Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Sīrjān and Chiang Mai

For one person, living is cheaper in Sīrjān: $530 a month against $925 in Chiang Mai, rent and utilities included – about $4,700 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Sīrjān
🇮🇷 Iran
$530
/mo nomad
Chiang Mai
🇹🇭 Thailand
$925
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Sīrjān 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 Sīrjān and in Chiang Mai actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $530 per month in Sīrjān vs $925 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

  • Sīrjān $530
  • Chiang Mai $925

A couple spends around $845 per month in Sīrjān vs $1,414 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

  • Sīrjān $845
  • Chiang Mai $1,414

A family of three spends $1,160 per month in Sīrjān vs $1,903 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

  • Sīrjān $1,160
  • Chiang Mai $1,903

Sīrjān is about 43% cheaper than Chiang Mai, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Sīrjān and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Sīrjān 61% lower, Chiang Mai 32% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Sīrjān
Chiang Mai
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.95 $2.95
$2.29 ฿76.5
28.82%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$17.04 $17.04
$19.64 ฿656
-13.24%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$3.91 $3.91
$5.61 ฿188
-30.30%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$0.71 $0.71
-
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.11 $1.11
-
-
Cappuccino
$1.13 $1.13
$1.66 ฿55.6
-31.93%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.49 $0.49
$0.70 ฿23.40
-30.00%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.03 $1.03
$0.31 ฿10.24
232.26%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
-
$2.41 ฿80.4
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$3.71 ฿124
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Sīrjān
Chiang Mai
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.66 $0.66
$1.95 ฿65.3
-66.15%
White Bread (500g)
$0.52 $0.52
$1.41 ฿47.03
-63.12%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.08 $2.08
$1.31 ฿43.62
58.78%
Eggs
$1.18 $1.18
$2.18 ฿72.9
-45.87%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$4.48 $4.48
$16.65 ฿556
-73.09%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.47 $3.47
$2.76 ฿92.2
25.72%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.26 $10.26
$9.11 ฿304
12.62%
Apples (1kg)
$1.07 $1.07
$2.39 ฿80.0
-55.23%
Banana (1kg)
$1.56 $1.56
$1.03 ฿34.26
51.46%
Oranges (1kg)
$0.82 $0.82
$1.63 ฿54.4
-49.69%
Tomato (1kg)
$0.56 $0.56
$1.50 ฿50.0
-62.67%
Potato (1kg)
$0.59 $0.59
$1.29 ฿43.13
-54.26%
Onion (1kg)
$0.51 $0.51
$1.11 ฿37.03
-54.05%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.57 $0.57
$0.72 ฿24.08
-20.83%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.26 $0.26
$0.53 ฿17.59
-50.94%
Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)
$0.79 $0.79
-
-
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$0.51 $0.51
-
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.33 $1.33
-
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.57 $2.57
$4.31 ฿144
-40.37%
Wine (Bottle)
-
$17.95 ฿600
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
-
$1.58 ฿52.9
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$2.84 ฿95.0
-
🚌 Getting Around
Sīrjān
Chiang Mai
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.13 $0.13
$0.86 ฿28.86
-84.88%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$9.36 $9.36
$53.3 ฿1,780
-82.43%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.38 $0.38
$1.21 ฿40.29
-68.60%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.31 $0.31
$0.57 ฿18.99
-45.61%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$2.64 $2.64
$2.35 ฿78.6
12.34%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.10 $0.10
$1.44 ฿47.96
-93.06%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$49.3K $49.3K
$20.7K ฿692.8K
137.71%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$43.9K $43.9K
$26.8K ฿895.7K
63.86%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Sīrjān
Chiang Mai
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$13.13 $13.13
$62.3 ฿2,083
-78.93%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$1.65 $1.65
$12.11 ฿405
-86.37%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$3.66 $3.66
$19.94 ฿666
-81.64%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Sīrjān
Chiang Mai
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$18.35 $18.35
$37.07 ฿1,239
-50.50%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$13.53 $13.53
$3.78 ฿126
257.94%
Cinema Ticket
$1.97 $1.97
$6.50 ฿217
-69.69%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Sīrjān
Chiang Mai
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$107 $107
$793 ฿26.5K
-86.53%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$2,359 $2,359
$14.8K ฿494.9K
-84.07%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Sīrjān
Chiang Mai
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$23.02 $23.02
$53.7 ฿1,796
-57.16%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$28.17 $28.17
$24.62 ฿823
14.42%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$95.5 $95.5
$90.9 ฿3,036
5.09%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$73.5 $73.5
$71.1 ฿2,378
3.25%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Sīrjān
Chiang Mai
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$295 $295
$455 ฿15.2K
-35.33%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$208 $208
$298 ฿9,954
-30.18%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$795 $795
$908 ฿30.4K
-12.48%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$360 $360
$554 ฿18.5K
-34.92%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,150 $1,150
$1,931 ฿64.5K
-40.43%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$532 $532
$1,445 ฿48.3K
-63.20%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Sīrjān
Chiang Mai
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$591 ฿19.7K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
24.3
5.57
336.27%

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

Last update for Sīrjān: October 17, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 17, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Sīrjān
$208
Chiang Mai
$298 43.2% $90
Groceries & Markets
Sīrjān
$115
Chiang Mai
$235 104% $120
Clothing & Footwear
Sīrjān
$99
Chiang Mai
$108 9.2% $9.1
Eating Out
Sīrjān
$55
Chiang Mai
$79 42.9% $24
Sport & Entertainment
Sīrjān
$22
Chiang Mai
$50 125% $28
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Sīrjān
$18
Chiang Mai
$94 412% $76
Getting Around
Sīrjān
$12
Chiang Mai
$61 413% $49

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $295 in Sīrjān versus $455 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 $17.00 in Sīrjān versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $115 vs $235 – making Sīrjān the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇮🇷 Sīrjān
🇹🇭 Chiang Mai
🕒 Local time
15:10 3:10 PM
18:40 6:40 PM
3 h 30 min ahead of Sīrjān
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
199,704
127,240
💱 Currency
USD USD
Thai Baht THB ฿
Exchange rates and currency converter

THB, EUR to USD – USD Converter

USD exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 33.42 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.57 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Sīrjān Chiang Mai 4,530 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Sīrjān
  • Chiang Mai

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

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated March 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.
Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index
Sīrjān vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Sīrjān or Chiang Mai?
Chiang Mai costs about 75% more than Sīrjān, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. 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 Sīrjān and in Chiang Mai?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $795 per month in Sīrjān and $1,388 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Sīrjān or Chiang Mai?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Sīrjān, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
How do childcare costs compare in Sīrjān and in Chiang Mai?
Kindergarten costs $107 per month in Sīrjān and $793 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Are groceries more expensive in Sīrjān or in Chiang Mai?
Groceries cost about 104% more in Chiang Mai, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Can you live on $2,000/month in Sīrjān or in Chiang Mai?
A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Sīrjān, where all-in costs run around $530, than in Chiang Mai at $925. In Sīrjān it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiang Mai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Sīrjān or Chiang Mai?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Sīrjān costs $530 versus $925 in Chiang Mai. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.
How safe is Sīrjān compared to Chiang Mai?
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.
Should I move to Sīrjān or to Chiang Mai?
If budget matters most, go with Sīrjān. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chiang Mai makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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