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 $866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,043 in Sannicolau Mare, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,351 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,581 in Sannicolau Mare, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,835 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,119 in Sannicolau Mare, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 17% cheaper than Sannicolau Mare, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and Sannicolau Mare are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Sannicolau Mare 22% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ฿63.8

$9.30 RON 42.35

-79.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 ฿611

$46.80 RON 213

-60.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 ฿256

$6.97 RON 31.72

12.20%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿64.1

$3.17 RON 14.43

-38.49%

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

$0.85 ฿27.90

$1.97 RON 8.97

-56.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.64

$1.71 RON 7.78

-79.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.9

$2.74 RON 12.46

-22.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

$3.38 RON 15.40

10.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿56.2

$1.49 RON 6.79

14.77%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.4

$1.25 RON 5.69

30.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ฿37.32

$1.54 RON 7.02

-25.97%

Eggs

$1.93 ฿63.4

$3.29 RON 14.96

-41.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ฿532

$8.07 RON 36.72

100.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿102

$6.12 RON 27.87

-49.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿357

$8.78 RON 39.98

24.15%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ฿90.4

$1.16 RON 5.27

137.07%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.70

$1.57 RON 7.13

-22.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.2

$1.66 RON 7.55

-2.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿52.1

$2.12 RON 9.67

-25.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿45.91

$0.77 RON 3.52

81.82%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.34

$0.87 RON 3.98

34.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.70

$1.02 RON 4.65

-35.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.30

$0.86 RON 3.93

-38.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿154

$5.86 RON 26.70

-19.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿612

$8.46 RON 38.52

120.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿59.0

$0.99 RON 4.52

81.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$1.77 RON 8.04

82.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.39

$0.66 RON 3.00

36.36%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿630

$19.87 RON 90.5

-3.32%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿46.13

$0.91 RON 4.14

54.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.31

$0.86 RON 3.90

50.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿257

$9.40 RON 42.78

-16.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.77

$1.66 RON 7.55

-23.49%

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

$21.3K ฿698.1K

$28.0K RON 127.3K

-23.91%

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

$22.2K ฿728.8K

$26.7K RON 121.7K

-16.88%

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

$69.1 ฿2,266

$143 RON 650

-51.66%

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

$14.08 ฿462

$8.67 RON 39.47

62.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿591

$11.22 RON 51.1

60.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,347

$40.78 RON 186

0.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿228

$19.14 RON 87.1

-63.64%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿194

$6.74 RON 30.67

-12.17%

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

$299 ฿9,811

$432 RON 1,969

-30.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿490.6K

$6,937 RON 31.6K

115.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,795

$68.3 RON 311

-19.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.77 ฿878

$38.90 RON 177

-31.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 ฿2,788

$82.9 RON 377

2.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,316

$93.7 RON 426

-24.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

$390 RON 1,777

9.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,787

$289 RON 1,316

-17.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.3K

$579 RON 2,635

38.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.9K

$430 RON 1,958

19.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.8K

$1,713 RON 7,797

15.29%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.4K

$1,336 RON 6,084

10.38%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.3K

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Sannicolau Mare: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $428 in Chiang Mai versus $390 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $47.00 in Sannicolau Mare. Groceries tell a different story – $246 in Chiang Mai vs $204 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 20% 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 $1,300 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,565 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 $432 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 21% cheaper in Sannicolau Mare – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $866 in Chiang Mai and $1,043 in Sannicolau Mare, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $866 versus $1,043 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.