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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,060 per month in Saku vs $866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,654 per month in Saku vs $1,351 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,248 per month in Saku vs $1,835 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Saku costs about 22% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Saku and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Saku 21% lower, Chiang Mai 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.29 €14.01

$1.94 ฿63.5

739.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.5 €60.7

$18.64 ฿609

278.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.51 €8.18

$7.82 ฿255

21.61%

Cappuccino

$3.76 €3.24

$1.95 ฿63.8

92.82%

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

$2.58 €2.22

$0.85 ฿27.77

203.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 €2.22

$0.35 ฿11.58

637.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.14 €4.42

$2.13 ฿69.6

141.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.85 €5.03

$3.73 ฿122

56.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.28 €1.10

$1.71 ฿56.0

-25.15%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 €1.21

$1.63 ฿53.2

-13.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.27 €1.96

$1.14 ฿37.15

99.12%

Eggs

$2.87 €2.47

$1.93 ฿63.1

48.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.57 €10.81

$16.21 ฿530

-22.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.52 €7.33

$3.12 ฿102

173.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.48 €9.87

$10.90 ฿356

5.32%

Apples (1kg)

$1.92 €1.65

$2.75 ฿90.0

-30.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.53 €1.32

$1.21 ฿39.52

26.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.45 €2.11

$1.62 ฿53.0

51.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.50 €2.15

$1.59 ฿51.8

57.23%

Potato (1kg)

$1.03 €0.89

$1.40 ฿45.70

-26.43%

Onion (1kg)

$0.98 €0.84

$1.17 ฿38.17

-16.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.94 €1.67

$0.66 ฿21.60

193.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.01 €0.87

$0.53 ฿17.22

90.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.41 €5.52

$4.69 ฿153

36.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.71 €9.21

$18.66 ฿609

-42.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.91 €1.64

$1.80 ฿58.8

6.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.11 €1.82

$3.23 ฿106

-34.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.26

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.37 €2.90

$1.41 ฿45.91

139.01%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.75 €0.65

$1.29 ฿42.12

-41.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.19 €14.79

$7.84 ฿256

119.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.85 €1.59

$1.27 ฿41.58

45.67%

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

$29.4K €25.3K

$21.3K ฿694.9K

38.32%

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

$30.5K €26.3K

$22.2K ฿725.4K

37.53%

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

$269 €231

$69.1 ฿2,256

288.78%

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

$20.12 €17.31

$14.08 ฿460

42.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.35 €31.27

$18.00 ฿588

101.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,341

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

Cinema Ticket

$11.69 €10.05

$5.92 ฿193

97.47%

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

$116 €99.5

$299 ฿9,766

-61.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,882 €6,781

$15.0K ฿488.3K

-47.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$114 €97.7

$54.7 ฿1,787

107.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.00 €33.55

$26.77 ฿874

45.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.5 €84.7

$85.0 ฿2,776

15.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 €93.9

$70.6 ฿2,306

54.62%

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)

$4,269 €3,672

$1,975 ฿64.5K

116.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,761 €2,375

$1,475 ฿48.2K

87.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,884 €1,621

$617 ฿20.2K

205.16%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.3

-14.00%

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

Last update for Saku: May 31, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 205% higher in Saku, 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 $71.0 in Saku versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $263 vs $246 – 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

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

Saku costs about 22% 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 $1,590 per month in Saku 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 $71.0 in Saku 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 7% more in Saku, 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 $1,060 in Saku and $866 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $866 versus $1,060 in Saku. 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, Saku makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.