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: $1,198 in Ad Dammam versus $947 in Chiang Mai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,825 in Ad Dammam versus $1,411 in Chiang Mai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,452 in Ad Dammam versus $1,874 in Chiang Mai.

Living in Ad Dammam is roughly 26% more expensive than in Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities sit below the global median: Ad Dammam 13% lower, Chiang Mai 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.09 SAR 30.38

$2.08 ฿69.4

288.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.23 SAR 140

$19.64 ฿654

89.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.79 SAR 25.50

$5.65 ฿188

20.18%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.80 SAR 6.76

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 SAR 7.73

Cappuccino

$3.04 SAR 11.42

$1.81 ฿60.1

67.96%

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

$0.77 SAR 2.88

$0.71 ฿23.75

8.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.17 SAR 0.62

$0.32 ฿10.52

-46.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.24 ฿74.5

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ฿121

Milk (1 liter)

$1.77 SAR 6.66

$1.96 ฿65.2

-9.69%

White Bread (500g)

$1.33 SAR 5.00

$1.50 ฿50.0

-11.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.93 SAR 7.25

$1.34 ฿44.49

44.03%

Eggs

$2.10 SAR 7.89

$2.26 ฿75.4

-7.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.34 SAR 27.57

$16.26 ฿541

-54.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.76 SAR 29.13

$2.95 ฿98.4

163.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.48 SAR 46.85

$9.94 ฿331

25.55%

Apples (1kg)

$2.18 SAR 8.20

$2.57 ฿85.7

-15.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 SAR 6.44

$1.06 ฿35.18

61.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 SAR 6.15

$1.61 ฿53.7

1.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.63 SAR 6.13

$1.52 ฿50.6

7.24%

Potato (1kg)

$1.08 SAR 4.04

$1.27 ฿42.30

-14.96%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 SAR 4.46

$1.07 ฿35.51

11.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.32 SAR 4.96

$0.72 ฿23.98

83.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 SAR 2.12

$0.51 ฿16.94

9.80%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.20 SAR 15.78

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.49 SAR 5.59

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.23 SAR 8.39

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.51 SAR 28.19

$4.19 ฿140

79.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.87 ฿595

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 ฿56.4

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 ฿94.5

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 SAR 3.37

$0.93 ฿30.82

-3.23%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.24 SAR 132

$53.9 ฿1,794

-34.57%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.67 SAR 10.03

$1.23 ฿41.11

117.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.62 SAR 9.82

$0.58 ฿19.20

351.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.43 SAR 50.4

$2.42 ฿80.7

454.96%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.60 SAR 2.24

$1.41 ฿47.03

-57.45%

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

$66.9K SAR 251.2K

$21.4K ฿714.1K

211.99%

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

$20.9K SAR 78.4K

$27.3K ฿910.2K

-23.61%

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

$126 SAR 472

$63.7 ฿2,120

97.55%

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

$33.14 SAR 124

$12.85 ฿428

157.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.7 SAR 235

$20.22 ฿673

210.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$76.1 SAR 286

$38.74 ฿1,290

96.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.76 SAR 104

$3.97 ฿132

599.24%

Cinema Ticket

$13.49 SAR 50.7

$6.74 ฿224

100.15%

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

$414 SAR 1,554

$778 ฿25.9K

-46.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,996 SAR 30.0K

$14.6K ฿486.5K

-45.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$41.25 SAR 155

$54.3 ฿1,808

-24.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.67 SAR 183

$25.45 ฿847

91.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.3 SAR 365

$94.3 ฿3,141

3.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.8 SAR 345

$73.4 ฿2,446

24.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$566 SAR 2,126

$490 ฿16.3K

15.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 SAR 1,410

$289 ฿9,634

29.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$988 SAR 3,708

$894 ฿29.8K

10.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$672 SAR 2,523

$517 ฿17.2K

29.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,376 SAR 5,166

$1,955 ฿65.1K

-29.62%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$597 SAR 2,240

$1,477 ฿49.2K

-59.61%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,528 SAR 5,736

$602 ฿20.0K

153.75%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.9

5.57

5.92%

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

Last update for Ad Dammam: August 29, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $566 in Ad Dammam and $490 in Chiang Mai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ad Dammam pays 154% 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: $37.00 in Ad Dammam vs $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries flip the comparison at $199 vs $240, 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 26% 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 154% 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: $566 in Ad Dammam versus $490 in Chiang Mai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,198 per month in Ad Dammam versus $947 in Chiang Mai – a 26% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Chiang Mai runs roughly 53% less than in Ad Dammam. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $947 in Chiang Mai versus $1,198 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 $947 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 26% less than in Ad Dammam. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.