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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,024 per month in Sanaa vs $947 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,597 per month in Sanaa vs $1,411 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,171 per month in Sanaa vs $1,874 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Sanaa costs about 8% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Sanaa and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Sanaa 26% lower, Chiang Mai 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.18 YER 1,462

$2.08 ฿68.6

197.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.63 YER 6,068

$19.64 ฿646

30.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.77 YER 2,312

$5.65 ฿186

72.92%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.03 YER 480

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.46 YER 582

Cappuccino

$3.79 YER 897

$1.81 ฿59.4

109.39%

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

$1.18 YER 280

$0.71 ฿23.45

66.20%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.65 YER 153

$0.32 ฿10.38

103.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.24 ฿73.6

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ฿119

Milk (1 liter)

$1.99 YER 472

$1.96 ฿64.4

1.53%

White Bread (500g)

$1.70 YER 403

$1.50 ฿49.39

13.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.05 YER 486

$1.34 ฿43.93

52.99%

Eggs

$3.53 YER 836

$2.26 ฿74.5

56.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.06 YER 4,038

$16.26 ฿535

4.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.45 YER 2,001

$2.95 ฿97.1

186.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.55 YER 4,391

$9.94 ฿327

86.62%

Apples (1kg)

$3.42 YER 809

$2.57 ฿84.6

33.07%

Banana (1kg)

$1.02 YER 241

$1.06 ฿34.73

-3.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 YER 523

$1.61 ฿53.0

37.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.56 YER 369

$1.52 ฿49.97

2.63%

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 YER 347

$1.27 ฿41.77

15.75%

Onion (1kg)

$1.32 YER 312

$1.07 ฿35.06

23.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 YER 283

$0.72 ฿23.68

66.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.63 YER 150

$0.51 ฿16.72

23.53%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.32 YER 786

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 YER 422

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.43 YER 812

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.53 YER 1,309

$4.19 ฿138

31.98%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.87 ฿587

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 ฿55.7

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 ฿93.3

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.44 YER 103

$0.93 ฿30.43

-52.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$83.5 YER 19.8K

$53.9 ฿1,771

54.96%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.26 YER 1,009

$1.23 ฿40.59

246.34%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.13 YER 505

$0.58 ฿18.96

267.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.47 YER 1,769

$2.42 ฿79.7

208.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.02 YER 479

$1.41 ฿46.43

43.26%

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

$17.1K YER 4.0M

$21.4K ฿705.1K

-20.27%

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

$35.4K YER 8.4M

$27.3K ฿898.7K

29.53%

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

$109 YER 25.9K

$63.7 ฿2,093

71.87%

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

$23.95 YER 5,669

$12.85 ฿423

86.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$101 YER 23.8K

$20.22 ฿665

397.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$65.9 YER 15.6K

$38.74 ฿1,274

70.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.92 YER 3,768

$3.97 ฿130

301.01%

Cinema Ticket

$5.85 YER 1,384

$6.74 ฿222

-13.20%

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

$114 YER 27.0K

$778 ฿25.6K

-85.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,204 YER 521.7K

$14.6K ฿480.4K

-84.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.00 YER 9,943

$54.3 ฿1,785

-22.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$122 YER 28.9K

$25.45 ฿837

379.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$47.26 YER 11.2K

$94.3 ฿3,102

-49.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$40.14 YER 9,501

$73.4 ฿2,415

-45.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$218 YER 51.5K

$490 ฿16.1K

-55.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$96.3 YER 22.8K

$289 ฿9,512

-66.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$408 YER 96.5K

$894 ฿29.4K

-54.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$269 YER 63.7K

$517 ฿17.0K

-47.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,221 YER 999.2K

$1,955 ฿64.3K

115.89%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$797 YER 188.7K

$1,477 ฿48.6K

-46.03%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$191 YER 45.2K

$602 ฿19.8K

-68.29%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.25

5.57

101.97%

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

Last update for Sanaa: August 29, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $218 in Sanaa 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 215% higher in Chiang Mai, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $26.00 in Sanaa versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $268 vs $240 – making Chiang Mai 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

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

Sanaa costs about 8% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,535 per month in Sanaa and $1,421 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.

Kindergarten costs $114 per month in Sanaa and $778 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 11% more in Sanaa, 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 Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $947, than in Sanaa at $1,024. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Sanaa it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $947 versus $1,024 in Sanaa. 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, Sanaa makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.