Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Sannicolau Mare Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Sannicolau Mare

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $845 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,050 in Sannicolau Mare, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,323 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,564 in Sannicolau Mare, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,802 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,078 in Sannicolau Mare, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 20% cheaper than Sannicolau Mare, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and Sannicolau Mare are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 37% lower, Sannicolau Mare 22% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.95 ฿62.8

$9.18 RON 39.82

-78.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.43 ฿594

$46.09 RON 200

-60.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.50 ฿241

$6.74 RON 29.24

11.28%

Cappuccino

$1.93 ฿62.3

$3.17 RON 13.76

-39.12%

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

$0.78 ฿25.08

$2.00 RON 8.67

-61.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ฿10.42

$1.72 RON 7.45

-81.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.15 ฿69.2

$2.68 RON 11.64

-19.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.71 ฿120

$3.37 RON 14.62

10.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿55.2

$1.50 RON 6.52

14.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.56 ฿50.3

$1.23 RON 5.33

26.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.06

$1.54 RON 6.67

-23.38%

Eggs

$1.98 ฿63.9

$3.41 RON 14.82

-41.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.04 ฿517

$8.18 RON 35.51

96.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.17 ฿102

$6.11 RON 26.51

-48.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿353

$8.81 RON 38.23

24.18%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 ฿84.7

$1.21 RON 5.27

117.36%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿37.61

$1.53 RON 6.63

-23.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.65 ฿53.0

$1.70 RON 7.40

-2.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.54 ฿49.51

$2.23 RON 9.68

-30.94%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿44.34

$0.76 RON 3.31

81.58%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿37.54

$0.94 RON 4.09

24.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.25

$1.01 RON 4.38

-34.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.55

$0.86 RON 3.71

-40.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.52 ฿146

$5.89 RON 25.57

-23.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.32 ฿590

$8.03 RON 34.86

128.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿57.9

$1.04 RON 4.51

73.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 ฿102

$1.79 RON 7.78

77.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿28.97

$0.68 RON 2.93

32.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.00 ฿612

$19.54 RON 84.8

-2.76%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.50

$0.89 RON 3.87

58.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.31 ฿42.15

$0.83 RON 3.59

57.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.09 ฿261

$8.98 RON 38.98

-9.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 ฿41.08

$1.60 RON 6.96

-20.00%

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

$21.3K ฿686.1K

$28.6K RON 124.0K

-25.49%

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

$21.7K ฿699.3K

$26.2K RON 113.7K

-17.15%

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

$69.2 ฿2,230

$141 RON 612

-50.93%

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

$13.97 ฿450

$8.85 RON 38.40

57.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.95 ฿578

$11.16 RON 48.44

60.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.31 ฿1,363

$41.74 RON 181

1.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.66 ฿214

$18.86 RON 81.9

-64.69%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿191

$6.76 RON 29.32

-12.43%

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

$299 ฿9,640

$431 RON 1,870

-30.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿478.4K

$6,920 RON 30.0K

114.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.2 ฿1,810

$67.4 RON 292

-16.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.94 ฿868

$37.75 RON 164

-28.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.9 ฿2,735

$83.9 RON 364

1.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.8 ฿2,314

$94.5 RON 410

-23.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$435 ฿14.0K

$392 RON 1,703

10.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$240 ฿7,727

$288 RON 1,248

-16.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$798 ฿25.7K

$581 RON 2,523

37.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$498 ฿16.1K

$436 RON 1,890

14.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,995 ฿64.3K

$1,881 RON 8,165

6.06%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,532 ฿49.4K

$1,465 RON 6,360

4.52%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$628 ฿20.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.5

-23.08%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 20, 2026

Last update for Sannicolau Mare: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $435 in Chiang Mai versus $392 in Sannicolau Mare. 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 $18 in Chiang Mai versus $46 in Sannicolau Mare. Groceries tell a different story – $244 in Chiang Mai vs $205 in Sannicolau Mare – so Sannicolau Mare 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 Sannicolau Mare: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Sannicolau Mare costs about 24% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,267 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,575 in Sannicolau Mare. 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.

Kindergarten costs $299 per month in Chiang Mai and $431 in Sannicolau Mare. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 19% cheaper in Sannicolau Mare – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $845, than in Sannicolau Mare at $1,050. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Sannicolau Mare it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $845 versus $1,050 in Sannicolau Mare. 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, Sannicolau Mare makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.