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 $1,137 per month in Abha vs $852 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,912 per month in Abha vs $1,360 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,687 per month in Abha vs $1,867 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Abha costs about 33% 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

$5.28 SAR 19.84

$2.04 ฿68.4

158.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.8 SAR 202

$18.71 ฿626

187.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.81 SAR 29.34

$7.86 ฿263

-0.64%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.78 SAR 6.68

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.38 SAR 5.18

Cappuccino

$3.06 SAR 11.48

$2.03 ฿67.9

50.74%

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

$0.62 SAR 2.35

$0.80 ฿26.71

-22.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.21 SAR 0.79

$0.35 ฿11.71

-40.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.7

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿123

Milk (1 liter)

$1.91 SAR 7.17

$1.73 ฿57.8

10.40%

White Bread (500g)

$0.48 SAR 1.80

$1.57 ฿52.5

-69.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.96 SAR 7.36

$1.20 ฿40.10

63.33%

Eggs

$2.98 SAR 11.19

$1.97 ฿66.0

51.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.76 SAR 21.61

$16.23 ฿543

-64.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.63 SAR 32.38

$3.06 ฿102

182.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.93 SAR 63.6

$10.80 ฿361

56.76%

Apples (1kg)

$1.84 SAR 6.92

$2.77 ฿92.6

-33.57%

Banana (1kg)

$1.60 SAR 6.01

$1.17 ฿39.05

36.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.46 SAR 5.47

$1.71 ฿57.1

-14.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.76 SAR 6.60

$1.59 ฿53.3

10.69%

Potato (1kg)

$1.36 SAR 5.09

$1.39 ฿46.63

-2.16%

Onion (1kg)

$1.27 SAR 4.76

$1.16 ฿38.67

9.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 SAR 3.36

$0.66 ฿22.11

34.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 SAR 2.18

$0.52 ฿17.35

11.54%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.49 SAR 16.87

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.59 SAR 5.96

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.45 SAR 5.45

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.20 SAR 34.53

$4.65 ฿155

97.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.78 ฿595

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ฿59.8

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 ฿112

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.81 SAR 3.03

$0.91 ฿30.35

-10.99%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.30 SAR 148

$18.64 ฿624

110.84%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.71 SAR 10.16

$1.41 ฿47.17

92.20%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.73 SAR 10.24

$1.34 ฿44.82

103.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.29 SAR 49.88

$8.11 ฿271

63.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.64 SAR 2.40

$1.23 ฿41.27

-47.97%

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

$24.3K SAR 91.1K

$21.4K ฿717.0K

13.15%

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

$23.1K SAR 86.7K

$21.8K ฿730.0K

5.84%

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

$81.8 SAR 307

$71.3 ฿2,386

14.68%

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

$36.74 SAR 138

$14.01 ฿469

162.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$55.1 SAR 207

$17.93 ฿600

207.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$121 SAR 453

$40.82 ฿1,365

195.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.01 SAR 101

$6.88 ฿230

292.59%

Cinema Ticket

$17.89 SAR 67.2

$5.72 ฿191

212.76%

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

$236 SAR 885

$308 ฿10.3K

-23.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,226 SAR 19.6K

$14.7K ฿491.0K

-64.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$38.74 SAR 145

$55.8 ฿1,865

-30.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$67.5 SAR 253

$26.04 ฿871

159.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$177 SAR 666

$84.8 ฿2,837

109.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.3 SAR 339

$71.0 ฿2,375

27.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$361 SAR 1,354

$423 ฿14.2K

-14.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$267 SAR 1,002

$242 ฿8,110

10.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$555 SAR 2,084

$797 ฿26.7K

-30.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$640 SAR 2,405

$507 ฿17.0K

26.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$930 SAR 3,490

$1,918 ฿64.2K

-51.54%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,312 SAR 4,924

$1,464 ฿49.0K

-10.40%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,233 SAR 8,382

$595 ฿19.9K

275.22%

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: July 26, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $361 in Abha 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 275% 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 – $205 in Abha vs $244 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 33% 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 $1,705 per month in Abha 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.

Interestingly, groceries are about 19% 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 $1,137. 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 $1,137 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.