Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Say'un

For one person, living is cheaper in Say’un: $90.9 a month against $936 in Chiang Mai, rent and utilities included – about $10,100 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai Living Index

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Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$936

/mo nomad

Say'un

🇾🇪 Yemen

$90.9

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chiang Mai and in Say'un

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 Say'un actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $936 per month in Chiang Mai vs $91 in Say’un, rent included.

Chiang Mai $936
Say'un $91

A couple spends around $1,457 per month in Chiang Mai vs $152 in Say’un, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,457
Say'un $152

A family of three spends $1,979 per month in Chiang Mai vs $212 in Say’un, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,979
Say'un $212

Chiang Mai costs about 930% more than Say’un, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chiang Mai and Say’un are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 31% lower, Say’un 93% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.24 ฿75.7

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.00 ฿642

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.55 ฿188

Cappuccino

$1.67 ฿56.6

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

$0.64 ฿21.56

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.32

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.36 ฿79.6

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿124

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 ฿65.8

White Bread (500g)

$1.44 ฿48.51

$1.08 YER 256

33.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 ฿45.07

$2.14 YER 505

-37.85%

Eggs

$2.28 ฿77.1

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.45 ฿556

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.78 ฿94.0

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.31 ฿314

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 ฿79.5

$2.24 YER 529

4.91%

Banana (1kg)

$0.97 ฿32.82

$2.24 YER 527

-56.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.60 ฿53.9

$2.24 YER 528

-28.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.7

$2.14 YER 506

-29.91%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿43.15

$2.25 YER 530

-43.11%

Onion (1kg)

$1.10 ฿37.22

$2.25 YER 530

-51.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 ฿23.84

$1.01 YER 239

-29.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.38

$0.99 YER 233

-50.51%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 YER 330

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.14 ฿140

Wine (Bottle)

$17.52 ฿592

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.61 ฿54.5

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿94.0

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.87 ฿29.33

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.1 ฿1,827

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.16 ฿39.08

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ฿17.82

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.42 ฿81.8

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.93

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

$21.1K ฿711.2K

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

$26.9K ฿909.8K

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

$62.2 ฿2,100

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

$12.17 ฿411

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.12 ฿680

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.31 ฿1,260

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.77 ฿127

Cinema Ticket

$6.49 ฿219

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

$736 ฿24.9K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿498.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.4 ฿1,802

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.64 ฿832

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.5 ฿3,089

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.9 ฿2,429

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.3K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$309 ฿10.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 ฿34.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$633 ฿21.4K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,363 ฿79.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,589 ฿53.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$590 ฿19.9K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 26, 2026

Last update for Say'un: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$309 33%

Say'un

–

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$234 25.1%

Say'un

–

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$109 11.6%

Say'un

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$94 10.1%

Say'un

–

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$78 8.3%

Say'un

–

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$61 6.6%

Say'un

–

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$50 5.4%

Say'un

–

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇾🇪 Say'un

🕒 Local time

21:26 9:26 PM

17:26 5:26 PM

4 h behind Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

48,037

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Yemeni Rial YER ﷼

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.96 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

1,000 YER = 4.24 USD

1,000 YER = 3.81 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

YER, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 33.77 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.58 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

Yemeni Rial exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 236 YER (1,000 YER = 4.24 USD). 1 EUR = 262 YER (1,000 YER = 3.81 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Chiang Mai Say'un 5,320 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
Say'un

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 Say'un: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 930% more than Say’un, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. 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 $136 in Say’un. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $936 in Chiang Mai and $91 in Say’un. That’s a gap of about 930%.

Groceries cost about 158% more in Chiang Mai, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $936 in Chiang Mai and $91 in Say’un, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

It depends on your priorities. Chiang Mai has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $91 in Say’un to $936 in Chiang Mai. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.