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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $840 per month in Sitrah vs $861 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,327 per month in Sitrah vs $1,350 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,814 per month in Sitrah vs $1,838 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Sitrah is about 2% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Sitrah and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Sitrah 37% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.66 BHD 2.51

$1.96 ฿65.9

239.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.2 BHD 20.04

$18.35 ฿617

189.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.21 BHD 2.72

$7.48 ฿252

-3.61%

Cappuccino

$5.38 BHD 2.03

$2.02 ฿67.8

166.34%

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

$0.86 BHD 0.33

$0.85 ฿28.52

1.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 BHD 0.14

$0.36 ฿11.97

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.95 BHD 3.00

$2.14 ฿71.9

271.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.45 BHD 3.94

$3.59 ฿121

191.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 BHD 0.62

$1.65 ฿55.5

-0.61%

White Bread (500g)

$1.34 BHD 0.50

$1.57 ฿52.7

-14.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.42 BHD 0.91

$1.19 ฿40.05

103.36%

Eggs

$2.43 BHD 0.92

$1.94 ฿65.1

25.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.51 BHD 3.21

$16.19 ฿545

-47.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.49 BHD 2.82

$2.99 ฿101

150.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.04 BHD 3.78

$10.94 ฿368

-8.23%

Apples (1kg)

$2.47 BHD 0.93

$2.71 ฿91.2

-8.86%

Banana (1kg)

$2.10 BHD 0.79

$1.17 ฿39.27

79.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.68 BHD 0.63

$1.69 ฿56.8

-0.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.15 BHD 0.44

$1.60 ฿54.0

-28.13%

Potato (1kg)

$0.88 BHD 0.33

$1.38 ฿46.56

-36.23%

Onion (1kg)

$1.08 BHD 0.41

$1.20 ฿40.47

-10.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.44 BHD 0.54

$0.67 ฿22.51

114.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.92 BHD 0.35

$0.56 ฿18.74

64.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.61 BHD 2.49

$4.64 ฿156

42.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.69 BHD 7.04

$17.62 ฿593

6.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.37 BHD 1.27

$1.86 ฿62.6

81.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.21 BHD 1.21

$3.30 ฿111

-2.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.70

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ฿651

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.56 BHD 1.72

$1.36 ฿45.92

235.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.01 BHD 1.51

$1.34 ฿45.00

199.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.83 BHD 10.11

$8.21 ฿276

226.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.53 BHD 0.20

$1.22 ฿41.20

-56.56%

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

$37.3K BHD 14.1K

$21.4K ฿718.5K

74.74%

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

$21.0K BHD 7,913

$22.5K ฿758.1K

-6.81%

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

$123 BHD 46.27

$70.7 ฿2,378

73.71%

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

$26.55 BHD 10.00

$14.04 ฿472

89.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.89 BHD 14.28

$17.49 ฿589

116.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.15 ฿1,418

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

Cinema Ticket

$10.41 BHD 3.92

$5.92 ฿199

75.84%

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

$383 BHD 144

$309 ฿10.4K

24.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,874 BHD 3,344

$14.9K ฿500.7K

-40.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.97 BHD 17.32

$55.8 ฿1,876

-17.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$63.7 BHD 23.99

$26.11 ฿879

143.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.6 BHD 31.14

$83.0 ฿2,793

-0.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.2 BHD 33.26

$70.5 ฿2,371

25.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$432 ฿14.5K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿8,040

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$822 ฿27.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$512 ฿17.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,915 ฿64.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 ฿49.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,703 BHD 642

$579 ฿19.5K

194.02%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.56

71.20%

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

Last update for Sitrah: July 12, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 194% higher in Sitrah, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $53.0 in Sitrah versus $18.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $262 vs $243 – 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

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

Chiang Mai costs about 3% more than Sitrah, 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 $1,259 per month in Sitrah and $1,292 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $53.0 in Sitrah and $18.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 8% cheaper in Chiang Mai – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $840 in Sitrah and $861 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Sitrah costs $840 versus $861 in Chiang Mai. 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 Sitrah. 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.