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 $1,169 per month in Al-Ula vs $947 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,767 per month in Al-Ula vs $1,411 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,365 per month in Al-Ula vs $1,874 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Al-Ula costs about 23% 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 15% lower, Chiang Mai 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.84 SAR 25.69

$2.08 ฿68.6

228.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.74 SAR 138

$19.64 ฿646

87.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.02 SAR 30.10

$5.65 ฿186

41.95%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.61 SAR 6.05

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 SAR 7.44

Cappuccino

$3.39 SAR 12.74

$1.81 ฿59.4

87.29%

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

$0.88 SAR 3.30

$0.71 ฿23.45

23.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.24 SAR 0.90

$0.32 ฿10.38

-25.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.24 ฿73.6

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ฿119

Milk (1 liter)

$1.66 SAR 6.23

$1.96 ฿64.4

-15.31%

White Bread (500g)

$1.02 SAR 3.84

$1.50 ฿49.39

-32.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.22 SAR 8.33

$1.34 ฿43.93

65.67%

Eggs

$2.35 SAR 8.81

$2.26 ฿74.5

3.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.41 SAR 27.82

$16.26 ฿535

-54.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.80 SAR 29.28

$2.95 ฿97.1

164.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.87 SAR 48.33

$9.94 ฿327

29.48%

Apples (1kg)

$2.15 SAR 8.08

$2.57 ฿84.6

-16.34%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 SAR 6.32

$1.06 ฿34.73

58.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.59 SAR 5.98

$1.61 ฿53.0

-1.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.67 SAR 6.25

$1.52 ฿49.97

9.87%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 SAR 4.30

$1.27 ฿41.77

-9.45%

Onion (1kg)

$1.31 SAR 4.92

$1.07 ฿35.06

22.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.14 SAR 4.28

$0.72 ฿23.68

58.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 SAR 2.20

$0.51 ฿16.72

15.69%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.86 SAR 10.73

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 SAR 6.34

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.10 SAR 7.89

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.60 SAR 24.78

$4.19 ฿138

57.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.87 ฿587

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 ฿55.7

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 ฿93.3

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.07 SAR 4.02

$0.93 ฿30.43

15.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$36.60 SAR 137

$53.9 ฿1,771

-32.05%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.01 SAR 11.29

$1.23 ฿40.59

144.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.85 SAR 6.94

$0.58 ฿18.96

218.97%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.27 SAR 49.84

$2.42 ฿79.7

448.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.60 SAR 2.24

$1.41 ฿46.43

-57.45%

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

$45.6K SAR 171.3K

$21.4K ฿705.1K

112.71%

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

$21.4K SAR 80.2K

$27.3K ฿898.7K

-21.88%

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

$102 SAR 382

$63.7 ฿2,093

59.87%

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

$32.80 SAR 123

$12.85 ฿423

155.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$66.9 SAR 251

$20.22 ฿665

230.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$83.1 SAR 312

$38.74 ฿1,274

114.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.63 SAR 138

$3.97 ฿130

822.67%

Cinema Ticket

$13.43 SAR 50.4

$6.74 ฿222

99.26%

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

$342 SAR 1,284

$778 ฿25.6K

-56.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,621 SAR 24.9K

$14.6K ฿480.4K

-54.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.8 SAR 191

$54.3 ฿1,785

-6.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.3 SAR 223

$25.45 ฿837

133.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.4 SAR 362

$94.3 ฿3,102

2.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.7 SAR 333

$73.4 ฿2,415

20.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$571 SAR 2,142

$490 ฿16.1K

16.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$346 SAR 1,300

$289 ฿9,512

19.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$872 SAR 3,273

$894 ฿29.4K

-2.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$553 SAR 2,077

$517 ฿17.0K

6.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,347 SAR 8,812

$1,955 ฿64.3K

20.04%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,379 SAR 5,179

$1,477 ฿48.6K

-6.61%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿19.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.47

5.57

-1.80%

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

Last update for Al-Ula: August 29, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $571 in Al-Ula 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $37.00 in Al-Ula versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $198 in Al-Ula vs $240 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: $1,169 in Al-Ula, $947 in Chiang Mai – roughly 23% apart. Al-Ula costs more across the board, with Monthly Utilities & Internet showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,753 per month in Al-Ula 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.

Kindergarten costs $342 per month in Al-Ula and $778 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 21% 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 $947, than in Al-Ula at $1,169. 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 $947 in Chiang Mai to $1,169 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.