

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.60 KWD 0.49

Cappuccino

$2.00 ฿63.2

$5.02 KWD 1.54

-60.16%

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

$0.85 ฿26.81

$0.42 KWD 0.13

102.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.13

$0.32 KWD 0.10

9.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿70.0

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.76 ฿119

Milk (1 liter)

$1.72 ฿54.4

$1.62 KWD 0.50

6.17%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿51.7

$0.82 KWD 0.25

98.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.16 ฿36.66

$1.74 KWD 0.53

-33.33%

Eggs

$1.98 ฿62.6

$1.89 KWD 0.58

4.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.93 ฿504

$5.10 KWD 1.57

212.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.17 ฿100

$6.42 KWD 1.97

-50.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿345

$8.76 KWD 2.69

24.43%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 ฿83.7

$2.31 KWD 0.71

14.72%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿38.70

$1.64 KWD 0.50

-25.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.70 ฿53.7

$1.72 KWD 0.53

-1.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿50.3

$1.43 KWD 0.44

11.19%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 ฿41.90

$1.27 KWD 0.39

3.94%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿36.99

$1.27 KWD 0.39

-7.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 ฿21.46

$1.61 KWD 0.50

-57.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿17.64

$0.46 KWD 0.14

21.74%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.91 KWD 0.89

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 KWD 0.32

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.39 KWD 0.43

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.51 ฿143

$2.97 KWD 0.91

51.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.07 ฿604

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 ฿56.0

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 ฿101

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.96 ฿30.47

$1.03 KWD 0.32

-6.80%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.90 ฿598

$48.65 KWD 14.94

-61.15%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿42.98

$3.25 KWD 1.00

-58.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 ฿42.80

$3.27 KWD 1.00

-58.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.03 ฿254

$13.02 KWD 4.00

-38.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 ฿39.34

$0.33 KWD 0.10

275.76%

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

$21.2K ฿669.8K

$19.3K KWD 5,910

9.93%

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

$21.8K ฿688.5K

$19.8K KWD 6,073

9.98%

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

$71.2 ฿2,255

$54.9 KWD 16.86

29.69%

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

$14.09 ฿446

$18.34 KWD 5.63

-23.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.47 ฿553

$26.20 KWD 8.04

-33.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.07 ฿1,332

$106 KWD 32.67

-60.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿218

$32.91 KWD 10.10

-79.09%

Cinema Ticket

$5.94 ฿188

$11.41 KWD 3.50

-47.94%

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

$307 ฿9,728

$402 KWD 124

-23.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿468.2K

$5,570 KWD 1,710

165.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.7 ฿1,762

$41.42 KWD 12.72

34.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.79 ฿848

$41.82 KWD 12.84

-35.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.2 ฿2,634

$87.9 KWD 26.98

-5.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.1 ฿2,219

$82.8 KWD 25.43

-15.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$427 ฿13.5K

$884 KWD 271

-51.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,504

$667 KWD 205

-64.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$802 ฿25.4K

$2,669 KWD 819

-69.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$503 ฿15.9K

$1,323 KWD 406

-61.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,061 ฿65.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,533 ฿48.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 ฿20.7K

$1,455 KWD 447

-55.08%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.14

-29.97%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: March 1, 2026

Last update for Salmiya: March 3, 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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