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 $1,197 per month in Al-Ula vs $866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,832 per month in Al-Ula vs $1,351 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,467 per month in Al-Ula vs $1,835 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Al-Ula costs about 38% 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 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.71 SAR 25.18

$1.94 ฿63.5

245.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.97 SAR 169

$18.64 ฿609

141.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 SAR 29.34

$7.82 ฿255

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.77 SAR 6.66

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.82 SAR 6.84

Cappuccino

$3.74 SAR 14.02

$1.95 ฿63.8

91.79%

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

$0.80 SAR 3.02

$0.85 ฿27.77

-5.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 SAR 1.07

$0.35 ฿11.58

-17.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.6

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 SAR 6.31

$1.71 ฿56.0

-1.75%

White Bread (500g)

$0.95 SAR 3.56

$1.63 ฿53.2

-41.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.31 SAR 8.69

$1.14 ฿37.15

102.63%

Eggs

$2.40 SAR 9.01

$1.93 ฿63.1

24.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.67 SAR 25.02

$16.21 ฿530

-58.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.71 SAR 28.94

$3.12 ฿102

147.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.05 SAR 48.97

$10.90 ฿356

19.72%

Apples (1kg)

$2.27 SAR 8.52

$2.75 ฿90.0

-17.45%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 SAR 5.95

$1.21 ฿39.52

31.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.68 SAR 6.30

$1.62 ฿53.0

3.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.56 SAR 5.85

$1.59 ฿51.8

-1.89%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 SAR 4.66

$1.40 ฿45.70

-11.43%

Onion (1kg)

$1.27 SAR 4.75

$1.17 ฿38.17

8.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 SAR 4.63

$0.66 ฿21.60

86.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 SAR 2.24

$0.53 ฿17.22

13.21%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.87 SAR 10.78

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 SAR 6.65

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 SAR 7.74

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.19 SAR 26.98

$4.69 ฿153

53.30%

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)

$1.10 SAR 4.12

$0.90 ฿29.26

22.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.67 SAR 153

$19.21 ฿628

111.71%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.62 SAR 9.82

$1.41 ฿45.91

85.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.89 SAR 7.10

$1.29 ฿42.12

46.51%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.57 SAR 50.9

$7.84 ฿256

73.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.61 SAR 2.29

$1.27 ฿41.58

-51.97%

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

$26.9K SAR 101.1K

$21.3K ฿694.9K

26.63%

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

$22.7K SAR 85.3K

$22.2K ฿725.4K

2.31%

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

$103 SAR 388

$69.1 ฿2,256

49.73%

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

$33.67 SAR 126

$14.08 ฿460

139.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$71.7 SAR 269

$18.00 ฿588

298.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$86.9 SAR 326

$41.06 ฿1,341

111.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.90 SAR 135

$6.96 ฿227

415.80%

Cinema Ticket

$15.87 SAR 59.5

$5.92 ฿193

168.07%

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

$354 SAR 1,330

$299 ฿9,766

18.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,940 SAR 26.0K

$15.0K ฿488.3K

-53.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.2 SAR 226

$54.7 ฿1,787

10.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.2 SAR 222

$26.77 ฿874

121.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.7 SAR 295

$85.0 ฿2,776

-7.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.3 SAR 313

$70.6 ฿2,306

18.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$444 SAR 1,667

$428 ฿14.0K

3.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 SAR 1,405

$237 ฿7,752

57.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$863 SAR 3,238

$801 ฿26.2K

7.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$615 SAR 2,309

$515 ฿16.8K

19.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,395 SAR 8,988

$1,975 ฿64.5K

21.29%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,347 SAR 5,057

$1,475 ฿48.2K

-8.65%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $444 in Al-Ula 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $45.00 in Al-Ula versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $197 in Al-Ula vs $246 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: $1,197 in Al-Ula, $866 in Chiang Mai – roughly 38% apart. Al-Ula costs more across the board, with Monthly Utilities & Internet showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,796 per month in Al-Ula 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.

Kindergarten costs $354 per month in Al-Ula and $299 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 $866, than in Al-Ula at $1,197. 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 $866 in Chiang Mai to $1,197 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.