Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Sīrjān

For one person, living is cheaper in Sīrjān: $532 a month against $935 in Chiang Mai, rent and utilities included – about $4,800 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

45

Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai Living Index
26

Cost of Living Index in Sīrjān
Learn more

Sīrjān Living Index

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Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$935

/mo nomad

Sīrjān

🇮🇷 Iran

$532

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

A single person spends $935 per month in Chiang Mai vs $532 in Sīrjān, rent included.

Chiang Mai $935
Sīrjān $532

A couple spends around $1,467 per month in Chiang Mai vs $840 in Sīrjān, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,467
Sīrjān $840

A family of three spends $1,999 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,147 in Sīrjān, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,999
Sīrjān $1,147

Chiang Mai costs about 76% more than Sīrjān, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chiang Mai and Sīrjān are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 31% lower, Sīrjān 61% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.13 ฿71.4

$3.06 $3.06

-30.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.62 ฿623

$16.25 $16.25

14.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.60 ฿187

$4.02 $4.02

39.30%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.71 $0.71

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.11 $1.11

Cappuccino

$1.66 ฿55.6

$1.13 $1.13

46.90%

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

$0.65 ฿21.63

$0.52 $0.52

25.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 ฿10.20

$1.02 $1.02

-70.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.32 ฿77.7

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿123

Milk (1 liter)

$2.02 ฿67.4

$0.64 $0.64

215.63%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 ฿47.08

$0.52 $0.52

171.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.54

$2.07 $2.07

-32.85%

Eggs

$2.37 ฿79.2

$1.22 $1.22

94.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.52 ฿552

$4.33 $4.33

281.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.67 ฿89.3

$3.44 $3.44

-22.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.02 ฿302

$10.17 $10.17

-11.31%

Apples (1kg)

$2.40 ฿80.2

$1.02 $1.02

135.29%

Banana (1kg)

$1.04 ฿34.82

$1.56 $1.56

-33.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.66 ฿55.5

$0.82 $0.82

102.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.56 ฿52.1

$0.59 $0.59

164.41%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 ฿41.39

$0.58 $0.58

113.79%

Onion (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.34

$0.51 $0.51

113.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.76 ฿25.47

$0.57 $0.57

33.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿17.19

$0.24 $0.24

112.50%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$0.76 $0.76

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 $0.54

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.40 $1.40

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.12 ฿138

$2.44 $2.44

68.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.93 ฿600

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 ฿54.3

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.82 ฿94.4

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.93 ฿31.25

$0.15 $0.15

520.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$52.9 ฿1,769

$9.63 $9.63

449.22%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.18 ฿39.35

$0.41 $0.41

187.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.17 ฿5.73

$0.29 $0.29

-41.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.81 ฿60.6

$2.61 $2.61

-30.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 ฿49.25

$0.09 $0.09

1533.33%

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

$21.0K ฿702.6K

$49.2K $49.2K

-57.31%

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

$26.5K ฿886.7K

$45.1K $45.1K

-41.16%

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

$62.6 ฿2,092

$12.84 $12.84

387.23%

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

$11.60 ฿388

$1.52 $1.52

663.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.30 ฿679

$4.02 $4.02

404.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.88 ฿1,267

$18.45 $18.45

105.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.70 ฿124

$13.35 $13.35

-72.28%

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 ฿218

$1.99 $1.99

227.14%

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

$727 ฿24.3K

$109 $109

568.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.6K ฿554.2K

$2,352 $2,352

604.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.5 ฿1,790

$22.64 $22.64

136.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.80 ฿829

$28.70 $28.70

-13.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.4 ฿3,023

$95.6 $95.6

-5.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.0 ฿2,407

$72.1 $72.1

-0.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$481 ฿16.1K

$297 $297

62.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$310 ฿10.4K

$210 $210

47.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,058 ฿35.4K

$790 $790

34.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$659 ฿22.0K

$353 $353

86.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,418 ฿80.8K

$1,155 $1,155

109.27%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,609 ฿53.8K

$542 $542

196.89%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

24.3

-77.08%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: November 1, 2026

Last update for Sīrjān: November 1, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$310 33.1%

Sīrjān

$210 39.5% 32.3% $100

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$237 25.3%

Sīrjān

$114 21.5% 51.8% $123

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$108 11.6%

Sīrjān

$99 18.5% 9% $9.8

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$94 10.1%

Sīrjān

$18 3.5% 80.5% $76

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$77 8.2%

Sīrjān

$56 10.6% 26.5% $20

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$59 6.3%

Sīrjān

$12 2.3% 79.4% $47

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$51 5.4%

Sīrjān

$22 4.2% 56% $28

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $481 in Chiang Mai versus $297 in Sīrjān. 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 $16 in Sīrjān. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $237 vs $114 – making Sīrjān the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇮🇷 Sīrjān

🕒 Local time

22:44 10:44 PM

19:14 7:14 PM

3 h 30 min behind Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

199,704

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

USD USD

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.99 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

Thai Baht exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 33.44 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.56 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

USD exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

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Between locations

Chiang Mai Sīrjān 4,530 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
Sīrjān

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 Sīrjān: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 76% more than Sīrjān, 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 $797 in Sīrjān. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Sīrjān, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $297 there versus $481 in Chiang Mai.

Kindergarten costs $727 per month in Chiang Mai and $109 in Sīrjān. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 107% 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 $532 in Sīrjān, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Sīrjān – 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.

For expats, Sīrjān is the easier option financially – housing and daily costs are lower, and overall it costs about 43% less, which matters a lot on a fixed budget or early-career salary.