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 $642 per month in Sale vs $932 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,074 per month in Sale vs $1,399 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,506 per month in Sale vs $1,866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Sale is about 31% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Sale and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Sale 53% lower, Chiang Mai 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.58 MAD 34.04

$2.08 ฿69.2

72.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.60 MAD 177

$19.61 ฿652

-5.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 MAD 69.8

$5.67 ฿189

29.45%

Cappuccino

$1.87 MAD 17.79

$1.81 ฿60.0

3.31%

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

$0.67 MAD 6.38

$0.77 ฿25.55

-12.99%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 MAD 3.12

$0.35 ฿11.48

-5.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.68 MAD 25.53

$2.21 ฿73.6

21.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.13 MAD 29.72

$3.79 ฿126

-17.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.92 MAD 8.71

$2.05 ฿68.1

-55.12%

White Bread (500g)

$0.67 MAD 6.38

$1.51 ฿50.4

-55.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.93 MAD 18.34

$1.40 ฿46.51

37.86%

Eggs

$1.94 MAD 18.41

$2.26 ฿75.1

-14.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.66 MAD 111

$16.19 ฿538

-27.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.64 MAD 63.1

$2.90 ฿96.3

128.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.48 MAD 119

$9.42 ฿313

32.48%

Apples (1kg)

$1.38 MAD 13.13

$2.68 ฿89.1

-48.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.26 MAD 12.02

$1.09 ฿36.23

15.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.86 MAD 8.16

$1.62 ฿53.8

-46.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.85 MAD 8.10

$1.46 ฿48.55

-41.78%

Potato (1kg)

$0.70 MAD 6.66

$1.28 ฿42.48

-45.31%

Onion (1kg)

$0.75 MAD 7.14

$1.06 ฿35.17

-29.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.44 MAD 4.21

$0.72 ฿23.85

-38.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 MAD 5.65

$0.53 ฿17.49

11.32%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.93 MAD 37.38

$4.23 ฿141

-7.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.67 MAD 44.45

$18.29 ฿608

-74.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.24 MAD 21.27

$1.63 ฿54.2

37.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 MAD 21.13

$2.90 ฿96.5

-23.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.56 MAD 5.36

$0.88 ฿29.20

-36.36%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.91 MAD 227

$53.8 ฿1,788

-55.53%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.71 MAD 6.73

$1.17 ฿38.99

-39.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.55 MAD 5.22

$0.58 ฿19.22

-5.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.31 MAD 41.01

$2.39 ฿79.3

80.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 MAD 14.02

$1.45 ฿48.22

1.38%

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

$34.6K MAD 329.2K

$21.0K ฿698.6K

64.80%

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

$31.3K MAD 297.4K

$26.4K ฿878.6K

18.37%

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

$39.29 MAD 374

$63.7 ฿2,116

-38.27%

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

$10.74 MAD 102

$12.89 ฿429

-16.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.24 MAD 402

$20.52 ฿682

105.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$16.93 MAD 161

$39.02 ฿1,297

-56.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$41.72 MAD 397

$3.92 ฿130

964.29%

Cinema Ticket

$5.17 MAD 49.15

$6.58 ฿219

-21.43%

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

$105 MAD 997

$784 ฿26.1K

-86.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,986 MAD 56.9K

$14.7K ฿487.9K

-59.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$33.21 MAD 316

$55.1 ฿1,833

-39.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.35 MAD 450

$24.74 ฿823

91.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$73.5 MAD 699

$94.1 ฿3,130

-21.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$67.5 MAD 642

$74.0 ฿2,459

-8.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$214 MAD 2,039

$490 ฿16.3K

-56.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$108 MAD 1,023

$288 ฿9,582

-62.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$368 MAD 3,496

$891 ฿29.6K

-58.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$263 MAD 2,496

$521 ฿17.3K

-49.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,159 MAD 11.0K

$1,974 ฿65.6K

-41.27%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$847 MAD 8,058

$1,444 ฿48.0K

-41.32%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$535 MAD 5,085

$602 ฿20.0K

-11.10%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

-10.23%

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

Last update for Sale: September 14, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $214 in Sale versus $490 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 12% 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 $19.00 in Sale versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $197 vs $241 – making Sale 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

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

Chiang Mai costs about 45% 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 $963 per month in Sale and $1,398 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 $105 per month in Sale and $784 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 23% 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.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Sale, where all-in costs run around $642, than in Chiang Mai at $932. In Sale it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiang Mai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Sale costs $642 versus $932 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.