Cost of Living Comparison Between Samut Sakhon and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between Samut Sakhon and Chiang Mai

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $885 per month in Samut Sakhon vs $866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,390 per month in Samut Sakhon vs $1,351 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,896 per month in Samut Sakhon vs $1,835 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Samut Sakhon costs about 2% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Samut Sakhon and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Samut Sakhon 34% lower, Chiang Mai 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.83 ฿60.0

$1.94 ฿63.8

-5.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.81 ฿617

$18.64 ฿611

0.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.09 ฿200

$7.82 ฿256

-22.12%

Cappuccino

$1.19 ฿39.20

$1.95 ฿64.1

-38.97%

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

$0.35 ฿11.64

$0.85 ฿27.90

-58.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ฿10.60

$0.35 ฿11.64

-8.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.92 ฿63.1

$2.13 ฿69.9

-9.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 ฿81.3

$3.73 ฿122

-33.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.69 ฿55.4

$1.71 ฿56.2

-1.17%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 ฿46.31

$1.63 ฿53.4

-13.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 ฿43.36

$1.14 ฿37.32

15.79%

Eggs

$2.33 ฿76.6

$1.93 ฿63.4

20.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.44 ฿506

$16.21 ฿532

-4.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.29 ฿108

$3.12 ฿102

5.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.40 ฿374

$10.90 ฿357

4.59%

Apples (1kg)

$3.26 ฿107

$2.75 ฿90.4

18.55%

Banana (1kg)

$1.33 ฿43.77

$1.21 ฿39.70

9.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.91 ฿62.8

$1.62 ฿53.2

17.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿46.08

$1.59 ฿52.1

-11.95%

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 ฿48.35

$1.40 ฿45.91

5.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 ฿39.49

$1.17 ฿38.34

2.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.68 ฿55.2

$0.66 ฿21.70

154.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 ฿18.81

$0.53 ฿17.30

7.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.74 ฿155

$4.69 ฿154

1.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.10 ฿561

$18.66 ฿612

-8.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿60.1

$1.80 ฿59.0

1.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.36 ฿77.5

$3.23 ฿106

-26.93%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 ฿12.39

$0.90 ฿29.39

-57.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿630

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.06 ฿34.75

$1.41 ฿46.13

-24.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.25 ฿41.04

$1.29 ฿42.31

-3.10%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.45 ฿113

$7.84 ฿257

-55.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 ฿39.39

$1.27 ฿41.77

-5.51%

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

$25.9K ฿849.4K

$21.3K ฿698.1K

21.67%

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

$26.7K ฿875.5K

$22.2K ฿728.8K

20.13%

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

$76.9 ฿2,522

$69.1 ฿2,266

11.26%

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

$13.81 ฿453

$14.08 ฿462

-1.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.16 ฿596

$18.00 ฿591

0.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.11 ฿1,611

$41.06 ฿1,347

19.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.35 ฿405

$6.96 ฿228

77.44%

Cinema Ticket

$7.90 ฿259

$5.92 ฿194

33.45%

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

$296 ฿9,704

$299 ฿9,811

-1.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,193 ฿301.6K

$15.0K ฿490.6K

-38.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$30.08 ฿987

$54.7 ฿1,795

-45.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.54 ฿641

$26.77 ฿878

-27.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.5 ฿3,264

$85.0 ฿2,788

17.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$43.33 ฿1,422

$70.6 ฿2,316

-38.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$426 ฿14.0K

$428 ฿14.0K

-0.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$286 ฿9,370

$237 ฿7,787

20.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$807 ฿26.5K

$801 ฿26.3K

0.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$667 ฿21.9K

$515 ฿16.9K

29.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,265 ฿74.3K

$1,975 ฿64.8K

14.73%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,507 ฿49.5K

$1,475 ฿48.4K

2.19%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.3K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.45

9.00%

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

Last update for Samut Sakhon: May 30, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $426 in Samut Sakhon versus $428 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Samut Sakhon versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $250 in Samut Sakhon vs $246 in Chiang Mai – so Chiang Mai 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

Samut Sakhon vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Samut Sakhon costs about 2% more than Chiang Mai, 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 $1,328 per month in Samut Sakhon and $1,300 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Samut Sakhon and $19.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 2% more in Samut Sakhon, 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 $885 in Samut Sakhon and $866 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $866 versus $885 in Samut Sakhon. 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 Chiang Mai. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Samut Sakhon makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.