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 $1,042 per month in Al Hufuf vs $866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,615 per month in Al Hufuf vs $1,351 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,187 per month in Al Hufuf vs $1,835 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 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.75 SAR 25.35

$1.94 ฿63.5

247.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.64 SAR 183

$18.64 ฿609

160.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.88 SAR 29.58

$7.82 ฿255

0.77%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.77 SAR 6.63

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.65 SAR 6.18

Cappuccino

$4.00 SAR 15.02

$1.95 ฿63.8

105.13%

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

$0.64 SAR 2.40

$0.85 ฿27.77

-24.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.22 SAR 0.83

$0.35 ฿11.58

-37.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.6

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

Milk (1 liter)

$1.56 SAR 5.84

$1.71 ฿56.0

-8.77%

White Bread (500g)

$1.02 SAR 3.81

$1.63 ฿53.2

-37.42%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.26 SAR 8.50

$1.14 ฿37.15

98.25%

Eggs

$1.98 SAR 7.42

$1.93 ฿63.1

2.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.59 SAR 20.98

$16.21 ฿530

-65.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.55 SAR 24.58

$3.12 ฿102

109.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.58 SAR 51.0

$10.90 ฿356

24.59%

Apples (1kg)

$1.66 SAR 6.24

$2.75 ฿90.0

-39.64%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 SAR 6.08

$1.21 ฿39.52

33.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.37 SAR 5.13

$1.62 ฿53.0

-15.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.12 SAR 4.20

$1.59 ฿51.8

-29.56%

Potato (1kg)

$0.94 SAR 3.54

$1.40 ฿45.70

-32.86%

Onion (1kg)

$1.00 SAR 3.75

$1.17 ฿38.17

-14.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.35 SAR 5.07

$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)

$2.88 SAR 10.81

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 SAR 6.46

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.14 SAR 4.28

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.23 SAR 23.38

$4.69 ฿153

32.84%

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)

$39.61 SAR 149

$19.21 ฿628

106.19%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.70 SAR 10.12

$1.41 ฿45.91

91.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.88 SAR 7.06

$1.29 ฿42.12

45.74%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.15 SAR 49.35

$7.84 ฿256

67.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.64 SAR 2.40

$1.27 ฿41.58

-49.61%

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

$35.3K SAR 132.4K

$21.3K ฿694.9K

65.78%

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

$23.4K SAR 88.0K

$22.2K ฿725.4K

5.52%

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

$80.8 SAR 303

$69.1 ฿2,256

16.92%

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

$31.12 SAR 117

$14.08 ฿460

121.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$76.8 SAR 288

$18.00 ฿588

326.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$142 SAR 534

$41.06 ฿1,341

246.76%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$33.20 SAR 125

$6.96 ฿227

377.01%

Cinema Ticket

$13.08 SAR 49.09

$5.92 ฿193

120.95%

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

$295 SAR 1,108

$299 ฿9,766

-1.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,132 SAR 15.5K

$15.0K ฿488.3K

-72.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$12.44 SAR 46.67

$54.7 ฿1,787

-77.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$16.13 SAR 60.5

$26.77 ฿874

-39.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$41.33 SAR 155

$85.0 ฿2,776

-51.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$33.74 SAR 127

$70.6 ฿2,306

-52.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$355 SAR 1,331

$428 ฿14.0K

-17.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$266 SAR 997

$237 ฿7,752

11.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$729 SAR 2,735

$801 ฿26.2K

-9.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$403 SAR 1,512

$515 ฿16.8K

-21.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,353 SAR 8,830

$1,975 ฿64.5K

19.15%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,315 SAR 4,937

$1,475 ฿48.2K

-10.82%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,935 SAR 7,263

$617 ฿20.2K

213.41%

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $355 in Al Hufuf versus $428 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 213% 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $179 in Al Hufuf vs $246 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 $1,563 per month in Al Hufuf and $1,300 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 $19.00 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 $1,042 in Al Hufuf and $866 in Chiang Mai. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $866, than in Al Hufuf at $1,042. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Al Hufuf it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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.