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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,194 per month in Al-Ula vs $861 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,841 per month in Al-Ula vs $1,350 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,489 per month in Al-Ula vs $1,838 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Al-Ula costs about 39% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Al-Ula and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Al-Ula 11% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.62 SAR 24.88

$1.96 ฿65.7

237.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.37 SAR 167

$18.35 ฿616

141.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.75 SAR 29.12

$7.48 ฿251

3.61%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.70 SAR 6.40

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.77 SAR 6.64

Cappuccino

$3.64 SAR 13.68

$2.02 ฿67.7

80.20%

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

$0.80 SAR 3.01

$0.85 ฿28.45

-5.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 SAR 1.08

$0.36 ฿11.94

-19.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.7

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 ฿121

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 SAR 6.38

$1.65 ฿55.4

3.03%

White Bread (500g)

$0.92 SAR 3.47

$1.57 ฿52.6

-41.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.31 SAR 8.67

$1.19 ฿39.95

94.12%

Eggs

$2.43 SAR 9.13

$1.94 ฿65.0

25.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.03 SAR 26.40

$16.19 ฿544

-56.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.27 SAR 27.29

$2.99 ฿100

143.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.88 SAR 48.38

$10.94 ฿367

17.73%

Apples (1kg)

$2.16 SAR 8.13

$2.71 ฿91.0

-20.30%

Banana (1kg)

$1.65 SAR 6.19

$1.17 ฿39.18

41.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.75 SAR 6.59

$1.69 ฿56.6

3.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.61 SAR 6.06

$1.60 ฿53.9

0.63%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 SAR 4.67

$1.38 ฿46.45

-10.14%

Onion (1kg)

$1.29 SAR 4.84

$1.20 ฿40.38

7.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 SAR 4.44

$0.67 ฿22.46

76.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 SAR 2.04

$0.56 ฿18.70

-3.57%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.77 SAR 10.41

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 SAR 6.58

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.00 SAR 7.51

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.07 SAR 26.56

$4.64 ฿156

52.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.62 ฿591

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.4

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 ฿111

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.09 SAR 4.08

$0.88 ฿29.63

23.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.36 SAR 152

$19.34 ฿649

108.69%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.62 SAR 9.86

$1.36 ฿45.82

92.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.93 SAR 7.23

$1.34 ฿44.90

44.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.27 SAR 49.85

$8.21 ฿276

61.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.61 SAR 2.27

$1.22 ฿41.11

-50.00%

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

$26.4K SAR 99.0K

$21.4K ฿716.8K

23.40%

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

$22.4K SAR 84.1K

$22.5K ฿756.3K

-0.65%

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

$107 SAR 400

$70.7 ฿2,372

50.71%

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

$33.61 SAR 126

$14.04 ฿471

139.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$71.4 SAR 268

$17.49 ฿587

308.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$86.6 SAR 325

$42.15 ฿1,415

105.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.23 SAR 136

$6.88 ฿231

426.60%

Cinema Ticket

$15.59 SAR 58.5

$5.92 ฿199

163.34%

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

$354 SAR 1,331

$309 ฿10.4K

14.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,880 SAR 25.8K

$14.9K ฿499.5K

-53.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.8 SAR 224

$55.8 ฿1,872

7.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$60.8 SAR 228

$26.11 ฿877

132.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.7 SAR 292

$83.0 ฿2,787

-6.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$82.5 SAR 310

$70.5 ฿2,365

17.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$434 SAR 1,628

$432 ฿14.5K

0.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$380 SAR 1,425

$239 ฿8,020

58.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$835 SAR 3,138

$822 ฿27.6K

1.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$615 SAR 2,309

$512 ฿17.2K

20.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,257 SAR 8,477

$1,915 ฿64.3K

17.90%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,522 SAR 5,716

$1,467 ฿49.3K

3.75%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$579 ฿19.4K

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-Ula: July 12, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $434 in Al-Ula 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $44.00 in Al-Ula versus $18.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $195 in Al-Ula vs $243 in Chiang Mai – so Al-Ula 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-Ula vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,194 in Al-Ula, $861 in Chiang Mai – roughly 39% apart. Al-Ula costs more across the board, with Monthly Utilities & Internet showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,791 per month in Al-Ula 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.

Kindergarten costs $354 per month in Al-Ula and $309 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 25% cheaper in Al-Ula – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $861, than in Al-Ula at $1,194. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Al-Ula it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Chiang Mai has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $861 in Chiang Mai to $1,194 in Al-Ula. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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-Ula makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.