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

Name: Chiang Mai
Address: Chiang Mai, TH

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $779 per month in Sale vs $869 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,232 per month in Sale vs $1,362 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,684 per month in Sale vs $1,855 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Sale is about 10% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Sale and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Sale 42% lower, Chiang Mai 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.55 MAD 42.09

$1.98 ฿64.3

129.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.89 MAD 304

$18.80 ฿612

74.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.80 MAD 62.9

$7.75 ฿252

-12.26%

Cappuccino

$1.98 MAD 18.35

$1.92 ฿62.5

3.13%

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

$0.69 MAD 6.36

$0.79 ฿25.79

-12.66%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 MAD 3.73

$0.36 ฿11.62

11.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.42 MAD 50.2

$2.21 ฿72.1

145.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.20 MAD 38.88

$3.66 ฿119

14.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.95 MAD 8.79

$1.65 ฿53.8

-42.42%

White Bread (500g)

$0.57 MAD 5.31

$1.63 ฿53.2

-65.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.87 MAD 17.26

$1.19 ฿38.86

57.14%

Eggs

$1.96 MAD 18.17

$2.00 ฿65.1

-2.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.06 MAD 121

$15.98 ฿520

-18.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.01 MAD 55.6

$3.03 ฿98.5

98.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.03 MAD 111

$10.86 ฿354

10.77%

Apples (1kg)

$1.52 MAD 14.06

$2.76 ฿90.0

-44.93%

Banana (1kg)

$1.32 MAD 12.23

$1.18 ฿38.42

11.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.92 MAD 8.50

$1.64 ฿53.5

-43.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.89 MAD 8.21

$1.52 ฿49.51

-41.45%

Potato (1kg)

$0.80 MAD 7.38

$1.38 ฿45.10

-42.03%

Onion (1kg)

$0.80 MAD 7.45

$1.19 ฿38.84

-32.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.39 MAD 3.62

$0.70 ฿22.86

-44.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 MAD 5.44

$0.56 ฿18.13

5.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.36 MAD 40.30

$4.58 ฿149

-4.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.84 MAD 44.74

$16.56 ฿539

-70.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.72 MAD 25.20

$1.83 ฿59.5

48.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 MAD 22.86

$3.20 ฿104

-22.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.57 MAD 5.27

$0.88 ฿28.56

-35.23%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.11 MAD 232

$18.72 ฿610

34.13%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.53 MAD 4.86

$1.36 ฿44.16

-61.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.48 MAD 4.40

$1.34 ฿43.65

-64.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.32 MAD 39.93

$7.84 ฿256

-44.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.52 MAD 14.04

$1.23 ฿39.92

23.58%

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

$37.3K MAD 344.9K

$21.6K ฿704.3K

72.45%

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

$29.6K MAD 273.8K

$22.5K ฿734.3K

31.27%

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

$32.93 MAD 305

$70.5 ฿2,298

-53.32%

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

$11.00 MAD 102

$13.68 ฿445

-19.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$45.34 MAD 419

$17.45 ฿568

159.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$14.22 MAD 132

$41.33 ฿1,346

-65.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.46 MAD 217

$6.96 ฿227

237.07%

Cinema Ticket

$6.41 MAD 59.3

$5.77 ฿188

11.09%

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

$113 MAD 1,044

$307 ฿10.0K

-63.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,442 MAD 59.6K

$14.6K ฿475.9K

-55.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$43.49 MAD 402

$55.8 ฿1,817

-22.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.8 MAD 470

$26.21 ฿854

93.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$107 MAD 994

$85.8 ฿2,793

25.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$98.8 MAD 914

$72.2 ฿2,353

36.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$282 MAD 2,611

$430 ฿14.0K

-34.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$175 MAD 1,619

$239 ฿7,774

-26.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$511 MAD 4,724

$817 ฿26.6K

-37.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$303 MAD 2,800

$511 ฿16.6K

-40.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,208 MAD 11.2K

$1,983 ฿64.6K

-39.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$880 MAD 8,143

$1,484 ฿48.3K

-40.68%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$533 MAD 4,934

$619 ฿20.2K

-13.80%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.81

-3.80%

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

Last update for Sale: June 7, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $282 in Sale versus $430 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 16% higher in Chiang Mai, 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 $33.00 in Sale versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $200 in Sale vs $241 in Chiang Mai – so Sale 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

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

Chiang Mai costs about 11% more than Sale, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,169 per month in Sale and $1,303 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $113 per month in Sale and $307 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 20% 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 $779 in Sale and $869 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Sale costs $779 versus $869 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 Sale. 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.