Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Sohag Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Sohag

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $932 per month in Chiang Mai vs $406 in Sohag, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,399 per month in Chiang Mai vs $654 in Sohag, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $901 in Sohag, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 130% more than Sohag, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Sohag are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 32% lower, Sohag 70% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿69.5

$3.84 E£200

-45.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.61 ฿655

$14.83 E£773

32.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.67 ฿189

$4.68 E£244

21.15%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿60.3

$1.05 E£54.6

72.38%

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

$0.77 ฿25.65

$0.31 E£16.34

148.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.53

$0.13 E£6.90

169.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿73.9

$1.36 E£71.1

62.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿127

$2.94 E£154

28.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 ฿68.4

$0.84 E£43.87

144.05%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 ฿50.6

$0.64 E£33.30

135.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 ฿46.69

$0.58 E£30.26

141.38%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿75.4

$1.29 E£67.1

75.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿540

$2.92 E£152

454.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.90 ฿96.7

$4.12 E£215

-29.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.42 ฿314

$8.21 E£428

14.74%

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 ฿89.4

$1.57 E£82.0

70.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.37

$0.65 E£33.76

67.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.0

$0.46 E£24.25

252.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.74

$0.35 E£18.09

317.14%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.65

$0.35 E£18.43

265.71%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 ฿35.31

$0.32 E£16.91

231.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.94

$0.27 E£14.22

166.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.56

$0.19 E£10.06

178.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.23 ฿141

$1.89 E£98.8

123.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.29 ฿611

$5.94 E£310

207.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ฿54.4

$1.10 E£57.1

48.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿96.8

$2.22 E£116

30.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.32

$0.18 E£9.58

388.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.8 ฿1,795

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 ฿39.14

$0.36 E£18.83

225.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿19.30

$0.24 E£12.76

141.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.39 ฿79.6

$1.31 E£68.4

82.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.41

$0.39 E£20.48

271.79%

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

$21.0K ฿701.4K

$28.5K E£1.5M

-26.32%

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

$26.4K ฿882.0K

$27.1K E£1.4M

-2.65%

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

$63.7 ฿2,125

$17.26 E£900

268.77%

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

$12.89 ฿430

$7.32 E£382

76.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.52 ฿685

$13.90 E£725

47.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.02 ฿1,302

$17.34 E£904

125.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.92 ฿131

Cinema Ticket

$6.58 ฿220

$2.83 E£148

132.51%

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

$784 ฿26.2K

$81.1 E£4,230

866.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿489.8K

$2,210 E£115.2K

563.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 ฿1,840

$18.52 E£966

197.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.74 ฿826

$45.12 E£2,353

-45.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.1 ฿3,142

$117 E£6,102

-19.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.0 ฿2,469

$46.38 E£2,419

59.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.4K

$134 E£6,981

266.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$288 ฿9,620

$43.21 E£2,253

566.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$891 ฿29.8K

$118 E£6,143

656.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$521 ฿17.4K

$91.5 E£4,769

469.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,974 ฿65.9K

$760 E£39.6K

159.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,444 ฿48.2K

$412 E£21.5K

250.39%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿20.1K

$133 E£6,960

350.76%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

16.21

-65.64%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 13, 2026

Last update for Sohag: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $490 in Chiang Mai versus $134 in Sohag. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 351% higher in Chiang Mai, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $15.00 in Sohag. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $241 vs $119 – making Sohag the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Sohag: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 130% more than Sohag, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,398 per month in Chiang Mai and $609 in Sohag. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Sohag, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Chiang Mai and $15.00 in Sohag. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 103% 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.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Sohag, where all-in costs run around $406, than in Chiang Mai at $932. In Sohag it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiang Mai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Sohag costs $406 versus $932 in Chiang Mai. 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 Sohag. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chiang Mai makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.