Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Saryagash

For one person, living is cheaper in Saryagash: $881 a month against $935 in Chiang Mai, rent and utilities included – about $650 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Chiang Mai outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

45

Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai Living Index
42

Cost of Living Index in Saryagash
Learn more

Saryagash Living Index

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Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$935

/mo nomad

Saryagash

🇰🇿 Kazakhstan

$881

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chiang Mai and in Saryagash

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Chiang Mai and in Saryagash actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $935 per month in Chiang Mai vs $881 in Saryagash, rent included.

Chiang Mai $935
Saryagash $881

A couple spends around $1,467 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,429 in Saryagash, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,467
Saryagash $1,429

A family of three spends $1,999 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,977 in Saryagash, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,999
Saryagash $1,977

Chiang Mai costs about 6% more than Saryagash, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Chiang Mai and Saryagash are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 31% lower, Saryagash 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.13 ฿71.6

$9.71 ₸4,356

-78.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.62 ฿624

$33.93 ₸15.2K

-45.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.60 ฿188

$7.73 ₸3,467

-27.55%

Cappuccino

$1.66 ฿55.8

$2.38 ₸1,065

-30.25%

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

$0.65 ฿21.69

$1.06 ₸475

-38.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 ฿10.22

$0.59 ₸267

-49.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.32 ฿77.9

$1.30 ₸583

78.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿123

$2.08 ₸934

76.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.02 ฿67.6

$1.38 ₸621

46.38%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 ฿47.21

$0.48 ₸216

193.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.67

$1.58 ₸708

-12.03%

Eggs

$2.37 ฿79.4

$1.76 ₸790

34.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.52 ฿554

$10.31 ₸4,623

60.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.67 ฿89.5

$5.76 ₸2,584

-53.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.02 ฿302

$8.92 ₸4,002

1.12%

Apples (1kg)

$2.40 ฿80.4

$1.47 ₸658

63.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.04 ฿34.91

$2.20 ₸986

-52.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.66 ฿55.6

$2.34 ₸1,050

-29.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.56 ฿52.3

$2.19 ₸984

-28.77%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 ฿41.50

$0.71 ₸317

74.65%

Onion (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.44

$0.52 ₸234

109.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.76 ฿25.54

$1.20 ₸539

-36.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿17.24

$0.98 ₸440

-47.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.12 ฿138

$2.46 ₸1,102

67.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.93 ฿601

$7.91 ₸3,547

126.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 ฿54.4

$1.18 ₸531

37.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.82 ฿94.6

$1.97 ₸883

43.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.93 ฿31.33

$0.21 ₸94.1

342.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$52.9 ฿1,773

$16.91 ₸7,584

212.77%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.18 ฿39.45

$1.09 ₸490

8.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.17 ฿5.75

$0.76 ₸341

-77.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.81 ฿60.8

$6.08 ₸2,725

-70.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 ฿49.38

$0.64 ₸285

129.69%

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

$21.0K ฿704.5K

$28.1K ₸12.6M

-25.14%

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

$26.5K ฿889.1K

$30.3K ₸13.6M

-12.55%

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

$62.6 ฿2,098

$67.4 ₸30.2K

-7.14%

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

$11.60 ฿389

$10.10 ₸4,527

14.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.30 ฿681

$15.76 ₸7,068

28.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.88 ฿1,270

$42.34 ₸19.0K

-10.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.70 ฿124

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 ฿218

$5.09 ₸2,284

27.90%

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

$727 ฿24.4K

$145 ₸65.2K

399.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.6K ฿555.7K

$4,404 ₸2.0M

276.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.5 ฿1,795

$57.3 ₸25.7K

-6.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.80 ฿832

$45.68 ₸20.5K

-45.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.4 ฿3,031

$94.6 ₸42.4K

-4.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.0 ฿2,413

$89.9 ₸40.3K

-19.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$481 ฿16.1K

$344 ₸154.4K

39.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$310 ฿10.4K

$231 ₸103.8K

33.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,058 ฿35.5K

$670 ₸300.5K

57.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$659 ฿22.1K

$495 ₸221.9K

33.07%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,418 ฿81.1K

$1,085 ₸486.4K

122.91%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,609 ฿53.9K

$855 ₸383.5K

88.12%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

19.25

-71.06%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: November 1, 2026

Last update for Saryagash: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$310 33.1%

Saryagash

$231 26.3% 25.3% $78

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$237 25.3%

Saryagash

$205 23.3% 13.5% $32

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$108 11.6%

Saryagash

$129 14.7% 19.4% $21

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$94 10.1%

Saryagash

$93 10.6% 1.3% $1.3

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$77 8.2%

Saryagash

$147 16.7% 91.6% $70

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$59 6.3%

Saryagash

$23 2.6% 61.4% $36

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$51 5.4%

Saryagash

$53 6% 3.2% $1.6

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $481 in Chiang Mai versus $344 in Saryagash. 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 in Chiang Mai versus $34 in Saryagash. Groceries tell a different story – $237 in Chiang Mai vs $205 in Saryagash – so Saryagash wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇰🇿 Saryagash

🕒 Local time

03:13 3:13 AM

01:13 1:13 AM

2 h behind Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Kazakhstani Tenge KZT ₸

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.98 USD

100 THB = 2.67 EUR

1,000 KZT = 2.23 USD

1,000 KZT = 2 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

KZT, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

Thai Baht exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 33.53 THB (100 THB = 2.98 USD). 1 EUR = 37.47 THB (100 THB = 2.67 EUR).

Kazakhstani Tenge exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 448 KZT (1,000 KZT = 2.23 USD). 1 EUR = 501 KZT (1,000 KZT = 2 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Chiang Mai Saryagash 3,820 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
Saryagash

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Saryagash: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 6% more than Saryagash, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from transport. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,403 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,321 in Saryagash. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Saryagash, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $344 there versus $481 in Chiang Mai.

Kindergarten costs $727 per month in Chiang Mai and $145 in Saryagash. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 16% more in Chiang Mai, though the gap depends on what you buy.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $935 in Chiang Mai and $881 in Saryagash, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Saryagash – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.