Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Saue and Chiang Mai

For one person, living is cheaper in Chiang Mai: $935 a month against $1,107 in Saue, rent and utilities included – about $2,100 less a year. The total is higher in Saue despite lower rent and utilities.

Saue, Estonia
Chiang Mai, Thailand
Saue
🇪🇪 Estonia
$1,107
/mo nomad
Chiang Mai
🇹🇭 Thailand
$935
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Saue and in Chiang Mai

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Saue and in Chiang Mai actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,107 per month in Saue vs $935 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

  • Saue $1,107
  • Chiang Mai $935

A couple spends around $1,724 per month in Saue vs $1,467 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

  • Saue $1,724
  • Chiang Mai $1,467

A family of three spends $2,342 per month in Saue vs $1,999 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

  • Saue $2,342
  • Chiang Mai $1,999

Saue costs about 18% more than Chiang Mai, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Saue and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Saue 18% lower, Chiang Mai 31% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Saue
Chiang Mai
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.00 €15.20
$2.13 ฿72.0
698.12%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$70.5 €63.0
$18.62 ฿628
278.46%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.14 €9.96
$5.60 ฿189
98.93%
Cappuccino
$3.98 €3.56
$1.66 ฿56.1
139.76%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.24 €2.00
$0.65 ฿21.83
244.62%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.24 €2.00
$0.30 ฿10.29
646.67%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$6.57 €5.87
$2.32 ฿78.4
183.19%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.83 €6.11
$3.67 ฿124
86.10%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Saue
Chiang Mai
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.10 €0.98
$2.02 ฿68.0
-45.54%
White Bread (500g)
$1.38 €1.24
$1.41 ฿47.51
-2.13%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.28 €2.04
$1.39 ฿46.96
64.03%
Eggs
$2.84 €2.54
$2.37 ฿79.9
19.83%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.32 €10.12
$16.52 ฿557
-31.48%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.50 €7.60
$2.67 ฿90.1
218.35%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$15.17 €13.57
$9.02 ฿304
68.18%
Apples (1kg)
$2.13 €1.90
$2.40 ฿80.9
-11.25%
Banana (1kg)
$1.39 €1.24
$1.04 ฿35.13
33.65%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.43 €2.18
$1.66 ฿56.0
46.39%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.98 €2.66
$1.56 ฿52.6
91.03%
Potato (1kg)
$0.81 €0.72
$1.24 ฿41.76
-34.68%
Onion (1kg)
$0.81 €0.73
$1.09 ฿36.66
-25.69%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.88 €1.69
$0.76 ฿25.70
147.37%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.92 €0.82
$0.51 ฿17.35
80.39%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.94 €6.20
$4.12 ฿139
68.45%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.10 €9.03
$17.93 ฿605
-43.67%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.89 €1.69
$1.62 ฿54.8
16.67%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.02 €1.81
$2.82 ฿95.2
-28.37%
🚌 Getting Around
Saue
Chiang Mai
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
-
$0.93 ฿31.53
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$52.9 ฿1,785
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.65 €3.27
$1.18 ฿39.70
209.32%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.00 €0.89
$0.17 ฿5.79
488.24%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$26.84 €24.00
$1.81 ฿61.1
1382.87%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.01 €1.80
$1.47 ฿49.69
36.73%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.0K €25.0K
$21.0K ฿708.9K
33.10%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$29.6K €26.5K
$26.5K ฿894.6K
11.58%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Saue
Chiang Mai
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$310 €277
$62.6 ฿2,111
395.78%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$17.54 €15.68
$11.60 ฿392
51.21%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$31.83 €28.47
$20.30 ฿685
56.80%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Saue
Chiang Mai
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
-
$37.88 ฿1,278
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$3.70 ฿125
-
Cinema Ticket
$11.58 €10.36
$6.51 ฿220
77.88%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Saue
Chiang Mai
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$470 €420
$727 ฿24.5K
-35.32%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$10.2K €9,151
$16.6K ฿559.2K
-38.26%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Saue
Chiang Mai
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$100 €89.8
$53.5 ฿1,807
87.56%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$48.01 €42.93
$24.80 ฿837
93.59%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$103 €92.0
$90.4 ฿3,050
13.85%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$118 €106
$72.0 ฿2,428
64.61%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Saue
Chiang Mai
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
-
$481 ฿16.2K
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
-
$310 ฿10.5K
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
-
$1,058 ฿35.7K
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
-
$659 ฿22.2K
-
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
-
$2,418 ฿81.6K
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
-
$1,609 ฿54.3K
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Saue
Chiang Mai
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$595 ฿20.1K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.44
5.57
-38.24%

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

Last update for Saue: November 3, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: November 1, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Saue
$360
Chiang Mai
$94 73.7% $265
Eating Out
Saue
$282
Chiang Mai
$77 72.8% $205
Groceries & Markets
Saue
$267
Chiang Mai
$237 11.4% $31
Clothing & Footwear
Saue
$166
Chiang Mai
$108 34.9% $58
Sport & Entertainment
Saue
$23 *
Chiang Mai
$51 120% $28
Getting Around
Saue
$8.7 *
Chiang Mai
$59 578% $50
Accommodation & Living
Saue
- *
Chiang Mai
$310

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $70 in Saue versus $19 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $267 vs $237 – making Chiang Mai the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇪🇪 Saue
🇹🇭 Chiang Mai
🕒 Local time
00:16 12:16 AM
05:16 5:16 AM
5 h ahead of Saue
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
5,810
127,240
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Thai Baht THB ฿
Exchange rates and currency converter

THB, USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of November 3, 2026: 1 USD = 0.894 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

Thai Baht exchange rates as of November 3, 2026: 1 USD = 33.74 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.73 THB (100 THB = 2.65 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Saue Chiang Mai 7,340 km ≈ 10 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Saue
  • Chiang Mai

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Saue vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Saue or Chiang Mai?
Saue costs about 18% more than Chiang Mai, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from eating out. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Saue and in Chiang Mai?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,660 per month in Saue and $1,403 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do dining costs compare in Saue and in Chiang Mai?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $70 in Saue and $19 in Chiang Mai. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Are groceries more expensive in Saue or in Chiang Mai?
Groceries cost about 13% more in Saue, though the gap depends on what you buy.
Can you live on $800/month in Saue or in Chiang Mai?
$800 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $1,107 in Saue and $935 in Chiang Mai. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.
Which city offers a better quality of life: Saue or Chiang Mai?
It depends on your priorities. Chiang Mai has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $935 in Chiang Mai to $1,107 in Saue. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
How safe is Saue compared to Chiang Mai?
Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.

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