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 $947 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,058 in Sannicolau Mare, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,411 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,623 in Sannicolau Mare, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,874 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,187 in Sannicolau Mare, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 10% cheaper than Sannicolau Mare, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and Sannicolau Mare are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 31% lower, Sannicolau Mare 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿68.6

$8.64 RON 39.01

-75.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.64 ฿646

$43.82 RON 198

-55.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.65 ฿186

$7.79 RON 35.21

-27.47%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿59.4

$3.29 RON 14.84

-44.98%

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

$0.71 ฿23.46

$2.19 RON 9.92

-67.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ฿10.39

$1.94 RON 8.78

-83.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.24 ฿73.6

$3.25 RON 14.67

-31.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ฿120

$3.96 RON 17.91

-8.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.96 ฿64.4

$1.45 RON 6.55

35.17%

White Bread (500g)

$1.50 ฿49.42

$1.14 RON 5.13

31.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 ฿43.96

$1.45 RON 6.57

-7.59%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿74.5

$3.58 RON 16.19

-36.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.26 ฿535

$8.37 RON 37.80

94.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.95 ฿97.2

$6.24 RON 28.19

-52.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.94 ฿327

$8.58 RON 38.76

15.85%

Apples (1kg)

$2.57 ฿84.6

$1.27 RON 5.73

102.36%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 ฿34.75

$1.65 RON 7.45

-35.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.61 ฿53.0

$1.58 RON 7.12

1.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿50.0

$2.74 RON 12.40

-44.53%

Potato (1kg)

$1.27 ฿41.80

$0.69 RON 3.12

84.06%

Onion (1kg)

$1.07 ฿35.09

$0.69 RON 3.10

55.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.70

$1.08 RON 4.90

-33.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.73

$0.98 RON 4.43

-47.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 ฿138

$6.30 RON 28.45

-33.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.87 ฿588

$8.19 RON 37.00

118.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 ฿55.7

$0.98 RON 4.43

72.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 ฿93.3

$1.40 RON 6.32

102.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.93 ฿30.45

$0.81 RON 3.65

14.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.9 ฿1,772

$22.66 RON 102

137.69%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.23 ฿40.61

$0.97 RON 4.39

26.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿18.97

$0.92 RON 4.14

-36.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.42 ฿79.8

$9.06 RON 40.95

-73.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 ฿46.46

$1.83 RON 8.25

-22.95%

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

$21.4K ฿705.5K

$29.5K RON 133.5K

-27.42%

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

$27.3K ฿899.3K

$26.7K RON 120.8K

2.27%

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

$63.7 ฿2,095

$120 RON 540

-46.73%

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

$12.85 ฿423

$9.39 RON 42.41

36.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.22 ฿665

$13.05 RON 58.9

54.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.74 ฿1,275

$39.84 RON 180

-2.76%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.97 ฿130

$21.53 RON 97.3

-81.56%

Cinema Ticket

$6.74 ฿222

$7.27 RON 32.83

-7.29%

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

$778 ฿25.6K

$457 RON 2,067

70.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿480.7K

$6,983 RON 31.5K

109.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.3 ฿1,786

$75.5 RON 341

-28.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.45 ฿837

$31.21 RON 141

-18.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.3 ฿3,104

$91.9 RON 415

2.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.4 ฿2,416

$89.8 RON 406

-18.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.1K

$402 RON 1,817

21.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$289 ฿9,518

$301 RON 1,358

-3.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$894 ฿29.4K

$623 RON 2,816

43.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$517 ฿17.0K

$463 RON 2,092

11.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,955 ฿64.3K

$1,907 RON 8,617

2.50%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,477 ฿48.6K

$1,377 RON 6,221

7.26%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿19.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

7.02

-20.66%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 31, 2026

Last update for Sannicolau Mare: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $490 in Chiang Mai versus $402 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $44.00 in Sannicolau Mare. Groceries tell a different story – $240 in Chiang Mai vs $208 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 12% 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 $1,421 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,587 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 $778 per month in Chiang Mai and $457 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 16% 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 $947, than in Sannicolau Mare at $1,058. 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 $947 versus $1,058 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.