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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,927 per month in Sète vs $852 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,953 per month in Sète vs $1,360 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,980 per month in Sète vs $1,867 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Sète costs about 126% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Sète sits 45% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 36% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.21 €14.91

$2.04 ฿68.2

743.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$58.9 €51.0

$18.71 ฿624

214.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.23 €11.46

$7.86 ฿262

68.32%

Cappuccino

$3.47 €3.00

$2.03 ฿67.7

70.94%

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

$2.71 €2.34

$0.80 ฿26.64

238.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.83 €1.59

$0.35 ฿11.68

422.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.77 €5.86

$2.14 ฿71.5

216.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.83 €5.92

$3.67 ฿122

86.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.42 €1.23

$1.73 ฿57.6

-17.92%

White Bread (500g)

$1.67 €1.45

$1.57 ฿52.4

6.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.83 €2.45

$1.20 ฿39.99

135.83%

Eggs

$4.06 €3.52

$1.97 ฿65.8

106.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$23.40 €20.26

$16.23 ฿541

44.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.15 €10.52

$3.06 ฿102

297.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$26.15 €22.65

$10.80 ฿360

142.13%

Apples (1kg)

$3.05 €2.64

$2.77 ฿92.3

10.11%

Banana (1kg)

$2.27 €1.97

$1.17 ฿38.94

94.02%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.44 €2.98

$1.71 ฿57.0

101.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.54 €3.07

$1.59 ฿53.2

122.64%

Potato (1kg)

$2.37 €2.05

$1.39 ฿46.51

70.50%

Onion (1kg)

$2.38 €2.06

$1.16 ฿38.56

105.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.60 €1.38

$0.66 ฿22.05

142.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.76 €0.66

$0.52 ฿17.31

46.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.92 €12.06

$4.65 ฿155

199.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.96 €8.62

$17.78 ฿593

-43.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.50 €3.03

$1.79 ฿59.6

95.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.43 €2.97

$3.34 ฿111

2.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.90 €1.64

$0.91 ฿30.27

108.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$48.99 €42.42

$18.64 ฿622

162.82%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.31 €4.60

$1.41 ฿47.04

276.60%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 €1.69

$1.34 ฿44.70

45.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$33.80 €29.27

$8.11 ฿270

316.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.04 €1.77

$1.23 ฿41.16

65.85%

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

$37.0K €32.1K

$21.4K ฿715.1K

72.74%

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

$38.7K €33.5K

$21.8K ฿728.0K

77.30%

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

$275 €238

$71.3 ฿2,379

285.45%

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

$26.24 €22.72

$14.01 ฿467

87.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.93 €30.25

$17.93 ฿598

94.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.94 €31.99

$40.82 ฿1,362

-9.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.21 €15.77

$6.88 ฿230

164.68%

Cinema Ticket

$13.92 €12.06

$5.72 ฿191

143.36%

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

$405 €350

$308 ฿10.3K

31.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,053 €6,974

$14.7K ฿489.7K

-45.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.6 €75.9

$55.8 ฿1,860

57.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.31 €38.37

$26.04 ฿869

70.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.5 €76.6

$84.8 ฿2,829

4.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$158 €137

$71.0 ฿2,368

122.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$775 €671

$423 ฿14.1K

83.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$612 €530

$242 ฿8,088

152.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,408 €1,219

$797 ฿26.6K

76.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,078 €934

$507 ฿16.9K

112.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,856 €3,339

$1,918 ฿64.0K

101.01%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,170 €2,745

$1,464 ฿48.8K

116.53%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,241 €1,940

$595 ฿19.9K

276.56%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.64

-27.20%

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

Last update for Sète: July 25, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $775 in Sète versus $423 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 277% higher in Sète, 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 $59.0 in Sète versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $400 vs $244 – 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

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

Sète costs about 126% 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 $2,890 per month in Sète and $1,279 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 $405 per month in Sète and $308 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 64% more in Sète, 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 Sète at $1,927. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Sète it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $852 versus $1,927 in Sète. 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, Sète makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.