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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,141 per month in Abha vs $852 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,892 per month in Abha vs $1,354 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,643 per month in Abha vs $1,857 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Abha costs about 34% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Abha and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Abha 15% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.45 SAR 20.42

$1.96 ฿64.0

178.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.5 SAR 201

$18.81 ฿615

184.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.66 SAR 28.72

$7.92 ฿259

-3.28%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 SAR 6.34

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.37 SAR 5.14

Cappuccino

$3.22 SAR 12.08

$1.91 ฿62.6

68.59%

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

$0.64 SAR 2.39

$0.84 ฿27.41

-23.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.23 SAR 0.86

$0.35 ฿11.51

-34.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 ฿124

Milk (1 liter)

$1.90 SAR 7.14

$1.64 ฿53.5

15.85%

White Bread (500g)

$0.52 SAR 1.96

$1.62 ฿53.1

-67.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.01 SAR 7.54

$1.18 ฿38.62

70.34%

Eggs

$2.98 SAR 11.19

$2.01 ฿65.8

48.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.91 SAR 22.15

$15.89 ฿520

-62.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.42 SAR 31.57

$3.01 ฿98.5

179.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.17 SAR 64.4

$10.77 ฿352

59.42%

Apples (1kg)

$1.82 SAR 6.81

$2.61 ฿85.5

-30.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 SAR 6.35

$1.22 ฿39.88

38.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.43 SAR 5.35

$1.70 ฿55.7

-15.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.66 SAR 6.23

$1.58 ฿51.5

5.06%

Potato (1kg)

$1.41 SAR 5.30

$1.32 ฿43.14

6.82%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 SAR 4.52

$1.17 ฿38.23

2.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.92 SAR 3.43

$0.67 ฿21.98

37.31%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 SAR 2.04

$0.56 ฿18.32

-3.57%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.88 SAR 10.79

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.52 SAR 5.70

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.48 SAR 5.55

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.56 SAR 35.85

$4.53 ฿148

111.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.20 ฿595

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿60.0

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 SAR 2.96

$0.89 ฿29.00

-11.24%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.27 SAR 147

$19.38 ฿634

102.63%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.58 SAR 9.69

$1.35 ฿44.20

91.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.63 SAR 9.87

$1.35 ฿44.05

94.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.37 SAR 50.1

$8.25 ฿270

62.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.61 SAR 2.28

$1.27 ฿41.64

-51.97%

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

$24.4K SAR 91.4K

$21.2K ฿691.8K

15.15%

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

$22.3K SAR 83.7K

$22.5K ฿735.3K

-0.72%

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

$81.9 SAR 307

$70.2 ฿2,294

16.72%

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

$37.31 SAR 140

$13.77 ฿450

170.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$54.6 SAR 205

$17.60 ฿575

210.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$122 SAR 456

$41.57 ฿1,360

192.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.62 SAR 99.8

$6.60 ฿216

303.33%

Cinema Ticket

$18.01 SAR 67.6

$5.78 ฿189

211.59%

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

$233 SAR 874

$306 ฿10.0K

-23.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,236 SAR 19.6K

$14.8K ฿484.8K

-64.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$38.24 SAR 143

$54.4 ฿1,778

-29.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$66.8 SAR 250

$26.14 ฿855

155.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$178 SAR 669

$84.5 ฿2,764

111.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.4 SAR 335

$69.4 ฿2,270

28.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$349 SAR 1,309

$424 ฿13.9K

-17.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$263 SAR 985

$238 ฿7,788

10.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$559 SAR 2,095

$825 ฿27.0K

-32.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$629 SAR 2,360

$515 ฿16.8K

22.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,053 SAR 3,949

$2,049 ฿67.0K

-48.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$611 SAR 2,293

$1,523 ฿49.8K

-59.85%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,393 SAR 8,972

$635 ฿20.8K

276.67%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.67

13.40%

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

Last update for Abha: April 26, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $349 in Abha versus $424 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 Abha, 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 $54.0 in Abha versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $206 in Abha vs $243 in Chiang Mai – so Abha wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

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

Abha costs about 34% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,711 per month in Abha and $1,278 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.

Interestingly, groceries are about 18% cheaper in Abha – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $54.0 in Abha and $19.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $852, than in Abha at $1,141. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Abha it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $852 versus $1,141 in Abha. 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, Abha makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.