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 $776 per month in Sale vs $852 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,256 per month in Sale vs $1,360 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,736 per month in Sale vs $1,867 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Sale is about 9% 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 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.59 MAD 42.83

$2.04 ฿68.2

125.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.67 MAD 305

$18.71 ฿624

74.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.88 MAD 64.2

$7.86 ฿262

-12.47%

Cappuccino

$2.05 MAD 19.08

$2.03 ฿67.7

0.99%

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

$0.65 MAD 6.03

$0.80 ฿26.64

-18.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 MAD 3.75

$0.35 ฿11.68

14.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.42 MAD 50.5

$2.14 ฿71.5

153.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.13 MAD 38.54

$3.67 ฿122

12.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.89 MAD 8.31

$1.73 ฿57.6

-48.55%

White Bread (500g)

$0.55 MAD 5.11

$1.57 ฿52.4

-64.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.94 MAD 18.08

$1.20 ฿39.99

61.67%

Eggs

$2.07 MAD 19.27

$1.97 ฿65.8

5.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.87 MAD 120

$16.23 ฿541

-20.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.26 MAD 58.4

$3.06 ฿102

104.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.61 MAD 108

$10.80 ฿360

7.50%

Apples (1kg)

$1.57 MAD 14.64

$2.77 ฿92.3

-43.32%

Banana (1kg)

$1.33 MAD 12.43

$1.17 ฿38.94

13.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.94 MAD 8.79

$1.71 ฿57.0

-45.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.89 MAD 8.34

$1.59 ฿53.2

-44.03%

Potato (1kg)

$0.75 MAD 6.98

$1.39 ฿46.51

-46.04%

Onion (1kg)

$0.76 MAD 7.08

$1.16 ฿38.56

-34.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.43 MAD 3.97

$0.66 ฿22.05

-34.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.64 MAD 5.97

$0.52 ฿17.31

23.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.29 MAD 40.05

$4.65 ฿155

-7.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.80 MAD 44.71

$17.78 ฿593

-73.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.74 MAD 25.50

$1.79 ฿59.6

53.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 MAD 23.06

$3.34 ฿111

-26.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.53 MAD 4.99

$0.91 ฿30.27

-41.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$24.24 MAD 226

$18.64 ฿622

30.04%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.54 MAD 5.03

$1.41 ฿47.04

-61.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.52 MAD 4.85

$1.34 ฿44.70

-61.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.29 MAD 40.01

$8.11 ฿270

-47.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.53 MAD 14.23

$1.23 ฿41.16

24.39%

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

$37.6K MAD 351.0K

$21.4K ฿715.1K

75.60%

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

$29.8K MAD 277.7K

$21.8K ฿728.0K

36.49%

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

$33.53 MAD 313

$71.3 ฿2,379

-52.99%

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

$11.05 MAD 103

$14.01 ฿467

-21.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$46.02 MAD 429

$17.93 ฿598

156.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$14.63 MAD 136

$40.82 ฿1,362

-64.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.77 MAD 212

$6.88 ฿230

230.96%

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 MAD 60.7

$5.72 ฿191

13.81%

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

$111 MAD 1,039

$308 ฿10.3K

-63.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,308 MAD 58.8K

$14.7K ฿489.7K

-57.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$41.92 MAD 391

$55.8 ฿1,860

-24.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.7 MAD 473

$26.04 ฿869

94.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 MAD 991

$84.8 ฿2,829

25.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$98.0 MAD 914

$71.0 ฿2,368

38.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$286 MAD 2,664

$423 ฿14.1K

-32.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$177 MAD 1,649

$242 ฿8,088

-27.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$505 MAD 4,709

$797 ฿26.6K

-36.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$302 MAD 2,818

$507 ฿16.9K

-40.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,198 MAD 11.2K

$1,918 ฿64.0K

-37.53%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$853 MAD 7,951

$1,464 ฿48.8K

-41.75%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 MAD 5,046

$595 ฿19.9K

-9.06%

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: July 26, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $286 in Sale versus $423 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 10% 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 – $201 in Sale vs $244 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 10% 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 $1,165 per month in Sale and $1,279 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 $111 per month in Sale and $308 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 22% 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 $776 in Sale and $852 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Sale costs $776 versus $852 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.