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 $619 per month in Safi vs $861 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $948 per month in Safi vs $1,350 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,277 per month in Safi vs $1,838 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Safi is about 28% 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 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.95 MAD 36.81

$1.96 ฿65.9

101.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$16.24 MAD 151

$18.35 ฿617

-11.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.70 MAD 43.82

$7.48 ฿252

-37.17%

Cappuccino

$1.96 MAD 18.25

$2.02 ฿67.8

-2.97%

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

$0.62 MAD 5.79

$0.85 ฿28.52

-27.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 MAD 2.96

$0.36 ฿11.97

-11.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.65 MAD 15.41

$2.14 ฿71.9

-22.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.66 MAD 15.44

$3.59 ฿121

-53.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.87 MAD 8.07

$1.65 ฿55.5

-47.27%

White Bread (500g)

$0.50 MAD 4.71

$1.57 ฿52.7

-68.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.53 MAD 14.27

$1.19 ฿40.05

28.57%

Eggs

$1.87 MAD 17.47

$1.94 ฿65.1

-3.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.39 MAD 68.9

$16.19 ฿545

-54.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.81 MAD 63.5

$2.99 ฿101

127.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.58 MAD 89.3

$10.94 ฿368

-12.43%

Apples (1kg)

$1.27 MAD 11.85

$2.71 ฿91.2

-53.14%

Banana (1kg)

$1.20 MAD 11.17

$1.17 ฿39.27

2.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.77 MAD 7.17

$1.69 ฿56.8

-54.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.71 MAD 6.65

$1.60 ฿54.0

-55.63%

Potato (1kg)

$0.67 MAD 6.28

$1.38 ฿46.56

-51.45%

Onion (1kg)

$0.70 MAD 6.52

$1.20 ฿40.47

-41.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.42 MAD 3.92

$0.67 ฿22.51

-37.31%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.64 MAD 5.95

$0.56 ฿18.74

14.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.13 MAD 38.56

$4.64 ฿156

-10.99%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.63 MAD 71.2

$17.62 ฿593

-56.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.98 MAD 18.50

$1.86 ฿62.6

6.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.94 MAD 18.07

$3.30 ฿111

-41.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MAD 4.77

$0.88 ฿29.70

-42.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.85 MAD 101

$19.34 ฿651

-43.90%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.53 MAD 4.95

$1.36 ฿45.92

-61.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.51 MAD 4.80

$1.34 ฿45.00

-61.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.62 MAD 61.8

$8.21 ฿276

-19.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.59 MAD 14.81

$1.22 ฿41.20

30.33%

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

$36.8K MAD 343.1K

$21.4K ฿718.5K

72.30%

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

$30.0K MAD 279.4K

$22.5K ฿758.1K

33.00%

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

$29.16 MAD 272

$70.7 ฿2,378

-58.74%

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

$11.26 MAD 105

$14.04 ฿472

-19.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.37 MAD 376

$17.49 ฿589

130.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.73 MAD 203

$42.15 ฿1,418

-48.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.56 MAD 51.8

$6.88 ฿231

-19.19%

Cinema Ticket

$3.94 MAD 36.73

$5.92 ฿199

-33.45%

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

$160 MAD 1,491

$309 ฿10.4K

-48.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,729 MAD 34.8K

$14.9K ฿500.7K

-74.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.18 MAD 393

$55.8 ฿1,876

-24.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.17 MAD 337

$26.11 ฿879

38.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.5 MAD 918

$83.0 ฿2,793

18.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$38.95 MAD 363

$70.5 ฿2,371

-44.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$245 MAD 2,288

$432 ฿14.5K

-43.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$141 MAD 1,313

$239 ฿8,040

-41.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$454 MAD 4,234

$822 ฿27.7K

-44.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$240 MAD 2,239

$512 ฿17.2K

-53.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$920 MAD 8,575

$1,915 ฿64.4K

-51.97%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$561 MAD 5,232

$1,467 ฿49.4K

-61.76%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$458 MAD 4,268

$579 ฿19.5K

-21.00%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $245 in Safi versus $432 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 27% 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 $16.00 in Safi versus $18.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $174 vs $243 – 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 39% 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 $928 per month in Safi and $1,292 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 $309 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 40% 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 $619 in Safi and $861 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Safi costs $619 versus $861 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.