Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Saldus and Chiang Mai

For one person, living is cheaper in Chiang Mai: $935 a month against $1,120 in Saldus, rent and utilities included – about $2,200 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Saldus, Latvia
Chiang Mai, Thailand
Saldus
🇱🇻 Latvia
$1,120
/mo nomad
Chiang Mai
🇹🇭 Thailand
$935
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Saldus and in Chiang Mai

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Saldus and in Chiang Mai actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,120 per month in Saldus vs $935 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

  • Saldus $1,120
  • Chiang Mai $935

A couple spends around $1,714 per month in Saldus vs $1,467 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

  • Saldus $1,714
  • Chiang Mai $1,467

A family of three spends $2,309 per month in Saldus vs $1,999 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

  • Saldus $2,309
  • Chiang Mai $1,999

Saldus costs about 20% more than Chiang Mai, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Saldus and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Saldus 17% lower, Chiang Mai 31% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Saldus
Chiang Mai
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.54 €14.69
$2.13 ฿71.8
676.53%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$68.4 €60.7
$18.62 ฿626
267.24%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.45 €8.40
$5.60 ฿188
68.75%
Cappuccino
$3.76 €3.34
$1.66 ฿55.9
126.51%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.64 €1.46
$0.65 ฿21.75
152.31%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.16 €1.03
$0.30 ฿10.25
286.67%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.68 €5.04
$2.32 ฿78.1
144.83%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.18 €4.60
$3.67 ฿123
41.14%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Saldus
Chiang Mai
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.17 €1.04
$2.02 ฿67.8
-42.08%
White Bread (500g)
$1.43 €1.27
$1.41 ฿47.34
1.42%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.44 €2.17
$1.39 ฿46.79
75.54%
Eggs
$3.68 €3.27
$2.37 ฿79.6
55.27%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.54 €9.36
$16.52 ฿555
-36.20%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.45 €7.50
$2.67 ฿89.8
216.48%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.64 €12.11
$9.02 ฿303
51.22%
Apples (1kg)
$2.13 €1.89
$2.40 ฿80.6
-11.25%
Banana (1kg)
$1.73 €1.54
$1.04 ฿35.01
66.35%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.47 €2.20
$1.66 ฿55.8
48.80%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.14 €2.79
$1.56 ฿52.4
101.28%
Potato (1kg)
$0.87 €0.78
$1.24 ฿41.61
-29.84%
Onion (1kg)
$0.95 €0.84
$1.09 ฿36.53
-12.84%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.73 €1.54
$0.76 ฿25.61
127.63%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.91 €0.81
$0.51 ฿17.29
78.43%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.78 €6.02
$4.12 ฿139
64.56%
Wine (Bottle)
$8.03 €7.13
$17.93 ฿603
-55.21%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.98 €1.76
$1.62 ฿54.6
22.22%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.09 €1.86
$2.82 ฿94.9
-25.89%
🚌 Getting Around
Saldus
Chiang Mai
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
-
$0.93 ฿31.42
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$52.9 ฿1,778
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.43 €3.05
$1.18 ฿39.56
190.68%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.00 €0.89
$0.17 ฿5.76
488.24%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$17.57 €15.61
$1.81 ฿60.9
870.72%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.01 €1.79
$1.47 ฿49.51
36.73%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.9K €23.9K
$21.0K ฿706.4K
27.95%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$29.7K €26.4K
$26.5K ฿891.4K
12.11%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Saldus
Chiang Mai
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$377 €335
$62.6 ฿2,103
502.41%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$19.68 €17.48
$11.60 ฿390
69.66%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$20.05 €17.81
$20.30 ฿683
-1.23%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Saldus
Chiang Mai
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
-
$37.88 ฿1,274
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$3.70 ฿124
-
Cinema Ticket
$10.71 €9.52
$6.51 ฿219
64.52%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Saldus
Chiang Mai
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$720 €640
$727 ฿24.4K
-0.97%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$18.2K €16.2K
$16.6K ฿557.2K
10.07%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Saldus
Chiang Mai
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$68.1 €60.5
$53.5 ฿1,800
27.12%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$50.6 €44.98
$24.80 ฿834
104.19%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$84.8 €75.3
$90.4 ฿3,039
-6.16%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$136 €121
$72.0 ฿2,420
89.50%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Saldus
Chiang Mai
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
-
$481 ฿16.2K
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
-
$310 ฿10.4K
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
-
$1,058 ฿35.6K
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
-
$659 ฿22.1K
-
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
-
$2,418 ฿81.3K
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
-
$1,609 ฿54.1K
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Saldus
Chiang Mai
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$595 ฿20.0K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.77
5.57
-14.36%

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

Last update for Saldus: November 1, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: November 1, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Saldus
$417
Chiang Mai
$94 77.3% $322
Groceries & Markets
Saldus
$264
Chiang Mai
$237 10.5% $28
Eating Out
Saldus
$256
Chiang Mai
$77 70.1% $179
Clothing & Footwear
Saldus
$153
Chiang Mai
$108 29.2% $45
Sport & Entertainment
Saldus
$21 *
Chiang Mai
$51 138% $29
Getting Around
Saldus
$8.4 *
Chiang Mai
$59 597% $50
Accommodation & Living
Saldus
- *
Chiang Mai
$310

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $68 in Saldus versus $19 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $264 vs $237 – making Chiang Mai the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇱🇻 Saldus
🇹🇭 Chiang Mai
🕒 Local time
18:43 6:43 PM
23:43 11:43 PM
5 h ahead of Saldus
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
12,085
127,240
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Thai Baht THB ฿
Exchange rates and currency converter

THB, USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of November 4, 2026: 1 USD = 0.888 EUR (1 EUR = 1.13 USD).

Thai Baht exchange rates as of November 4, 2026: 1 USD = 33.62 THB (100 THB = 2.97 USD). 1 EUR = 37.69 THB (100 THB = 2.65 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Saldus Chiang Mai 7,450 km ≈ 10 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Saldus
  • Chiang Mai

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Saldus vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Saldus or Chiang Mai?
Saldus costs about 20% more than Chiang Mai, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from eating out. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Saldus and in Chiang Mai?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,679 per month in Saldus and $1,403 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do dining costs compare in Saldus and in Chiang Mai?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $68 in Saldus and $19 in Chiang Mai. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Are groceries more expensive in Saldus or in Chiang Mai?
Groceries cost about 12% more in Saldus, though the gap depends on what you buy.
Can you live on $800/month in Saldus or in Chiang Mai?
$800 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $1,120 in Saldus and $935 in Chiang Mai. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.
Which city offers a better quality of life: Saldus or Chiang Mai?
It depends on your priorities. Chiang Mai has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $935 in Chiang Mai to $1,120 in Saldus. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
How safe is Saldus compared to Chiang Mai?
Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.

Saldus vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities

Show times on the 12-hour clock, temperatures in °F and distances in miles?