Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Samut Sakhon Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Samut Sakhon

Name: Samut Sakhon
Address: Samut Sakhon, TH

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $885 in Samut Sakhon, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,351 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,390 in Samut Sakhon, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,835 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,896 in Samut Sakhon, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 2% cheaper than Samut Sakhon, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Chiang Mai and Samut Sakhon are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Samut Sakhon 34% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ฿63.8

$1.83 ฿60.0

6.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 ฿611

$18.81 ฿617

-0.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 ฿256

$6.09 ฿200

28.41%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿64.1

$1.19 ฿39.20

63.87%

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

$0.85 ฿27.90

$0.35 ฿11.64

142.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.64

$0.32 ฿10.60

9.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.9

$1.92 ฿63.1

10.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

$2.48 ฿81.3

50.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿56.2

$1.69 ฿55.4

1.18%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.4

$1.41 ฿46.31

15.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ฿37.32

$1.32 ฿43.36

-13.64%

Eggs

$1.93 ฿63.4

$2.33 ฿76.6

-17.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ฿532

$15.44 ฿506

4.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿102

$3.29 ฿108

-5.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿357

$11.40 ฿374

-4.39%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ฿90.4

$3.26 ฿107

-15.64%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.70

$1.33 ฿43.77

-9.02%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.2

$1.91 ฿62.8

-15.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿52.1

$1.40 ฿46.08

13.57%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿45.91

$1.47 ฿48.35

-4.76%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.34

$1.20 ฿39.49

-2.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.70

$1.68 ฿55.2

-60.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.30

$0.57 ฿18.81

-7.02%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿154

$4.74 ฿155

-1.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿612

$17.10 ฿561

9.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿59.0

$1.83 ฿60.1

-1.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$2.36 ฿77.5

36.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.39

$0.38 ฿12.39

136.84%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿630

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿46.13

$1.06 ฿34.75

33.02%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.31

$1.25 ฿41.04

3.20%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿257

$3.45 ฿113

127.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.77

$1.20 ฿39.39

5.83%

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

$21.3K ฿698.1K

$25.9K ฿849.4K

-17.81%

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

$22.2K ฿728.8K

$26.7K ฿875.5K

-16.76%

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

$69.1 ฿2,266

$76.9 ฿2,522

-10.12%

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

$14.08 ฿462

$13.81 ฿453

1.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿591

$18.16 ฿596

-0.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,347

$49.11 ฿1,611

-16.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿228

$12.35 ฿405

-43.64%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿194

$7.90 ฿259

-25.06%

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

$299 ฿9,811

$296 ฿9,704

1.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿490.6K

$9,193 ฿301.6K

62.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,795

$30.08 ฿987

81.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.77 ฿878

$19.54 ฿641

37.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 ฿2,788

$99.5 ฿3,264

-14.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,316

$43.33 ฿1,422

62.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

$426 ฿14.0K

0.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,787

$286 ฿9,370

-16.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.3K

$807 ฿26.5K

-0.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.9K

$667 ฿21.9K

-22.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.8K

$2,265 ฿74.3K

-12.84%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.4K

$1,507 ฿49.5K

-2.14%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.3K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.45

-8.26%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Last update for Samut Sakhon: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $428 in Chiang Mai versus $426 in Samut Sakhon. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $19.00 in Samut Sakhon. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $246 vs $250 – making Chiang Mai the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Samut Sakhon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Samut Sakhon costs about 2% more than Chiang Mai, 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 $1,300 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,328 in Samut Sakhon. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Chiang Mai, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai and $19.00 in Samut Sakhon. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 2% more in Samut Sakhon, 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 $866 in Chiang Mai and $885 in Samut Sakhon, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $866 versus $885 in Samut Sakhon. 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 Chiang Mai. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Samut Sakhon makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.