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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,496 per month in Sala vs $852 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,234 per month in Sala vs $1,354 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,973 per month in Sala vs $1,857 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Sala costs about 76% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Sala sits 12% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 36% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.80 SEK 119

$1.96 ฿64.0

553.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.5 SEK 591

$18.81 ฿615

237.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.15 SEK 94.4

$7.92 ฿259

28.16%

Cappuccino

$3.18 SEK 29.55

$1.91 ฿62.6

66.49%

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

$1.83 SEK 17.05

$0.84 ฿27.41

117.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 SEK 22.99

$0.35 ฿11.51

605.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.29 SEK 67.8

$2.21 ฿72.1

229.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.56 SEK 70.4

$3.80 ฿124

98.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.83 SEK 17.06

$1.64 ฿53.5

11.59%

White Bread (500g)

$2.65 SEK 24.65

$1.62 ฿53.1

63.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.68 SEK 34.23

$1.18 ฿38.62

211.86%

Eggs

$4.07 SEK 37.86

$2.01 ฿65.8

102.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.73 SEK 109

$15.89 ฿520

-26.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.91 SEK 111

$3.01 ฿98.5

295.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.92 SEK 148

$10.77 ฿352

47.82%

Apples (1kg)

$3.02 SEK 28.10

$2.61 ฿85.5

15.71%

Banana (1kg)

$2.70 SEK 25.11

$1.22 ฿39.88

121.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.72 SEK 25.33

$1.70 ฿55.7

60.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.14 SEK 47.78

$1.58 ฿51.5

225.32%

Potato (1kg)

$1.52 SEK 14.13

$1.32 ฿43.14

15.15%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 SEK 11.13

$1.17 ฿38.23

2.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.72 SEK 25.32

$0.67 ฿21.98

305.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 SEK 9.91

$0.56 ฿18.32

91.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.55 SEK 70.3

$4.53 ฿148

66.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.47 SEK 60.2

$18.20 ฿595

-64.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.48 SEK 23.03

$1.83 ฿60.0

35.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.88 SEK 17.52

$3.23 ฿106

-41.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.22 SEK 29.90

$0.89 ฿29.00

261.80%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.91 SEK 204

$19.38 ฿634

13.05%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.25 SEK 58.2

$1.35 ฿44.20

362.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.66 SEK 15.44

$1.35 ฿44.05

22.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$21.07 SEK 196

$8.25 ฿270

155.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.98 SEK 18.40

$1.27 ฿41.64

55.91%

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

$42.7K SEK 396.7K

$21.2K ฿691.8K

101.63%

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

$34.4K SEK 319.7K

$22.5K ฿735.3K

52.86%

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

$88.1 SEK 819

$70.2 ฿2,294

25.55%

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

$21.33 SEK 198

$13.77 ฿450

54.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.05 SEK 345

$17.60 ฿575

110.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.76 SEK 453

$41.57 ฿1,360

17.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.11 SEK 196

$6.60 ฿216

219.85%

Cinema Ticket

$19.10 SEK 178

$5.78 ฿189

230.45%

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

$147 SEK 1,367

$306 ฿10.0K

-52.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,286 SEK 12.0K

$14.8K ฿484.8K

-91.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.81 SEK 445

$54.4 ฿1,778

-12.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.57 SEK 340

$26.14 ฿855

39.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$55.6 SEK 517

$84.5 ฿2,764

-34.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$58.8 SEK 547

$69.4 ฿2,270

-15.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$755 SEK 7,022

$424 ฿13.9K

78.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$534 SEK 4,965

$238 ฿7,788

124.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$984 SEK 9,154

$825 ฿27.0K

19.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$720 SEK 6,697

$515 ฿16.8K

39.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,275 SEK 39.8K

$2,049 ฿67.0K

108.62%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,074 SEK 28.6K

$1,523 ฿49.8K

101.86%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,601 SEK 24.2K

$635 ฿20.8K

309.53%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.53

-9.40%

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

Last update for Sala: April 27, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $755 in Sala versus $424 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 310% higher in Sala, 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 $63.0 in Sala versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $346 vs $243 – 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

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

Sala costs about 76% 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 $2,244 per month in Sala and $1,278 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Chiang Mai, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $147 per month in Sala and $306 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 42% more in Sala, 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 $852, than in Sala at $1,496. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Sala it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $852 versus $1,496 in Sala. 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, Sala makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.