Cost of Living Comparison Between Al Hufuf and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between Al Hufuf and Chiang Mai

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,037 per month in Al Hufuf vs $861 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,612 per month in Al Hufuf vs $1,350 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,186 per month in Al Hufuf vs $1,838 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Al Hufuf costs about 20% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Al Hufuf and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Al Hufuf 22% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.83 SAR 25.66

$1.96 ฿65.9

248.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.02 SAR 184

$18.35 ฿617

167.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.83 SAR 29.42

$7.48 ฿252

4.68%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.78 SAR 6.67

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.56 SAR 5.87

Cappuccino

$3.96 SAR 14.88

$2.02 ฿67.8

96.04%

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

$0.70 SAR 2.62

$0.85 ฿28.52

-17.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.20 SAR 0.75

$0.36 ฿11.97

-44.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.9

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 ฿121

Milk (1 liter)

$1.63 SAR 6.11

$1.65 ฿55.5

-1.21%

White Bread (500g)

$0.96 SAR 3.59

$1.57 ฿52.7

-38.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.36 SAR 8.86

$1.19 ฿40.05

98.32%

Eggs

$1.98 SAR 7.44

$1.94 ฿65.1

2.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.71 SAR 21.46

$16.19 ฿545

-64.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.34 SAR 23.82

$2.99 ฿101

112.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.87 SAR 52.1

$10.94 ฿368

26.78%

Apples (1kg)

$1.71 SAR 6.42

$2.71 ฿91.2

-36.90%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 SAR 5.84

$1.17 ฿39.27

32.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.37 SAR 5.14

$1.69 ฿56.8

-18.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.16 SAR 4.37

$1.60 ฿54.0

-27.50%

Potato (1kg)

$1.01 SAR 3.78

$1.38 ฿46.56

-26.81%

Onion (1kg)

$1.03 SAR 3.86

$1.20 ฿40.47

-14.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.31 SAR 4.93

$0.67 ฿22.51

95.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 SAR 1.93

$0.56 ฿18.74

-8.93%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.98 SAR 11.18

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 SAR 6.77

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.15 SAR 4.30

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.46 SAR 24.24

$4.64 ฿156

39.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.62 ฿593

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.6

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 ฿111

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.10 SAR 4.11

$0.88 ฿29.70

25.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.69 SAR 153

$19.34 ฿651

110.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.59 SAR 9.72

$1.36 ฿45.92

90.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 SAR 7.21

$1.34 ฿45.00

43.28%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.11 SAR 49.23

$8.21 ฿276

59.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.64 SAR 2.39

$1.22 ฿41.20

-47.54%

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

$35.3K SAR 132.6K

$21.4K ฿718.5K

65.31%

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

$23.3K SAR 87.4K

$22.5K ฿758.1K

3.29%

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

$80.2 SAR 301

$70.7 ฿2,378

13.49%

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

$31.16 SAR 117

$14.04 ฿472

121.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$75.7 SAR 284

$17.49 ฿589

332.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$143 SAR 538

$42.15 ฿1,418

239.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$33.35 SAR 125

$6.88 ฿231

384.74%

Cinema Ticket

$13.22 SAR 49.65

$5.92 ฿199

123.31%

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

$297 SAR 1,116

$309 ฿10.4K

-3.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,069 SAR 15.3K

$14.9K ฿500.7K

-72.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$12.64 SAR 47.45

$55.8 ฿1,876

-77.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$15.98 SAR 60.0

$26.11 ฿879

-38.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$40.91 SAR 154

$83.0 ฿2,793

-50.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$33.46 SAR 126

$70.5 ฿2,371

-52.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$357 SAR 1,339

$432 ฿14.5K

-17.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$271 SAR 1,016

$239 ฿8,040

13.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$721 SAR 2,709

$822 ฿27.7K

-12.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$400 SAR 1,504

$512 ฿17.2K

-21.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,014 SAR 7,565

$1,915 ฿64.4K

5.21%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,388 SAR 5,214

$1,467 ฿49.4K

-5.37%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,976 SAR 7,421

$579 ฿19.5K

241.10%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.5

-50.00%

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

Last update for Al Hufuf: July 12, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $357 in Al Hufuf versus $432 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 241% higher in Al Hufuf, 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 $49.00 in Al Hufuf versus $18.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $179 in Al Hufuf vs $243 in Chiang Mai – so Al Hufuf 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

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

Yes – Al Hufuf is pricier by about 20%, and the gap shows up most in Sport & Entertainment. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,556 per month in Al Hufuf and $1,292 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $49.00 in Al Hufuf and $18.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,037 in Al Hufuf and $861 in Chiang Mai. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $1,037 in Al Hufuf and $861 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Chiang Mai – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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, Al Hufuf makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.