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 $1,116 per month in Al Hufuf vs $947 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,729 per month in Al Hufuf vs $1,411 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,343 per month in Al Hufuf vs $1,874 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Al Hufuf costs about 18% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Al Hufuf and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Al Hufuf 19% lower, Chiang Mai 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.56 SAR 24.63

$2.08 ฿69.2

215.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.4 SAR 197

$19.64 ฿651

166.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.32 SAR 27.49

$5.65 ฿188

29.56%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.58 SAR 5.92

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.63 SAR 6.14

Cappuccino

$3.82 SAR 14.33

$1.81 ฿59.9

111.05%

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

$0.63 SAR 2.37

$0.71 ฿23.66

-11.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 SAR 1.13

$0.32 ฿10.48

-6.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.24 ฿74.2

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ฿121

Milk (1 liter)

$1.66 SAR 6.22

$1.96 ฿65.0

-15.31%

White Bread (500g)

$0.82 SAR 3.06

$1.50 ฿49.83

-45.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.60 SAR 9.75

$1.34 ฿44.32

94.03%

Eggs

$2.17 SAR 8.14

$2.26 ฿75.1

-3.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.51 SAR 24.44

$16.26 ฿539

-59.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.91 SAR 29.69

$2.95 ฿98.0

168.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.02 SAR 56.4

$9.94 ฿330

51.11%

Apples (1kg)

$1.57 SAR 5.91

$2.57 ฿85.3

-38.91%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 SAR 6.33

$1.06 ฿35.04

59.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.32 SAR 4.94

$1.61 ฿53.5

-18.01%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.09 SAR 4.08

$1.52 ฿50.4

-28.29%

Potato (1kg)

$1.08 SAR 4.07

$1.27 ฿42.14

-14.96%

Onion (1kg)

$0.81 SAR 3.05

$1.07 ฿35.37

-24.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.36 SAR 5.11

$0.72 ฿23.89

88.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 SAR 2.18

$0.51 ฿16.87

13.73%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.91 SAR 10.91

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.87 SAR 7.04

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.60 SAR 9.76

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.84 SAR 25.69

$4.19 ฿139

63.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.87 ฿593

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 ฿56.2

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 ฿94.1

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.04 SAR 3.89

$0.93 ฿30.70

11.83%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.98 SAR 135

$53.9 ฿1,787

-33.20%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 SAR 12.25

$1.23 ฿40.95

165.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.84 SAR 6.90

$0.58 ฿19.13

217.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.39 SAR 50.3

$2.42 ฿80.4

453.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.60 SAR 2.27

$1.41 ฿46.84

-57.45%

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

$35.8K SAR 134.4K

$21.4K ฿711.3K

66.92%

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

$22.7K SAR 85.4K

$27.3K ฿906.7K

-16.84%

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

$97.5 SAR 366

$63.7 ฿2,112

53.12%

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

$31.77 SAR 119

$12.85 ฿426

147.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.3 SAR 264

$20.22 ฿671

247.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$106 SAR 397

$38.74 ฿1,285

173.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.59 SAR 137

$3.97 ฿132

821.66%

Cinema Ticket

$14.09 SAR 52.9

$6.74 ฿223

109.05%

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

$532 SAR 1,999

$778 ฿25.8K

-31.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.1K SAR 41.5K

$14.6K ฿484.6K

-24.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$17.46 SAR 65.6

$54.3 ฿1,801

-67.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$18.50 SAR 69.5

$25.45 ฿844

-27.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$42.50 SAR 160

$94.3 ฿3,129

-54.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$31.50 SAR 118

$73.4 ฿2,436

-57.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$588 SAR 2,207

$490 ฿16.2K

20.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$346 SAR 1,299

$289 ฿9,596

19.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$869 SAR 3,262

$894 ฿29.6K

-2.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$543 SAR 2,038

$517 ฿17.1K

4.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,393 SAR 8,986

$1,955 ฿64.9K

22.41%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,397 SAR 5,245

$1,477 ฿49.0K

-5.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,936 SAR 7,268

$602 ฿20.0K

221.49%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.54

5.57

-0.54%

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

Last update for Al Hufuf: September 1, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $588 in Al Hufuf versus $490 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 221% 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 $52.0 in Al Hufuf versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $194 in Al Hufuf vs $240 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 18%, 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 $1,674 per month in Al Hufuf and $1,421 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 $52.0 in Al Hufuf and $20.00 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 $1,116 in Al Hufuf and $947 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 $947, than in Al Hufuf at $1,116. 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.