Cost of Living Comparison Between Al-hawiyah and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between Al-hawiyah and Chiang Mai

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,222 in Al-hawiyah versus $866 in Chiang Mai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,882 in Al-hawiyah versus $1,351 in Chiang Mai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,542 in Al-hawiyah versus $1,835 in Chiang Mai.

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

Both cities sit below the global median: Al-hawiyah 9% lower, Chiang Mai 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.84 SAR 25.66

$1.94 ฿63.5

252.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.30 SAR 166

$18.64 ฿609

137.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.80 SAR 29.27

$7.82 ฿255

-0.26%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.70 SAR 6.37

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.85 SAR 6.92

Cappuccino

$3.61 SAR 13.54

$1.95 ฿63.8

85.13%

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

$0.80 SAR 3.02

$0.85 ฿27.77

-5.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 SAR 1.07

$0.35 ฿11.58

-17.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.6

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

Milk (1 liter)

$1.69 SAR 6.35

$1.71 ฿56.0

-1.17%

White Bread (500g)

$0.96 SAR 3.60

$1.63 ฿53.2

-41.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.27 SAR 8.52

$1.14 ฿37.15

99.12%

Eggs

$2.42 SAR 9.09

$1.93 ฿63.1

25.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.73 SAR 25.27

$16.21 ฿530

-58.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.61 SAR 28.55

$3.12 ฿102

143.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.06 SAR 49.00

$10.90 ฿356

19.82%

Apples (1kg)

$2.29 SAR 8.58

$2.75 ฿90.0

-16.73%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 SAR 6.17

$1.21 ฿39.52

35.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.70 SAR 6.37

$1.62 ฿53.0

4.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.56 SAR 5.84

$1.59 ฿51.8

-1.89%

Potato (1kg)

$1.29 SAR 4.85

$1.40 ฿45.70

-7.86%

Onion (1kg)

$1.26 SAR 4.75

$1.17 ฿38.17

7.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 SAR 4.49

$0.66 ฿21.60

81.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 SAR 2.08

$0.53 ฿17.22

3.77%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.67 SAR 10.00

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 SAR 6.64

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.10 SAR 7.87

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.89 SAR 25.88

$4.69 ฿153

46.91%

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)

$1.05 SAR 3.94

$0.90 ฿29.26

16.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.44 SAR 152

$19.21 ฿628

110.52%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.67 SAR 10.02

$1.41 ฿45.91

89.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 SAR 7.12

$1.29 ฿42.12

47.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.34 SAR 50.1

$7.84 ฿256

70.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.65 SAR 2.43

$1.27 ฿41.58

-48.82%

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

$26.6K SAR 99.9K

$21.3K ฿694.9K

25.10%

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

$22.1K SAR 83.1K

$22.2K ฿725.4K

-0.29%

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

$106 SAR 397

$69.1 ฿2,256

53.03%

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

$34.27 SAR 129

$14.08 ฿460

143.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$73.7 SAR 277

$18.00 ฿588

309.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$86.6 SAR 325

$41.06 ฿1,341

110.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.20 SAR 136

$6.96 ฿227

420.11%

Cinema Ticket

$15.96 SAR 59.9

$5.92 ฿193

169.59%

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

$350 SAR 1,313

$299 ฿9,766

16.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,922 SAR 26.0K

$15.0K ฿488.3K

-53.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.2 SAR 222

$54.7 ฿1,787

8.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$61.4 SAR 231

$26.77 ฿874

129.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.8 SAR 292

$85.0 ฿2,776

-8.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$82.6 SAR 310

$70.6 ฿2,306

16.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$433 SAR 1,627

$428 ฿14.0K

1.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 SAR 1,405

$237 ฿7,752

57.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$866 SAR 3,252

$801 ฿26.2K

8.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$625 SAR 2,346

$515 ฿16.8K

21.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,091 SAR 7,846

$1,975 ฿64.5K

5.87%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,170 SAR 4,390

$1,475 ฿48.2K

-20.70%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.42

-11.60%

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

Last update for Al-hawiyah: May 31, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $433 in Al-hawiyah and $428 in Chiang Mai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $44.00 in Al-hawiyah vs $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries flip the comparison at $196 vs $246, with Al-hawiyah 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

Al-hawiyah vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Al-hawiyah and Chiang Mai differ by about 41% in total monthly costs ($1,222 vs $866 including rent). Chiang Mai is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,833 in Al-hawiyah and $1,300 in Chiang Mai to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $433 in Al-hawiyah versus $428 in Chiang Mai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Chiang Mai – a meal for two runs $19.00 versus $44.00 in Al-hawiyah. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,222 per month in Al-hawiyah versus $866 in Chiang Mai – a 41% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $866 in Chiang Mai versus $1,222 in Al-hawiyah, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Chiang Mai but tight or insufficient in Al-hawiyah. The gap between the two cities makes Chiang Mai the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Al-hawiyah 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 Al-hawiyah. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.