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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $848 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,116 in Abha, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,331 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,911 in Abha, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,814 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,707 in Abha, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 24% cheaper than Abha, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Chiang Mai and Abha are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Abha 16% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿63.6

$5.39 SAR 20.24

-63.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.39 ฿598

$52.5 SAR 197

-65.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.87 ฿256

$7.64 SAR 28.67

3.01%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.70 SAR 6.37

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.41 SAR 5.30

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.4

$3.08 SAR 11.57

-36.69%

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

$0.85 ฿27.57

$0.58 SAR 2.19

46.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ฿10.52

$0.23 SAR 0.87

39.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿69.6

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.68 ฿120

Milk (1 liter)

$1.66 ฿53.9

$1.90 SAR 7.11

-12.63%

White Bread (500g)

$1.56 ฿50.7

$0.52 SAR 1.95

200.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.63

$1.95 SAR 7.33

-38.97%

Eggs

$1.99 ฿64.7

$2.86 SAR 10.74

-30.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.24 ฿528

$5.88 SAR 22.06

176.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.17 ฿103

$8.64 SAR 32.43

-63.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.84 ฿352

$17.24 SAR 64.7

-37.12%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 ฿86.2

$1.89 SAR 7.08

40.21%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿39.67

$1.68 SAR 6.29

-27.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.65 ฿53.7

$1.40 SAR 5.26

17.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.55 ฿50.3

$1.72 SAR 6.47

-9.88%

Potato (1kg)

$1.33 ฿43.17

$1.42 SAR 5.34

-6.34%

Onion (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.43

$1.22 SAR 4.56

-0.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 ฿22.04

$0.96 SAR 3.59

-29.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 ฿18.38

$0.54 SAR 2.04

5.56%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.47 SAR 16.79

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.57 SAR 5.90

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.44 SAR 5.41

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.68 ฿152

$9.32 SAR 34.96

-49.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.99 ฿552

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.82 ฿59.3

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 ฿103

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿29.46

$0.80 SAR 3.00

13.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.74 ฿609

$40.74 SAR 153

-54.00%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.80

$2.62 SAR 9.82

-46.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿43.52

$2.71 SAR 10.17

-50.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.14 ฿265

$13.57 SAR 50.9

-40.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 ฿41.53

$0.60 SAR 2.27

113.33%

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

$21.8K ฿709.3K

$24.8K SAR 93.1K

-12.01%

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

$22.4K ฿728.0K

$22.2K SAR 83.5K

0.69%

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

$70.5 ฿2,291

$82.2 SAR 309

-14.30%

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

$14.05 ฿457

$37.27 SAR 140

-62.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.65 ฿574

$55.1 SAR 207

-67.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.29 ฿1,342

$121 SAR 454

-65.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.76 ฿220

$26.92 SAR 101

-74.89%

Cinema Ticket

$5.96 ฿194

$17.87 SAR 67.1

-66.65%

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

$303 ฿9,846

$234 SAR 880

29.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿486.2K

$5,315 SAR 19.9K

181.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,778

$38.63 SAR 145

41.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.29 ฿854

$67.1 SAR 252

-60.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 ฿2,788

$176 SAR 661

-51.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.7 ฿2,265

$88.5 SAR 332

-21.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿13.9K

$359 SAR 1,349

19.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿7,769

$265 SAR 995

-9.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$811 ฿26.4K

$565 SAR 2,121

43.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$510 ฿16.6K

$625 SAR 2,345

-18.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,025 ฿65.8K

$2,378 SAR 8,923

-14.82%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,502 ฿48.8K

$1,312 SAR 4,922

14.52%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$623 ฿20.2K

$2,234 SAR 8,384

-72.13%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.67

-11.82%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 13, 2026

Last update for Abha: June 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $428 in Chiang Mai versus $359 in Abha. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 259% higher in Abha, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $18.00 in Chiang Mai versus $53.0 in Abha. Groceries tell a different story – $242 in Chiang Mai vs $207 in Abha – so Abha 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

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

Abha costs about 32% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,272 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,673 in Abha. 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.

Interestingly, groceries are about 17% cheaper in Abha – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $18.00 in Chiang Mai and $53.0 in Abha. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $848, than in Abha at $1,116. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Abha it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $848 versus $1,116 in Abha. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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