Cost of Living Comparison Between Arar and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between Arar and Chiang Mai

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,221 per month in Arar vs $866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,863 per month in Arar vs $1,351 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,506 per month in Arar vs $1,835 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Arar costs about 41% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Arar and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Arar 9% lower, Chiang Mai 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.83 SAR 25.65

$1.94 ฿63.5

252.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.99 SAR 169

$18.64 ฿609

141.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.94 SAR 29.80

$7.82 ฿255

1.53%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 SAR 6.54

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.76 SAR 6.60

Cappuccino

$3.74 SAR 14.04

$1.95 ฿63.8

91.79%

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

$0.78 SAR 2.93

$0.85 ฿27.77

-8.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 SAR 1.17

$0.35 ฿11.58

-11.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.6

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

Milk (1 liter)

$1.63 SAR 6.14

$1.71 ฿56.0

-4.68%

White Bread (500g)

$1.01 SAR 3.80

$1.63 ฿53.2

-38.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.39 SAR 8.97

$1.14 ฿37.15

109.65%

Eggs

$2.45 SAR 9.18

$1.93 ฿63.1

26.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.92 SAR 25.95

$16.21 ฿530

-57.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.65 SAR 28.71

$3.12 ฿102

145.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.96 SAR 48.65

$10.90 ฿356

18.90%

Apples (1kg)

$2.27 SAR 8.50

$2.75 ฿90.0

-17.45%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 SAR 5.94

$1.21 ฿39.52

30.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.68 SAR 6.32

$1.62 ฿53.0

3.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.55 SAR 5.82

$1.59 ฿51.8

-2.52%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 SAR 4.65

$1.40 ฿45.70

-11.43%

Onion (1kg)

$1.26 SAR 4.74

$1.17 ฿38.17

7.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 SAR 4.60

$0.66 ฿21.60

86.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 SAR 2.05

$0.53 ฿17.22

3.77%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.18 SAR 11.94

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 SAR 6.54

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 SAR 7.74

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.16 SAR 26.87

$4.69 ฿153

52.67%

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)

$40.09 SAR 150

$19.21 ฿628

108.69%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.70 SAR 10.14

$1.41 ฿45.91

91.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.82 SAR 6.81

$1.29 ฿42.12

41.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.28 SAR 49.85

$7.84 ฿256

69.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.64 SAR 2.39

$1.27 ฿41.58

-49.61%

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

$26.6K SAR 99.7K

$21.3K ฿694.9K

24.87%

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

$21.9K SAR 82.4K

$22.2K ฿725.4K

-1.18%

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

$103 SAR 388

$69.1 ฿2,256

49.59%

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

$34.41 SAR 129

$14.08 ฿460

144.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$76.1 SAR 286

$18.00 ฿588

322.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$87.2 SAR 327

$41.06 ฿1,341

112.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.10 SAR 132

$6.96 ฿227

404.31%

Cinema Ticket

$15.56 SAR 58.4

$5.92 ฿193

162.84%

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

$358 SAR 1,344

$299 ฿9,766

19.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,921 SAR 26.0K

$15.0K ฿488.3K

-53.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.0 SAR 221

$54.7 ฿1,787

7.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$60.9 SAR 229

$26.77 ฿874

127.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.9 SAR 296

$85.0 ฿2,776

-7.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$82.3 SAR 309

$70.6 ฿2,306

16.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$442 SAR 1,657

$428 ฿14.0K

3.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$380 SAR 1,427

$237 ฿7,752

60.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$860 SAR 3,228

$801 ฿26.2K

7.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$616 SAR 2,312

$515 ฿16.8K

19.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,117 SAR 7,944

$1,975 ฿64.5K

7.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,299 SAR 4,876

$1,475 ฿48.2K

-11.93%

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 Arar: May 30, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $442 in Arar 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 Arar versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $197 in Arar vs $246 in Chiang Mai – so Arar 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

Arar vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,221 in Arar, $866 in Chiang Mai – roughly 41% apart. Arar costs more across the board, with Monthly Utilities & Internet showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,832 per month in Arar 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.

Public transport costs about 109% less in Chiang Mai. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $358 per month in Arar and $299 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $866, than in Arar at $1,221. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Arar 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 $1,221 in Arar. 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, Arar makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.