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 $790 per month in Saraburi vs $847 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,436 per month in Saraburi vs $1,332 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,081 per month in Saraburi vs $1,816 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Saraburi is about 7% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Saraburi and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Saraburi 41% lower, Chiang Mai 37% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.06 ฿103

$2.03 ฿68.5

50.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.46 ฿927

$18.71 ฿631

46.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.86 ฿232

$7.84 ฿265

-12.50%

Cappuccino

$2.28 ฿77.1

$1.93 ฿65.0

18.13%

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

$0.69 ฿23.22

$0.83 ฿28.05

-16.87%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 ฿8.38

$0.35 ฿11.82

-28.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.95 ฿65.8

$2.22 ฿74.9

-12.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 ฿107

$3.79 ฿128

-16.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.56 ฿52.8

$1.65 ฿55.5

-5.45%

White Bread (500g)

$1.11 ฿37.36

$1.55 ฿52.4

-28.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.30 ฿43.99

$1.18 ฿39.86

10.17%

Eggs

$2.23 ฿75.1

$2.01 ฿68.0

10.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.19 ฿614

$16.16 ฿545

12.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.08 ฿104

$3.03 ฿102

1.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 ฿366

$10.84 ฿366

0.18%

Apples (1kg)

$5.12 ฿173

$2.68 ฿90.4

91.04%

Banana (1kg)

$1.84 ฿61.9

$1.22 ฿41.21

50.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.91 ฿64.5

$1.63 ฿54.9

17.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.54 ฿52.0

$1.53 ฿51.6

0.65%

Potato (1kg)

$1.49 ฿50.2

$1.34 ฿45.18

11.19%

Onion (1kg)

$1.25 ฿42.07

$1.21 ฿40.93

3.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 ฿34.27

$0.70 ฿23.67

45.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.39

$0.53 ฿17.73

-1.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.30 ฿145

$4.69 ฿158

-8.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.48 ฿691

$17.71 ฿598

15.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 ฿58.3

$1.85 ฿62.3

-6.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.80 ฿94.5

$3.21 ฿108

-12.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.94 ฿31.73

$0.89 ฿30.07

5.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.76 ฿633

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.10 ฿37.04

$1.41 ฿47.48

-21.99%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.18 ฿39.98

$1.29 ฿43.59

-8.53%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.27 ฿211

$7.79 ฿263

-19.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 ฿43.24

$1.29 ฿43.67

-0.78%

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

$27.5K ฿927.5K

$21.8K ฿734.7K

26.25%

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

$27.0K ฿912.2K

$21.7K ฿732.1K

24.61%

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

$77.1 ฿2,603

$70.0 ฿2,362

10.22%

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

$13.56 ฿458

$14.19 ฿479

-4.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.47 ฿590

$17.42 ฿588

0.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.47 ฿1,636

$41.64 ฿1,405

16.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.41 ฿419

$6.89 ฿233

80.12%

Cinema Ticket

$7.18 ฿242

$5.78 ฿195

24.22%

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

$302 ฿10.2K

$300 ฿10.1K

0.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,830 ฿230.5K

$14.5K ฿490.1K

-52.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$33.07 ฿1,116

$55.4 ฿1,869

-40.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.89 ฿1,178

$26.31 ฿888

32.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 ฿3,394

$84.8 ฿2,863

18.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.1 ฿2,365

$70.5 ฿2,379

-0.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$415 ฿14.0K

$425 ฿14.4K

-2.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$129 ฿4,349

$235 ฿7,933

-45.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$818 ฿27.6K

$802 ฿27.1K

1.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$650 ฿21.9K

$516 ฿17.4K

26.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,130 ฿71.9K

$1,926 ฿65.0K

10.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,340 ฿45.2K

$1,451 ฿49.0K

-7.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$439 ฿14.8K

$586 ฿19.8K

-25.21%

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 Saraburi: July 21, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $415 in Saraburi versus $425 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 34% 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 $27.00 in Saraburi versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $268 vs $242 – 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 7% more than Saraburi, 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 $1,185 per month in Saraburi and $1,271 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 $27.00 in Saraburi and $19.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 10% 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 $790, than in Chiang Mai at $847. 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 $790 versus $847 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.