Cost of Living Comparison Between Si Sa Ket and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between Si Sa Ket and Chiang Mai

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $933 per month in Si Sa Ket vs $866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,496 per month in Si Sa Ket vs $1,351 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,058 per month in Si Sa Ket vs $1,835 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Si Sa Ket costs about 8% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Si Sa Ket and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Si Sa Ket 30% lower, Chiang Mai 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.02 ฿98.9

$1.94 ฿63.8

55.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.55 ฿903

$18.64 ฿611

47.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.48 ฿213

$7.82 ฿256

-17.14%

Cappuccino

$2.03 ฿66.5

$1.95 ฿64.1

4.10%

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

$0.72 ฿23.74

$0.85 ฿27.88

-15.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.38 ฿12.32

$0.35 ฿11.63

8.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.39 ฿78.4

$2.13 ฿69.9

12.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.64 ฿119

$3.73 ฿122

-2.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.67 ฿54.9

$1.71 ฿56.2

-2.34%

White Bread (500g)

$1.33 ฿43.77

$1.63 ฿53.4

-18.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 ฿43.44

$1.14 ฿37.30

15.79%

Eggs

$2.24 ฿73.3

$1.93 ฿63.4

16.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.54 ฿608

$16.21 ฿532

14.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.99 ฿98.0

$3.12 ฿102

-4.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.75 ฿352

$10.90 ฿357

-1.38%

Apples (1kg)

$3.10 ฿102

$2.75 ฿90.3

12.73%

Banana (1kg)

$1.26 ฿41.40

$1.21 ฿39.68

4.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.94 ฿63.7

$1.62 ฿53.2

19.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿50.1

$1.59 ฿52.0

-3.77%

Potato (1kg)

$1.54 ฿50.5

$1.40 ฿45.89

10.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.25 ฿41.12

$1.17 ฿38.32

6.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.10

$0.66 ฿21.69

48.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿16.90

$0.53 ฿17.29

-1.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.38 ฿144

$4.69 ฿154

-6.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.11 ฿496

$18.66 ฿612

-19.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 ฿56.3

$1.80 ฿59.0

-4.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.79 ฿91.5

$3.23 ฿106

-13.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.94 ฿30.80

$0.90 ฿29.37

4.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿630

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.05 ฿34.57

$1.41 ฿46.10

-25.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.19 ฿39.08

$1.29 ฿42.29

-7.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.30 ฿207

$7.84 ฿257

-19.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 ฿42.19

$1.27 ฿41.75

1.57%

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

$28.0K ฿919.6K

$21.3K ฿697.7K

31.82%

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

$27.0K ฿883.7K

$22.2K ฿728.3K

21.33%

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

$76.9 ฿2,521

$69.1 ฿2,265

11.31%

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

$13.57 ฿445

$14.08 ฿462

-3.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.27 ฿599

$18.00 ฿590

1.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.0 ฿1,640

$41.06 ฿1,346

21.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.38 ฿406

$6.96 ฿228

77.87%

Cinema Ticket

$7.21 ฿236

$5.92 ฿194

21.79%

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

$294 ฿9,644

$299 ฿9,805

-1.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,682 ฿317.5K

$15.0K ฿490.3K

-35.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$33.43 ฿1,096

$54.7 ฿1,794

-38.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.20 ฿1,121

$26.77 ฿878

27.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.5 ฿3,198

$85.0 ฿2,787

14.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.2 ฿2,334

$70.6 ฿2,315

0.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$420 ฿13.8K

$428 ฿14.0K

-1.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$280 ฿9,167

$237 ฿7,782

17.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$808 ฿26.5K

$801 ฿26.3K

0.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$667 ฿21.9K

$515 ฿16.9K

29.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,754 ฿57.5K

$1,975 ฿64.7K

-11.18%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,361 ฿44.6K

$1,475 ฿48.4K

-7.75%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

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 Si Sa Ket: June 2, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $420 in Si Sa Ket versus $428 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $28.00 in Si Sa Ket versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $247 vs $246 – 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

Si Sa Ket vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Si Sa Ket costs about 8% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Getting Around. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,399 per month in Si Sa Ket and $1,300 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $28.00 in Si Sa Ket and $19.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 0% more in Si Sa Ket, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $933 in Si Sa Ket and $866 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $866 versus $933 in Si Sa Ket. 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, Si Sa Ket makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.