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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,344 in Al Khobar versus $866 in Chiang Mai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,120 in Al Khobar versus $1,351 in Chiang Mai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,897 in Al Khobar versus $1,835 in Chiang Mai.

Living in Al Khobar is roughly 55% more expensive than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

The two cities straddle the global median: Al Khobar is 0% above, Chiang Mai is 35% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.75 SAR 25.34

$1.94 ฿63.5

247.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.6 SAR 197

$18.64 ฿609

182.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.05 SAR 30.20

$7.82 ฿255

2.94%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.02 SAR 7.59

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.72 SAR 10.22

Cappuccino

$4.32 SAR 16.23

$1.95 ฿63.8

121.54%

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

$1.00 SAR 3.75

$0.85 ฿27.77

17.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.51 SAR 1.93

$0.35 ฿11.58

45.71%

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 6.34

$1.71 ฿56.0

-1.17%

White Bread (500g)

$1.38 SAR 5.17

$1.63 ฿53.2

-15.34%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.33 SAR 8.75

$1.14 ฿37.15

104.39%

Eggs

$2.91 SAR 10.91

$1.93 ฿63.1

50.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.59 SAR 24.72

$16.21 ฿530

-59.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.17 SAR 34.43

$3.12 ฿102

193.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.70 SAR 47.65

$10.90 ฿356

16.51%

Apples (1kg)

$2.50 SAR 9.38

$2.75 ฿90.0

-9.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 SAR 6.54

$1.21 ฿39.52

43.80%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.11 SAR 7.90

$1.62 ฿53.0

30.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.64 SAR 6.17

$1.59 ฿51.8

3.14%

Potato (1kg)

$1.43 SAR 5.38

$1.40 ฿45.70

2.14%

Onion (1kg)

$1.67 SAR 6.26

$1.17 ฿38.17

42.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.76 SAR 6.59

$0.66 ฿21.60

166.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.62 SAR 2.33

$0.53 ฿17.22

16.98%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.68 SAR 10.05

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.42 SAR 5.34

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 SAR 7.39

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.75 SAR 25.35

$4.69 ฿153

43.92%

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)

$0.92 SAR 3.45

$0.90 ฿29.26

2.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$61.6 SAR 231

$19.21 ฿628

220.67%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.25 SAR 8.44

$1.41 ฿45.91

59.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.30 SAR 4.87

$1.29 ฿42.12

0.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.59 SAR 24.74

$7.84 ฿256

-15.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.60 SAR 2.25

$1.27 ฿41.58

-52.76%

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

$21.2K SAR 79.4K

$21.3K ฿694.9K

-0.56%

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

$22.7K SAR 85.1K

$22.2K ฿725.4K

2.04%

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

$123 SAR 461

$69.1 ฿2,256

77.66%

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

$34.93 SAR 131

$14.08 ฿460

148.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$80.1 SAR 301

$18.00 ฿588

345.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$107 SAR 400

$41.06 ฿1,341

159.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.08 SAR 135

$6.96 ฿227

418.39%

Cinema Ticket

$17.66 SAR 66.3

$5.92 ฿193

198.31%

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

$307 SAR 1,151

$299 ฿9,766

2.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,553 SAR 28.3K

$15.0K ฿488.3K

-49.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.8 SAR 239

$54.7 ฿1,787

16.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$70.0 SAR 263

$26.77 ฿874

161.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.7 SAR 370

$85.0 ฿2,776

16.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.8 SAR 303

$70.6 ฿2,306

14.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$433 SAR 1,624

$428 ฿14.0K

1.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$397 SAR 1,489

$237 ฿7,752

67.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,031 SAR 3,869

$801 ฿26.2K

28.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$790 SAR 2,965

$515 ฿16.8K

53.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,419 SAR 9,077

$1,975 ฿64.5K

22.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,457 SAR 5,468

$1,475 ฿48.2K

-1.22%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,866 SAR 7,005

$617 ฿20.2K

202.28%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.84

-23.20%

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

Last update for Al Khobar: June 1, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

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

Al Khobar pays 202% 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: $53.0 in Al Khobar vs $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries flip the comparison at $217 vs $246, with Al Khobar 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 Khobar vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai wins on cost – living expenses run 55% lower than in Al Khobar. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Chiang Mai the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Al Khobar pays 202% more on average, 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: $433 in Al Khobar versus $428 in Chiang Mai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Chiang Mai runs roughly 221% less than in Al Khobar. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $307 in Al Khobar versus $299 in Chiang Mai. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $866 in Chiang Mai versus $1,344 in Al Khobar, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Chiang Mai but tight or insufficient in Al Khobar. 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 $866 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Chiang Mai hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Al Khobar 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 55% less than in Al Khobar. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.