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: $1,211 in Ad Dammam versus $861 in Chiang Mai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,857 in Ad Dammam versus $1,350 in Chiang Mai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,503 in Ad Dammam versus $1,838 in Chiang Mai.

Living in Ad Dammam is roughly 41% more expensive than in Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities sit below the global median: Ad Dammam 9% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.45 SAR 27.99

$1.96 ฿65.7

280.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.0 SAR 199

$18.35 ฿616

188.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.92 SAR 29.73

$7.48 ฿251

5.88%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.88 SAR 7.07

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.85 SAR 6.95

Cappuccino

$3.55 SAR 13.34

$2.02 ฿67.7

75.74%

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

$0.92 SAR 3.44

$0.85 ฿28.45

8.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.38 SAR 1.42

$0.36 ฿11.94

5.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.7

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 ฿121

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 SAR 6.15

$1.65 ฿55.4

-0.61%

White Bread (500g)

$1.42 SAR 5.32

$1.57 ฿52.6

-9.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.12 SAR 7.96

$1.19 ฿39.95

78.15%

Eggs

$2.31 SAR 8.68

$1.94 ฿65.0

19.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.99 SAR 22.48

$16.19 ฿544

-63.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.32 SAR 27.49

$2.99 ฿100

144.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.07 SAR 37.81

$10.94 ฿367

-7.95%

Apples (1kg)

$2.09 SAR 7.85

$2.71 ฿91.0

-22.88%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 SAR 5.82

$1.17 ฿39.18

32.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.39 SAR 5.23

$1.69 ฿56.6

-17.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.65 SAR 6.20

$1.60 ฿53.9

3.12%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 SAR 4.79

$1.38 ฿46.45

-7.25%

Onion (1kg)

$1.37 SAR 5.15

$1.20 ฿40.38

14.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.29 SAR 4.86

$0.67 ฿22.46

92.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 SAR 2.08

$0.56 ฿18.70

-1.79%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.12 SAR 15.47

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.61 SAR 6.05

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 SAR 7.47

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.76 SAR 29.14

$4.64 ฿156

67.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.62 ฿591

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.4

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 ฿111

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.94 SAR 3.51

$0.88 ฿29.63

6.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.30 SAR 148

$19.34 ฿649

103.21%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.31 SAR 12.42

$1.36 ฿45.82

143.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.73 SAR 10.26

$1.34 ฿44.90

103.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.58 SAR 51.0

$8.21 ฿276

65.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.61 SAR 2.29

$1.22 ฿41.11

-50.00%

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

$22.2K SAR 83.5K

$21.4K ฿716.8K

4.08%

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

$20.9K SAR 78.3K

$22.5K ฿756.3K

-7.43%

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

$118 SAR 444

$70.7 ฿2,372

67.47%

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

$38.60 SAR 145

$14.04 ฿471

174.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$63.4 SAR 238

$17.49 ฿587

262.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$70.7 SAR 266

$42.15 ฿1,415

67.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$30.89 SAR 116

$6.88 ฿231

348.98%

Cinema Ticket

$15.30 SAR 57.5

$5.92 ฿199

158.45%

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

$427 SAR 1,602

$309 ฿10.4K

38.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,216 SAR 30.9K

$14.9K ฿499.5K

-44.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.0 SAR 255

$55.8 ฿1,872

21.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$67.8 SAR 255

$26.11 ฿877

159.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.5 SAR 340

$83.0 ฿2,787

9.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.1 SAR 323

$70.5 ฿2,365

22.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$452 SAR 1,697

$432 ฿14.5K

4.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 SAR 1,413

$239 ฿8,020

57.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$792 SAR 2,976

$822 ฿27.6K

-3.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$636 SAR 2,388

$512 ฿17.2K

24.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,320 SAR 4,956

$1,915 ฿64.3K

-31.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$812 SAR 3,051

$1,467 ฿49.3K

-44.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,502 SAR 5,640

$579 ฿19.4K

159.21%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $452 in Ad Dammam and $432 in Chiang Mai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ad Dammam pays 159% 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: $53.0 in Ad Dammam vs $18.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries flip the comparison at $185 vs $243, 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 41% 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.

Average pay runs 159% higher in Ad Dammam, 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: $452 in Ad Dammam versus $432 in Chiang Mai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,211 per month in Ad Dammam versus $861 in Chiang Mai – a 41% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Chiang Mai runs roughly 103% less than in Ad Dammam. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $861 in Chiang Mai versus $1,211 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 $861 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 41% less than in Ad Dammam. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.