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 $1,134 per month in Abha vs $869 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,921 per month in Abha vs $1,362 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,709 per month in Abha vs $1,855 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Abha costs about 31% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Abha and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Abha 16% lower, Chiang Mai 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.25 SAR 19.68

$1.98 ฿64.3

165.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.1 SAR 199

$18.80 ฿612

182.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.92 SAR 29.72

$7.75 ฿252

2.19%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.71 SAR 6.42

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.38 SAR 5.19

Cappuccino

$3.11 SAR 11.67

$1.92 ฿62.5

61.98%

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

$0.59 SAR 2.20

$0.79 ฿25.79

-25.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.23 SAR 0.87

$0.36 ฿11.62

-36.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

Milk (1 liter)

$1.85 SAR 6.94

$1.65 ฿53.8

12.12%

White Bread (500g)

$0.48 SAR 1.80

$1.63 ฿53.2

-70.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.06 SAR 7.72

$1.19 ฿38.86

73.11%

Eggs

$2.91 SAR 10.91

$2.00 ฿65.1

45.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.81 SAR 21.80

$15.98 ฿520

-63.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.83 SAR 33.14

$3.03 ฿98.5

191.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.66 SAR 62.5

$10.86 ฿354

53.41%

Apples (1kg)

$1.86 SAR 6.97

$2.76 ฿90.0

-32.61%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 SAR 6.04

$1.18 ฿38.42

36.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.47 SAR 5.51

$1.64 ฿53.5

-10.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.69 SAR 6.34

$1.52 ฿49.51

11.18%

Potato (1kg)

$1.41 SAR 5.28

$1.38 ฿45.10

2.17%

Onion (1kg)

$1.22 SAR 4.58

$1.19 ฿38.84

2.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.91 SAR 3.42

$0.70 ฿22.86

30.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 SAR 2.20

$0.56 ฿18.13

5.36%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.36 SAR 16.38

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.53 SAR 5.73

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 SAR 5.48

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.44 SAR 35.41

$4.58 ฿149

106.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.56 ฿539

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿59.5

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 ฿104

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.80 SAR 3.00

$0.88 ฿28.56

-9.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.67 SAR 153

$18.72 ฿610

117.25%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.74 SAR 10.27

$1.36 ฿44.16

101.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.71 SAR 10.17

$1.34 ฿43.65

102.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.28 SAR 49.82

$7.84 ฿256

69.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.64 SAR 2.40

$1.23 ฿39.92

-47.97%

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

$24.6K SAR 92.4K

$21.6K ฿704.3K

13.87%

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

$22.9K SAR 85.9K

$22.5K ฿734.3K

1.48%

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

$82.2 SAR 309

$70.5 ฿2,298

16.57%

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

$37.47 SAR 141

$13.68 ฿445

173.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$54.0 SAR 202

$17.45 ฿568

209.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$121 SAR 453

$41.33 ฿1,346

192.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.13 SAR 102

$6.96 ฿227

289.80%

Cinema Ticket

$18.02 SAR 67.6

$5.77 ฿188

212.31%

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

$238 SAR 892

$307 ฿10.0K

-22.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,340 SAR 20.0K

$14.6K ฿475.9K

-63.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$38.22 SAR 143

$55.8 ฿1,817

-31.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$66.4 SAR 249

$26.21 ฿854

153.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$179 SAR 670

$85.8 ฿2,793

108.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.6 SAR 333

$72.2 ฿2,353

22.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$352 SAR 1,322

$430 ฿14.0K

-18.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$265 SAR 994

$239 ฿7,774

10.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$556 SAR 2,085

$817 ฿26.6K

-32.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$637 SAR 2,390

$511 ฿16.6K

24.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,403 SAR 9,016

$1,983 ฿64.6K

21.16%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,312 SAR 4,924

$1,484 ฿48.3K

-11.57%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,218 SAR 8,322

$619 ฿20.2K

258.38%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $352 in Abha versus $430 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 258% 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 $53.0 in Abha versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $205 in Abha vs $241 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 31% 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 $1,701 per month in Abha and $1,303 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 17% 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 $53.0 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 $869, than in Abha at $1,134. 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 $869 versus $1,134 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.