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 $600 per month in Safi vs $932 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $933 per month in Safi vs $1,399 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,266 per month in Safi vs $1,866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Safi is about 36% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Safi and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Safi 56% lower, Chiang Mai 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.24 MAD 30.70

$2.08 ฿69.5

55.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.04 MAD 200

$19.61 ฿655

7.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.86 MAD 46.10

$5.67 ฿189

-14.29%

Cappuccino

$1.56 MAD 14.83

$1.81 ฿60.3

-13.81%

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

$0.61 MAD 5.81

$0.77 ฿25.65

-20.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 MAD 3.55

$0.35 ฿11.53

5.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.55 MAD 14.71

$2.21 ฿73.9

-29.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.60 MAD 15.21

$3.79 ฿127

-57.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.88 MAD 8.39

$2.05 ฿68.4

-57.07%

White Bread (500g)

$0.47 MAD 4.46

$1.51 ฿50.6

-68.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.59 MAD 15.11

$1.40 ฿46.69

13.57%

Eggs

$1.82 MAD 17.23

$2.26 ฿75.4

-19.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.14 MAD 67.7

$16.19 ฿540

-55.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.55 MAD 62.1

$2.90 ฿96.7

125.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.88 MAD 84.2

$9.42 ฿314

-5.73%

Apples (1kg)

$1.19 MAD 11.28

$2.68 ฿89.4

-55.60%

Banana (1kg)

$1.13 MAD 10.67

$1.09 ฿36.37

3.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.84 MAD 7.94

$1.62 ฿54.0

-48.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.72 MAD 6.83

$1.46 ฿48.74

-50.68%

Potato (1kg)

$0.62 MAD 5.85

$1.28 ฿42.65

-51.56%

Onion (1kg)

$0.77 MAD 7.29

$1.06 ฿35.31

-27.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.41 MAD 3.92

$0.72 ฿23.94

-43.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 MAD 5.58

$0.53 ฿17.56

11.32%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.94 MAD 37.37

$4.23 ฿141

-6.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.70 MAD 73.0

$18.29 ฿611

-57.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.98 MAD 18.75

$1.63 ฿54.4

21.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.86 MAD 17.68

$2.90 ฿96.8

-35.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.45 MAD 4.25

$0.88 ฿29.32

-48.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.44 MAD 99.0

$53.8 ฿1,795

-80.58%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.69 MAD 6.50

$1.17 ฿39.14

-41.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.54 MAD 5.16

$0.58 ฿19.30

-6.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.49 MAD 61.5

$2.39 ฿79.6

171.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.51 MAD 14.29

$1.45 ฿48.41

4.14%

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

$34.8K MAD 329.9K

$21.0K ฿701.4K

65.55%

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

$32.3K MAD 306.1K

$26.4K ฿882.0K

22.15%

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

$35.87 MAD 340

$63.7 ฿2,125

-43.64%

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

$10.28 MAD 97.5

$12.89 ฿430

-20.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.79 MAD 320

$20.52 ฿685

64.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$19.18 MAD 182

$39.02 ฿1,302

-50.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.26 MAD 49.87

$3.92 ฿131

34.18%

Cinema Ticket

$3.79 MAD 35.97

$6.58 ฿220

-42.40%

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

$99.4 MAD 942

$784 ฿26.2K

-87.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,665 MAD 34.8K

$14.7K ฿489.8K

-75.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$39.95 MAD 379

$55.1 ฿1,840

-27.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.76 MAD 330

$24.74 ฿826

40.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.9 MAD 852

$94.1 ฿3,142

-4.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$36.39 MAD 345

$74.0 ฿2,469

-50.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$293 MAD 2,782

$490 ฿16.4K

-40.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$140 MAD 1,324

$288 ฿9,620

-51.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 MAD 4,524

$891 ฿29.8K

-46.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$248 MAD 2,349

$521 ฿17.4K

-52.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$918 MAD 8,702

$1,974 ฿65.9K

-53.51%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$571 MAD 5,416

$1,444 ฿48.2K

-60.46%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$457 MAD 4,332

$602 ฿20.1K

-24.07%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.52

5.57

-18.85%

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

Last update for Safi: September 13, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $293 in Safi versus $490 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 32% 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 $21.00 in Safi versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $169 in Safi vs $241 in Chiang Mai – so Safi wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 55% 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 $900 per month in Safi and $1,398 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 $99.4 per month in Safi and $784 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 43% 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 Safi, where all-in costs run around $600, than in Chiang Mai at $932. In Safi 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. Safi costs $600 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 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.