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 $1,275 per month in Sarande vs $869 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,196 per month in Sarande vs $1,362 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,118 per month in Sarande vs $1,855 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Sarande costs about 47% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Sarande and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Sarande 5% lower, Chiang Mai 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.61 ALL 948

$1.98 ฿64.3

486.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$59.9 ALL 4,895

$18.80 ฿612

218.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.65 ALL 788

$7.75 ฿252

24.52%

Cappuccino

$2.04 ALL 167

$1.92 ฿62.5

6.25%

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

$1.83 ALL 150

$0.79 ฿25.79

131.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.98 ALL 80.0

$0.36 ฿11.62

172.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.88 ALL 235

$2.21 ฿72.1

30.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ALL 297

$3.66 ฿119

-0.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.07 ALL 169

$1.65 ฿53.8

25.45%

White Bread (500g)

$1.14 ALL 93.0

$1.63 ฿53.2

-30.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.15 ALL 175

$1.19 ฿38.86

80.67%

Eggs

$3.81 ALL 311

$2.00 ฿65.1

90.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.18 ALL 1,077

$15.98 ฿520

-17.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.96 ALL 651

$3.03 ฿98.5

162.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.64 ALL 1,277

$10.86 ฿354

44.01%

Apples (1kg)

$1.78 ALL 145

$2.76 ฿90.0

-35.51%

Banana (1kg)

$2.80 ALL 229

$1.18 ฿38.42

137.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.03 ALL 166

$1.64 ฿53.5

23.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.97 ALL 161

$1.52 ฿49.51

29.61%

Potato (1kg)

$1.37 ALL 112

$1.38 ฿45.10

-0.72%

Onion (1kg)

$1.29 ALL 105

$1.19 ฿38.84

8.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.51 ALL 124

$0.70 ฿22.86

115.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.73 ALL 59.9

$0.56 ฿18.13

30.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.31 ALL 352

$4.58 ฿149

-5.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.67 ALL 545

$16.56 ฿539

-59.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.65 ALL 135

$1.83 ฿59.5

-9.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 ALL 170

$3.20 ฿104

-35.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.14 ALL 92.8

$0.88 ฿28.56

29.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.90 ALL 1,871

$18.72 ฿610

22.33%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.55 ALL 290

$1.36 ฿44.16

161.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.07 ALL 251

$1.34 ฿43.65

129.10%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.31 ALL 1,414

$7.84 ฿256

120.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.13 ALL 174

$1.23 ฿39.92

73.17%

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

$35.0K ALL 2.9M

$21.6K ฿704.3K

61.65%

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

$28.7K ALL 2.3M

$22.5K ฿734.3K

27.21%

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

$102 ALL 8,332

$70.5 ฿2,298

44.58%

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

$17.69 ALL 1,445

$13.68 ฿445

29.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.28 ALL 1,494

$17.45 ฿568

4.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$89.5 ALL 7,309

$41.33 ฿1,346

116.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$41.51 ALL 3,392

$6.96 ฿227

496.41%

Cinema Ticket

$9.19 ALL 751

$5.77 ฿188

59.27%

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

$287 ALL 23.5K

$307 ฿10.0K

-6.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,483 ALL 447.9K

$14.6K ฿475.9K

-62.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.6 ALL 5,608

$55.8 ฿1,817

23.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.44 ALL 4,039

$26.21 ฿854

88.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$107 ALL 8,742

$85.8 ฿2,793

24.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$131 ALL 10.7K

$72.2 ฿2,353

80.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$872 ALL 71.3K

$430 ฿14.0K

102.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 ALL 31.0K

$239 ฿7,774

58.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,098 ALL 89.7K

$817 ฿26.6K

34.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$959 ALL 78.3K

$511 ฿16.6K

87.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,643 ALL 379.4K

$1,983 ฿64.6K

134.16%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,946 ALL 240.7K

$1,484 ฿48.3K

98.52%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$768 ALL 62.8K

$619 ฿20.2K

24.12%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $872 in Sarande versus $430 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 $60.0 in Sarande versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $273 vs $241 – 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 47% 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 $1,912 per month in Sarande and $1,303 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 $287 per month in Sarande and $307 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 13% 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 $869, than in Sarande at $1,275. 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 $869 versus $1,275 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.