Cost of Living Comparison Between Sa Pa and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between Sa Pa and Chiang Mai

🙂 Solo nomad: Sa Pa is 26.7% cheaper than Chiang Mai without rent, and 15.3% cheaper with rent.

🙂 Family of 3: Sa Pa is 22.8% cheaper than Chiang Mai without rent, and 15.3% cheaper with rent.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.87 ₫49.1K

$1.98 ฿63.2

-5.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.31 ₫561.2K

$18.69 ฿598

14.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.49 ₫118.3K

$7.55 ฿242

-40.53%

Cappuccino

$1.75 ₫46.1K

$2.03 ฿64.9

-13.79%

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

$0.5 ₫13.2K

$0.79 ฿25.13

-36.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 ₫7,326

$0.35 ฿11.32

-20.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.91 ₫24.1K

$2.11 ฿67.5

-56.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 ₫41.7K

$3.61 ฿115

-56.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.36 ₫35.8K

$1.73 ฿55.3

-21.39%

White Bread (500g)

$1.02 ₫26.9K

$1.57 ฿50.3

-35.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1 ₫26.4K

$1.2 ฿38.4

-16.67%

Eggs

$1.45 ₫38.2K

$2.01 ฿64.4

-27.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.55 ₫304.2K

$16.01 ฿512

-27.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.64 ₫95.8K

$3.13 ฿100

16.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.03 ₫264.2K

$10.82 ฿346

-7.30%

Apples (1kg)

$2.72 ₫71.7K

$2.65 ฿84.7

2.64%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 ₫28.2K

$1.21 ฿38.76

-11.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.3 ₫34.3K

$1.69 ฿54.1

-23.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.12 ₫29.6K

$1.58 ฿50.6

-29.11%

Potato (1kg)

$1.08 ₫28.3K

$1.38 ฿44.31

-21.74%

Onion (1kg)

$1.02 ₫26.8K

$1.16 ฿37.05

-12.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ₫17.3K

$0.66 ฿21.01

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ₫13.6K

$0.53 ฿16.83

-1.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.37 ₫36.2K

$4.53 ฿145

-69.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.49 ₫302.7K

$18.45 ฿590

-37.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.8 ₫21K

$1.86 ฿59.5

-56.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.64 ₫43.2K

$3.33 ฿107

-50.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 ₫8,981

$0.96 ฿30.56

-64.58%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$6.36 ₫167.6K

$19.24 ฿616

-66.94%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.72 ₫18.9K

$1.36 ฿43.62

-47.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.62 ₫16.4K

$1.35 ฿43.14

-54.07%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.75 ₫72.4K

$7.78 ฿249

-64.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.89 ₫23.5K

$1.27 ฿40.72

-29.92%

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

$35.2K ₫927.1M

$21.5K ฿687K

63.95%

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

$32.2K ₫849M

$22.2K ฿711.4K

44.98%

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

$75.2 ₫2M

$70.4 ฿2,251

6.85%

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

$5.71 ₫150.4K

$13.97 ฿447

-59.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.47 ₫223.2K

$17.93 ฿574

-52.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.72 ₫572.1K

$41.02 ฿1,313

-47.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.62 ₫200.7K

$6.8 ฿218

12.06%

Cinema Ticket

$3.16 ₫83.2K

$5.71 ฿183

-44.66%

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

$263 ₫6.9M

$302 ฿9,656

-12.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K ₫305.3M

$14.8K ฿475.1K

-21.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$40.32 ₫1.1M

$56.1 ฿1,795

-28.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$23.63 ₫622.4K

$26.69 ฿854

-11.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.9 ₫2.3M

$86.1 ฿2,754

2.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.7 ₫1.9M

$70.4 ฿2,252

4.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$365 ₫9.6M

$428 ฿13.7K

-14.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$247 ₫6.5M

$243 ฿7,769

1.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$729 ₫19.2M

$806 ฿25.8K

-9.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$538 ₫14.2M

$511 ฿16.4K

5.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,090 ₫55.1M

$2,222 ฿71.1K

-5.91%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,239 ₫32.6M

$1,414 ฿45.3K

-12.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$680 ฿21.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.1

82.00%

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

Last update for Sa Pa: December 1, 2025

Last update for Chiang Mai: November 29, 2025

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

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