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

Name: Chiang Mai
Address: Chiang Mai, TH

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $795 per month in Salto vs $932 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,240 per month in Salto vs $1,399 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,684 per month in Salto vs $1,866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Salto is about 15% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Salto and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Salto 42% lower, Chiang Mai 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.99 R$35.94

$2.08 ฿69.3

236.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.79 R$138

$19.61 ฿653

36.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.72 R$34.56

$5.67 ฿189

18.52%

Cappuccino

$1.87 R$9.59

$1.81 ฿60.1

3.31%

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

$1.10 R$5.66

$0.77 ฿25.58

42.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 R$3.95

$0.35 ฿11.49

120.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.62 R$13.46

$2.21 ฿73.7

18.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.94 R$15.14

$3.79 ฿126

-22.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 R$5.42

$2.05 ฿68.2

-48.78%

White Bread (500g)

$1.60 R$8.22

$1.51 ฿50.4

5.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.17 R$6.01

$1.40 ฿46.57

-16.43%

Eggs

$2.65 R$13.62

$2.26 ฿75.2

17.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.75 R$44.97

$16.19 ฿539

-45.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.59 R$18.47

$2.90 ฿96.4

23.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.49 R$48.82

$9.42 ฿314

0.74%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 R$14.20

$2.68 ฿89.2

2.99%

Banana (1kg)

$1.77 R$9.11

$1.09 ฿36.28

62.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.82 R$9.34

$1.62 ฿53.8

12.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.82 R$9.36

$1.46 ฿48.61

24.66%

Potato (1kg)

$1.34 R$6.87

$1.28 ฿42.54

4.69%

Onion (1kg)

$1.33 R$6.83

$1.06 ฿35.21

25.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.93 R$4.77

$0.72 ฿23.88

29.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.46 R$2.35

$0.53 ฿17.51

-13.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.48 R$12.74

$4.23 ฿141

-41.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.92 R$45.86

$18.29 ฿609

-51.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.61 R$8.28

$1.63 ฿54.3

-1.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.48 R$23.03

$2.90 ฿96.6

54.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.78 R$4.01

$0.88 ฿29.24

-11.36%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.8 ฿1,790

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.30 R$6.68

$1.17 ฿39.04

11.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.33 R$6.84

$0.58 ฿19.25

129.31%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.18 R$47.20

$2.39 ฿79.4

284.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.11 R$5.69

$1.45 ฿48.28

-23.45%

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

$22.9K R$117.8K

$21.0K ฿699.5K

9.00%

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

$33.6K R$173.0K

$26.4K ฿879.7K

27.30%

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

$39.09 R$201

$63.7 ฿2,119

-38.59%

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

$9.53 R$48.98

$12.89 ฿429

-26.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.22 R$93.7

$20.52 ฿683

-11.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.65 R$132

$39.02 ฿1,299

-34.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.92 ฿130

Cinema Ticket

$2.84 R$14.63

$6.58 ฿219

-56.84%

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

$256 R$1,318

$784 ฿26.1K

-67.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,604 R$39.1K

$14.7K ฿488.4K

-48.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.3 R$274

$55.1 ฿1,835

-3.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.4 R$295

$24.74 ฿824

131.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.6 R$476

$94.1 ฿3,133

-1.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.1 R$427

$74.0 ฿2,462

12.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.3K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$236 R$1,211

$288 ฿9,594

-18.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$584 R$3,004

$891 ฿29.7K

-34.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$395 R$2,030

$521 ฿17.3K

-24.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,974 ฿65.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,444 ฿48.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿20.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.12

5.57

99.64%

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

Last update for Salto: September 13, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $27.00 in Salto versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $206 in Salto vs $241 in Chiang Mai – so Salto 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

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

Chiang Mai costs about 17% more than Salto, with the gap driven mainly by Getting Around. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,192 per month in Salto and $1,398 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $27.00 in Salto and $20.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 17% 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 $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Salto, where all-in costs run around $795, than in Chiang Mai at $932. In Salto 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. Salto costs $795 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 Salto. 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.