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

Name: Chiang Mai
Address: Chiang Mai, TH

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $817 per month in Saham vs $866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,208 per month in Saham vs $1,351 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,598 per month in Saham vs $1,835 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Saham is about 6% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Saham and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Saham 39% lower, Chiang Mai 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.14 OMR 1.98

$1.94 ฿63.5

164.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.89 OMR 9.97

$18.64 ฿609

38.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.01 OMR 3.08

$7.82 ฿255

2.43%

Cappuccino

$4.79 OMR 1.84

$1.95 ฿63.8

145.64%

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

$1.02 OMR 0.39

$0.85 ฿27.77

20.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 OMR 0.12

$0.35 ฿11.58

-8.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$12.45 OMR 4.79

$2.13 ฿69.6

484.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$11.67 OMR 4.49

$3.73 ฿122

212.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.92 OMR 0.74

$1.71 ฿56.0

12.28%

White Bread (500g)

$1.18 OMR 0.45

$1.63 ฿53.2

-27.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.67 OMR 0.64

$1.14 ฿37.15

46.49%

Eggs

$2.45 OMR 0.94

$1.93 ฿63.1

26.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.68 OMR 1.42

$16.21 ฿530

-77.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.97 OMR 1.91

$3.12 ฿102

59.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.41 OMR 3.24

$10.90 ฿356

-22.84%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 OMR 1.00

$2.75 ฿90.0

-5.45%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 OMR 0.66

$1.21 ฿39.52

41.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.86 OMR 0.72

$1.62 ฿53.0

14.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.14 OMR 0.44

$1.59 ฿51.8

-28.30%

Potato (1kg)

$0.96 OMR 0.37

$1.40 ฿45.70

-31.43%

Onion (1kg)

$0.97 OMR 0.37

$1.17 ฿38.17

-17.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.09 OMR 0.42

$0.66 ฿21.60

65.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 OMR 0.22

$0.53 ฿17.22

5.66%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.48 OMR 2.50

$4.69 ฿153

38.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.43 OMR 5.94

$18.66 ฿609

-17.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.20 OMR 1.62

$1.80 ฿58.8

133.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.98 OMR 3.07

$3.23 ฿106

147.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.26

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 OMR 1.22

$1.41 ฿45.91

125.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 OMR 0.31

$1.29 ฿42.12

-36.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.30 OMR 3.96

$7.84 ฿256

31.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.60 OMR 0.23

$1.27 ฿41.58

-52.76%

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

$23.2K OMR 8,926

$21.3K ฿694.9K

8.96%

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

$21.3K OMR 8,198

$22.2K ฿725.4K

-4.13%

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

$106 OMR 40.72

$69.1 ฿2,256

53.13%

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

$40.95 OMR 15.76

$14.08 ฿460

190.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.5 OMR 27.13

$18.00 ฿588

291.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,341

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

Cinema Ticket

$10.34 OMR 3.98

$5.92 ฿193

74.66%

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

$193 OMR 74.2

$299 ฿9,766

-35.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.0K OMR 3,865

$15.0K ฿488.3K

-32.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.9 OMR 19.59

$54.7 ฿1,787

-6.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.91 OMR 14.98

$26.77 ฿874

45.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.5 OMR 30.97

$85.0 ฿2,776

-5.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.4 OMR 34.40

$70.6 ฿2,306

26.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,752

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.15

3.00%

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

Last update for Saham: May 31, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $26.00 in Saham versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $229 in Saham vs $246 in Chiang Mai – so Saham 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

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

Chiang Mai costs about 6% more than Saham, 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 $1,226 per month in Saham and $1,300 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 $26.00 in Saham and $19.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 8% 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.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $817 in Saham and $866 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Saham costs $817 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 Saham. 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.