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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $815 per month in Saraburi vs $947 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,507 per month in Saraburi vs $1,411 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,198 per month in Saraburi vs $1,874 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Saraburi is about 14% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Saraburi and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Saraburi 41% lower, Chiang Mai 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.37 ฿210

$2.08 ฿68.5

206.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.71 ฿911

$19.64 ฿646

41.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.69 ฿220

$5.65 ฿186

18.41%

Cappuccino

$2.26 ฿74.2

$1.81 ฿59.3

24.86%

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

$0.75 ฿24.61

$0.71 ฿23.44

5.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 ฿8.93

$0.32 ฿10.38

-15.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.95 ฿64.2

$2.24 ฿73.5

-12.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 ฿104

$3.63 ฿119

-12.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.51 ฿49.50

$1.96 ฿64.4

-22.96%

White Bread (500g)

$1.10 ฿36.03

$1.50 ฿49.38

-26.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.27 ฿41.70

$1.34 ฿43.92

-5.22%

Eggs

$2.22 ฿73.0

$2.26 ฿74.4

-1.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.49 ฿542

$16.26 ฿534

1.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.75 ฿90.4

$2.95 ฿97.1

-6.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.93 ฿359

$9.94 ฿327

9.96%

Apples (1kg)

$5.12 ฿168

$2.57 ฿84.5

99.22%

Banana (1kg)

$1.83 ฿60.2

$1.06 ฿34.72

72.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.30 ฿75.7

$1.61 ฿53.0

42.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.78 ฿58.5

$1.52 ฿49.96

17.11%

Potato (1kg)

$1.56 ฿51.2

$1.27 ฿41.76

22.83%

Onion (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.79

$1.07 ฿35.05

13.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ฿37.21

$0.72 ฿23.67

56.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 ฿17.67

$0.51 ฿16.72

5.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.38 ฿144

$4.19 ฿138

4.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$21.73 ฿714

$17.87 ฿587

21.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 ฿57.8

$1.69 ฿55.7

4.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 ฿97.5

$2.84 ฿93.2

4.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.93 ฿30.72

$0.93 ฿30.42

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.9 ฿1,770

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.20 ฿39.37

$1.23 ฿40.58

-2.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.11 ฿36.48

$0.58 ฿18.96

91.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.96 ฿130

$2.42 ฿79.7

63.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.38 ฿45.43

$1.41 ฿46.42

-2.13%

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

$24.5K ฿804.2K

$21.4K ฿704.9K

14.09%

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

$27.7K ฿909.2K

$27.3K ฿898.5K

1.19%

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

$85.0 ฿2,793

$63.7 ฿2,093

33.44%

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

$12.71 ฿418

$12.85 ฿423

-1.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.12 ฿563

$20.22 ฿665

-15.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.72 ฿1,602

$38.74 ฿1,274

25.76%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.47 ฿476

$3.97 ฿130

264.48%

Cinema Ticket

$6.61 ฿217

$6.74 ฿221

-1.93%

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

$569 ฿18.7K

$778 ฿25.6K

-26.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,956 ฿228.6K

$14.6K ฿480.2K

-52.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.8 ฿1,703

$54.3 ฿1,785

-4.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.51 ฿970

$25.45 ฿836

15.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.5 ฿2,514

$94.3 ฿3,101

-18.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.3 ฿2,541

$73.4 ฿2,414

5.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$469 ฿15.4K

$490 ฿16.1K

-4.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$129 ฿4,233

$289 ฿9,510

-55.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,246 ฿41.0K

$894 ฿29.4K

39.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$714 ฿23.5K

$517 ฿17.0K

38.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,989 ฿65.4K

$1,955 ฿64.3K

1.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,635 ฿53.7K

$1,477 ฿48.5K

10.70%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$461 ฿15.2K

$602 ฿19.8K

-23.42%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

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

Last update for Saraburi: August 31, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $469 in Saraburi 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 31% 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 $28.00 in Saraburi versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $267 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

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

Chiang Mai costs about 16% more than Saraburi, 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 $1,222 per month in Saraburi 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 Saraburi, 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 $28.00 in Saraburi and $20.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 11% cheaper in Chiang Mai – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Saraburi, where all-in costs run around $815, than in Chiang Mai at $947. In Saraburi 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. Saraburi costs $815 versus $947 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 Saraburi. 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.