Cost of Living Comparison Between Ad Dammam and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between Ad Dammam and Chiang Mai

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,210 in Ad Dammam versus $866 in Chiang Mai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,872 in Ad Dammam versus $1,351 in Chiang Mai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,533 in Ad Dammam versus $1,835 in Chiang Mai.

Living in Ad Dammam is roughly 40% more expensive than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities sit below the global median: Ad Dammam 10% lower, Chiang Mai 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.31 SAR 27.42

$1.94 ฿63.5

276.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.6 SAR 201

$18.64 ฿609

187.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.98 SAR 29.94

$7.82 ฿255

2.05%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.83 SAR 6.86

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.82 SAR 6.82

Cappuccino

$3.70 SAR 13.89

$1.95 ฿63.8

89.74%

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

$0.92 SAR 3.43

$0.85 ฿27.77

8.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 SAR 1.30

$0.35 ฿11.58

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.6

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 SAR 6.43

$1.71 ฿56.0

White Bread (500g)

$1.45 SAR 5.43

$1.63 ฿53.2

-11.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.09 SAR 7.85

$1.14 ฿37.15

83.33%

Eggs

$2.24 SAR 8.42

$1.93 ฿63.1

16.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.06 SAR 22.73

$16.21 ฿530

-62.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.15 SAR 26.85

$3.12 ฿102

129.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.62 SAR 36.12

$10.90 ฿356

-11.74%

Apples (1kg)

$2.11 SAR 7.93

$2.75 ฿90.0

-23.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 SAR 5.62

$1.21 ฿39.52

23.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.38 SAR 5.20

$1.62 ฿53.0

-14.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.66 SAR 6.24

$1.59 ฿51.8

4.40%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 SAR 4.80

$1.40 ฿45.70

-8.57%

Onion (1kg)

$1.33 SAR 4.99

$1.17 ฿38.17

13.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.35 SAR 5.06

$0.66 ฿21.60

104.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 SAR 2.07

$0.53 ฿17.22

3.77%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.19 SAR 15.73

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.60 SAR 6.01

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 SAR 7.44

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.92 SAR 29.73

$4.69 ฿153

68.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿609

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.8

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 SAR 3.36

$0.90 ฿29.26

-1.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.16 SAR 151

$19.21 ฿628

109.06%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.29 SAR 12.35

$1.41 ฿45.91

133.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.65 SAR 9.96

$1.29 ฿42.12

105.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.28 SAR 49.85

$7.84 ฿256

69.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.64 SAR 2.42

$1.27 ฿41.58

-49.61%

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

$23.1K SAR 86.6K

$21.3K ฿694.9K

8.40%

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

$21.3K SAR 79.8K

$22.2K ฿725.4K

-4.29%

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

$117 SAR 438

$69.1 ฿2,256

68.90%

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

$38.34 SAR 144

$14.08 ฿460

172.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$63.5 SAR 238

$18.00 ฿588

252.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$70.9 SAR 266

$41.06 ฿1,341

72.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$30.51 SAR 114

$6.96 ฿227

338.36%

Cinema Ticket

$15.54 SAR 58.3

$5.92 ฿193

162.50%

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

$415 SAR 1,559

$299 ฿9,766

38.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,170 SAR 30.7K

$15.0K ฿488.3K

-45.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.9 SAR 251

$54.7 ฿1,787

22.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$68.2 SAR 256

$26.77 ฿874

154.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.8 SAR 341

$85.0 ฿2,776

6.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.5 SAR 321

$70.6 ฿2,306

21.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$447 SAR 1,678

$428 ฿14.0K

4.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$375 SAR 1,408

$237 ฿7,752

58.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$800 SAR 3,002

$801 ฿26.2K

-0.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$641 SAR 2,407

$515 ฿16.8K

24.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,309 SAR 4,914

$1,975 ฿64.5K

-33.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$805 SAR 3,020

$1,475 ฿48.2K

-45.45%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,895 SAR 7,110

$617 ฿20.2K

206.84%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.33

-13.40%

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

Last update for Ad Dammam: May 30, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $447 in Ad Dammam and $428 in Chiang Mai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ad Dammam pays 207% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $54.0 in Ad Dammam vs $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries flip the comparison at $184 vs $246, with Ad Dammam cheaper for home cooking.

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

Ad Dammam vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai wins on cost – living expenses run 40% lower than in Ad Dammam. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Chiang Mai the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Ad Dammam pays 207% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $447 in Ad Dammam versus $428 in Chiang Mai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,210 per month in Ad Dammam versus $866 in Chiang Mai – a 40% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Chiang Mai runs roughly 109% less than in Ad Dammam. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $866 in Chiang Mai versus $1,210 in Ad Dammam, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Chiang Mai but tight or insufficient in Ad Dammam. The gap between the two cities makes Chiang Mai the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Chiang Mai delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $866 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Chiang Mai hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Ad Dammam and Chiang Mai are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Chiang Mai gentler on the wallet – expenses run 40% less than in Ad Dammam. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.