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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,298 per month in Sarande vs $852 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,205 per month in Sarande vs $1,354 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,113 per month in Sarande vs $1,857 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Sarande costs about 52% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Sarande and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Sarande 3% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.84 ALL 968

$1.96 ฿63.6

504.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$58.1 ALL 4,744

$18.81 ฿611

208.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.69 ALL 792

$7.92 ฿258

22.35%

Cappuccino

$2.07 ALL 169

$1.91 ฿62.2

8.38%

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

$1.83 ALL 150

$0.84 ฿27.25

117.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 ALL 78.9

$0.35 ฿11.44

177.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.98 ALL 243

$2.21 ฿71.7

34.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.47 ALL 284

$3.80 ฿124

-8.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.04 ALL 167

$1.64 ฿53.2

24.39%

White Bread (500g)

$1.13 ALL 92.6

$1.62 ฿52.8

-30.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 ALL 177

$1.18 ฿38.40

83.90%

Eggs

$3.98 ALL 325

$2.01 ฿65.4

98.01%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.87 ALL 1,052

$15.89 ฿517

-19.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.82 ALL 639

$3.01 ฿98.0

159.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.86 ALL 1,296

$10.77 ฿350

47.26%

Apples (1kg)

$1.72 ALL 140

$2.61 ฿85.0

-34.10%

Banana (1kg)

$2.69 ALL 220

$1.22 ฿39.65

120.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.98 ALL 162

$1.70 ฿55.4

16.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.98 ALL 162

$1.58 ฿51.2

25.32%

Potato (1kg)

$1.31 ALL 107

$1.32 ฿42.89

-0.76%

Onion (1kg)

$1.29 ALL 105

$1.17 ฿38.01

10.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.50 ALL 122

$0.67 ฿21.85

123.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.75 ALL 61.4

$0.56 ฿18.21

33.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.30 ALL 351

$4.53 ฿147

-5.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.58 ALL 537

$18.20 ฿592

-63.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.60 ALL 131

$1.83 ฿59.6

-12.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.12 ALL 173

$3.23 ฿105

-34.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.13 ALL 92.2

$0.89 ฿28.83

26.97%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.33 ALL 1,906

$19.38 ฿630

20.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.51 ALL 287

$1.35 ฿43.95

160.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.22 ALL 263

$1.35 ฿43.79

138.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.75 ALL 1,451

$8.25 ฿268

115.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.07 ALL 169

$1.27 ฿41.40

62.99%

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

$35.1K ALL 2.9M

$21.2K ฿687.8K

65.69%

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

$29.2K ALL 2.4M

$22.5K ฿731.0K

29.91%

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

$102 ALL 8,323

$70.2 ฿2,281

45.19%

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

$18.05 ALL 1,475

$13.77 ฿448

31.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.11 ALL 1,480

$17.60 ฿572

2.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$89.7 ALL 7,334

$41.57 ฿1,352

115.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$41.29 ALL 3,374

$6.60 ฿215

525.61%

Cinema Ticket

$9.58 ALL 783

$5.78 ฿188

65.74%

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

$292 ALL 23.8K

$306 ฿9,953

-4.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,563 ALL 454.6K

$14.8K ฿482.0K

-62.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.7 ALL 5,530

$54.4 ฿1,768

24.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.2 ALL 4,102

$26.14 ฿850

92.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$109 ALL 8,933

$84.5 ฿2,748

29.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$130 ALL 10.6K

$69.4 ฿2,257

87.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$884 ALL 72.2K

$424 ฿13.8K

108.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$381 ALL 31.1K

$238 ฿7,743

59.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,096 ALL 89.6K

$825 ฿26.8K

32.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$950 ALL 77.6K

$515 ฿16.7K

84.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,737 ALL 387.1K

$2,049 ฿66.6K

131.16%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,954 ALL 241.4K

$1,523 ฿49.5K

94.01%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$785 ALL 64.2K

$635 ฿20.6K

23.62%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.52

10.40%

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

Last update for Sarande: April 26, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $884 in Sarande versus $424 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 24% higher in Sarande, 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 $58.0 in Sarande versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $271 vs $243 – 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

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

Sarande costs about 52% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,946 per month in Sarande and $1,278 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 $292 per month in Sarande and $306 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 Sarande, 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 $852, than in Sarande at $1,298. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Sarande it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $852 versus $1,298 in Sarande. 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, Sarande makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.