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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $932 per month in Chiang Mai vs $795 in Salto, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,399 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,240 in Salto, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,684 in Salto, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 17% more than Salto, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Chiang Mai and Salto are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 32% lower, Salto 42% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿69.3

$6.99 R$35.94

-70.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.61 ฿653

$26.79 R$138

-26.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.67 ฿189

$6.72 R$34.56

-15.62%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿60.1

$1.87 R$9.59

-3.21%

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

$0.77 ฿25.58

$1.10 R$5.66

-30.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.49

$0.77 R$3.95

-54.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿73.7

$2.62 R$13.46

-15.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿126

$2.94 R$15.14

28.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 ฿68.2

$1.05 R$5.42

95.24%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 ฿50.4

$1.60 R$8.22

-5.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 ฿46.57

$1.17 R$6.01

19.66%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿75.2

$2.65 R$13.62

-14.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿539

$8.75 R$44.97

85.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.90 ฿96.4

$3.59 R$18.47

-19.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.42 ฿314

$9.49 R$48.82

-0.74%

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 ฿89.2

$2.76 R$14.20

-2.90%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.28

$1.77 R$9.11

-38.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.8

$1.82 R$9.34

-10.99%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.61

$1.82 R$9.36

-19.78%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.54

$1.34 R$6.87

-4.48%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 ฿35.21

$1.33 R$6.83

-20.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.88

$0.93 R$4.77

-22.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.51

$0.46 R$2.35

15.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.23 ฿141

$2.48 R$12.74

70.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.29 ฿609

$8.92 R$45.86

105.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ฿54.3

$1.61 R$8.28

1.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿96.6

$4.48 R$23.03

-35.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.24

$0.78 R$4.01

12.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.8 ฿1,790

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 ฿39.04

$1.30 R$6.68

-10.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿19.25

$1.33 R$6.84

-56.39%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.39 ฿79.4

$9.18 R$47.20

-73.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.28

$1.11 R$5.69

30.63%

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

$21.0K ฿699.5K

$22.9K R$117.8K

-8.26%

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

$26.4K ฿879.7K

$33.6K R$173.0K

-21.44%

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

$63.7 ฿2,119

$39.09 R$201

62.83%

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

$12.89 ฿429

$9.53 R$48.98

35.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.52 ฿683

$18.22 R$93.7

12.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.02 ฿1,299

$25.65 R$132

52.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.92 ฿130

Cinema Ticket

$6.58 ฿219

$2.84 R$14.63

131.69%

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

$784 ฿26.1K

$256 R$1,318

205.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿488.4K

$7,604 R$39.1K

92.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 ฿1,835

$53.3 R$274

3.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.74 ฿824

$57.4 R$295

-56.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.1 ฿3,133

$92.6 R$476

1.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.0 ฿2,462

$83.1 R$427

-10.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.3K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$288 ฿9,594

$236 R$1,211

22.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$891 ฿29.7K

$584 R$3,004

52.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$521 ฿17.3K

$395 R$2,030

31.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,974 ฿65.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,444 ฿48.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿20.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

11.12

-49.91%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 13, 2026

Last update for Salto: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $27.00 in Salto. Groceries tell a different story – $241 in Chiang Mai vs $206 in Salto – so Salto 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 Salto: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 17% more than Salto, with the gap driven mainly by Getting Around. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,398 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,192 in Salto. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Chiang Mai and $27.00 in Salto. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 17% 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.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Salto, where all-in costs run around $795, than in Chiang Mai at $932. In Salto it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiang Mai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Salto costs $795 versus $932 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 Salto. 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.