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

Name: Chiang Mai
Address: Chiang Mai, TH

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $611 per month in Safi vs $866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $958 per month in Safi vs $1,351 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,305 per month in Safi vs $1,835 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Safi is about 29% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Safi and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Safi 54% lower, Chiang Mai 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.76 MAD 34.55

$1.94 ฿63.5

93.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$16.53 MAD 152

$18.64 ฿609

-11.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.64 MAD 42.64

$7.82 ฿255

-40.66%

Cappuccino

$1.96 MAD 17.99

$1.95 ฿63.8

0.51%

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

$0.61 MAD 5.62

$0.85 ฿27.77

-28.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 MAD 2.88

$0.35 ฿11.58

-11.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 MAD 15.35

$2.13 ฿69.6

-21.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.62 MAD 14.84

$3.73 ฿122

-56.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.83 MAD 7.63

$1.71 ฿56.0

-51.46%

White Bread (500g)

$0.47 MAD 4.29

$1.63 ฿53.2

-71.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.49 MAD 13.65

$1.14 ฿37.15

30.70%

Eggs

$1.92 MAD 17.61

$1.93 ฿63.1

-0.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.10 MAD 65.2

$16.21 ฿530

-56.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.91 MAD 63.6

$3.12 ฿102

121.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.50 MAD 87.3

$10.90 ฿356

-12.84%

Apples (1kg)

$1.21 MAD 11.13

$2.75 ฿90.0

-56.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.24 MAD 11.41

$1.21 ฿39.52

2.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.83 MAD 7.64

$1.62 ฿53.0

-48.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.71 MAD 6.52

$1.59 ฿51.8

-55.35%

Potato (1kg)

$0.64 MAD 5.92

$1.40 ฿45.70

-54.29%

Onion (1kg)

$0.66 MAD 6.08

$1.17 ฿38.17

-43.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.43 MAD 3.93

$0.66 ฿21.60

-34.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 MAD 5.47

$0.53 ฿17.22

13.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.09 MAD 37.56

$4.69 ฿153

-12.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.98 MAD 73.3

$18.66 ฿609

-57.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.03 MAD 18.67

$1.80 ฿58.8

12.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.91 MAD 17.55

$3.23 ฿106

-40.87%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.47 MAD 4.32

$0.90 ฿29.26

-47.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.79 MAD 99.1

$19.21 ฿628

-43.83%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.58 MAD 5.29

$1.41 ฿45.91

-58.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.48 MAD 4.43

$1.29 ฿42.12

-62.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.39 MAD 58.7

$7.84 ฿256

-18.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.58 MAD 14.50

$1.27 ฿41.58

24.41%

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

$37.9K MAD 348.0K

$21.3K ฿694.9K

77.98%

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

$29.6K MAD 271.8K

$22.2K ฿725.4K

33.13%

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

$29.75 MAD 273

$69.1 ฿2,256

-56.93%

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

$10.93 MAD 100

$14.08 ฿460

-22.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.66 MAD 374

$18.00 ฿588

125.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.84 MAD 201

$41.06 ฿1,341

-46.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.39 MAD 49.50

$6.96 ฿227

-22.56%

Cinema Ticket

$3.87 MAD 35.54

$5.92 ฿193

-34.63%

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

$160 MAD 1,467

$299 ฿9,766

-46.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,763 MAD 34.6K

$15.0K ฿488.3K

-74.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$41.95 MAD 386

$54.7 ฿1,787

-23.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.23 MAD 324

$26.77 ฿874

31.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.1 MAD 892

$85.0 ฿2,776

14.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$38.73 MAD 356

$70.6 ฿2,306

-45.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$241 MAD 2,214

$428 ฿14.0K

-43.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$138 MAD 1,267

$237 ฿7,752

-41.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$453 MAD 4,163

$801 ฿26.2K

-43.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 MAD 2,176

$515 ฿16.8K

-54.07%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$946 MAD 8,695

$1,975 ฿64.5K

-52.08%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$592 MAD 5,440

$1,475 ฿48.2K

-59.87%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$463 MAD 4,251

$617 ฿20.2K

-25.08%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.81

-3.80%

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

Last update for Safi: June 1, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $241 in Safi versus $428 in Chiang Mai. 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 33% 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 $17.00 in Safi versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $173 vs $246 – making Safi 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

Safi vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 42% more than Safi, 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 $917 per month in Safi and $1,300 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $160 per month in Safi and $299 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 42% 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 $611 in Safi and $866 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Safi costs $611 versus $866 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 Safi. 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.