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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $960 per month in Saham vs $947 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,432 per month in Saham vs $1,411 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,904 per month in Saham vs $1,874 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Saham costs about 1% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Saham and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Saham 30% lower, Chiang Mai 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.32 OMR 2.05

$2.08 ฿68.6

155.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.16 OMR 12.77

$19.64 ฿646

68.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.96 OMR 3.07

$5.65 ฿186

40.88%

Cappuccino

$4.90 OMR 1.89

$1.81 ฿59.4

170.72%

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

$0.85 OMR 0.33

$0.71 ฿23.45

19.72%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 OMR 0.11

$0.32 ฿10.38

-9.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$12.87 OMR 4.95

$2.24 ฿73.6

474.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$13.25 OMR 5.10

$3.63 ฿119

265.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 OMR 0.87

$1.96 ฿64.4

15.31%

White Bread (500g)

$1.24 OMR 0.48

$1.50 ฿49.39

-17.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 OMR 0.73

$1.34 ฿43.93

42.54%

Eggs

$2.84 OMR 1.09

$2.26 ฿74.5

25.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.55 OMR 2.91

$16.26 ฿535

-53.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.71 OMR 2.58

$2.95 ฿97.1

127.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.72 OMR 4.13

$9.94 ฿327

7.85%

Apples (1kg)

$3.53 OMR 1.36

$2.57 ฿84.6

37.35%

Banana (1kg)

$1.91 OMR 0.73

$1.06 ฿34.73

80.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.30 OMR 0.89

$1.61 ฿53.0

42.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.24 OMR 0.48

$1.52 ฿49.97

-18.42%

Potato (1kg)

$1.19 OMR 0.46

$1.27 ฿41.77

-6.30%

Onion (1kg)

$1.29 OMR 0.50

$1.07 ฿35.06

20.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.84 OMR 0.71

$0.72 ฿23.68

155.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.62 OMR 0.24

$0.51 ฿16.72

21.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.60 OMR 2.54

$4.19 ฿138

57.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.65 OMR 6.03

$17.87 ฿587

-12.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$5.56 OMR 2.14

$1.69 ฿55.7

228.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.69 OMR 3.34

$2.84 ฿93.3

205.99%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.93 ฿30.43

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.9 ฿1,771

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.21 OMR 1.24

$1.23 ฿40.59

160.98%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.53 OMR 0.97

$0.58 ฿18.96

336.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.76 OMR 2.99

$2.42 ฿79.7

220.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.59 OMR 0.23

$1.41 ฿46.43

-58.16%

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

$25.9K OMR 9,975

$21.4K ฿705.1K

20.83%

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

$22.3K OMR 8,593

$27.3K ฿898.7K

-18.35%

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

$170 OMR 65.4

$63.7 ฿2,093

166.78%

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

$31.30 OMR 12.05

$12.85 ฿423

143.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$71.5 OMR 27.53

$20.22 ฿665

253.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.74 ฿1,274

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.97 ฿130

Cinema Ticket

$10.29 OMR 3.96

$6.74 ฿222

52.67%

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

$286 OMR 110

$778 ฿25.6K

-63.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K OMR 4,025

$14.6K ฿480.4K

-28.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.3 OMR 22.07

$54.3 ฿1,785

5.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.21 OMR 16.64

$25.45 ฿837

69.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.6 OMR 35.25

$94.3 ฿3,102

-2.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$94.1 OMR 36.21

$73.4 ฿2,415

28.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$289 ฿9,512

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$894 ฿29.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$517 ฿17.0K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,955 ฿64.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,477 ฿48.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿19.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.25

5.57

-5.75%

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

Last update for Saham: August 31, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Saham versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $284 vs $240 – making Chiang Mai 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

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

Saham costs about 1% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,440 per month in Saham and $1,421 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Saham and $20.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 18% more in Saham, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $947, than in Saham at $960. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Saham it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $947 versus $960 in Saham. 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 Chiang Mai. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Saham makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.