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 $905 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,079 in Abha, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,374 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,761 in Abha, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,843 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,444 in Abha, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 16% cheaper than Abha, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Chiang Mai and Abha are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 33% lower, Abha 20% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿69.6

$5.43 SAR 20.41

-61.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.52 ฿652

$51.0 SAR 192

-61.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.94 ฿198

$7.62 SAR 28.60

-22.05%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.64 SAR 6.17

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.35 SAR 5.08

Cappuccino

$1.70 ฿56.9

$3.22 SAR 12.08

-47.20%

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

$0.72 ฿24.02

$0.64 SAR 2.40

12.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ฿10.83

$0.22 SAR 0.83

45.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.44 ฿81.6

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿122

Milk (1 liter)

$1.86 ฿62.0

$1.57 SAR 5.89

18.47%

White Bread (500g)

$1.56 ฿52.1

$0.60 SAR 2.26

160.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 ฿44.39

$1.92 SAR 7.21

-30.73%

Eggs

$2.16 ฿72.2

$3.09 SAR 11.59

-30.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.58 ฿520

$4.53 SAR 17.00

243.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.85 ฿95.1

$7.61 SAR 28.59

-62.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.39 ฿347

$18.69 SAR 70.2

-44.41%

Apples (1kg)

$2.44 ฿81.3

$2.03 SAR 7.63

20.20%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.37

$1.94 SAR 7.28

-43.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.47 ฿49.09

$1.64 SAR 6.14

-10.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.49 ฿49.79

$1.62 SAR 6.09

-8.02%

Potato (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.03

$2.24 SAR 8.42

-46.43%

Onion (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.25

$1.29 SAR 4.83

-15.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.69 ฿22.97

$0.34 SAR 1.29

102.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿17.15

$0.47 SAR 1.78

8.51%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.51 SAR 16.93

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.23 SAR 4.63

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.45 SAR 5.46

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.37 ฿146

$9.56 SAR 35.92

-54.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.63 ฿556

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.65 ฿55.0

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 ฿91.6

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.94 ฿31.50

$0.79 SAR 2.99

18.99%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.7 ฿1,828

$35.46 SAR 133

54.37%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.23 ฿40.97

$2.88 SAR 10.80

-57.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.57 ฿19.15

$2.72 SAR 10.23

-79.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.36 ฿78.8

$13.10 SAR 49.19

-81.98%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.39

$0.60 SAR 2.24

141.67%

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

$20.8K ฿696.1K

$46.0K SAR 172.7K

-54.68%

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

$26.3K ฿877.4K

$19.7K SAR 73.9K

33.55%

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

$62.3 ฿2,081

$88.5 SAR 332

-29.60%

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

$13.01 ฿435

$37.35 SAR 140

-65.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.45 ฿650

$76.3 SAR 287

-74.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.68 ฿1,292

$91.7 SAR 344

-57.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.86 ฿129

$45.83 SAR 172

-91.58%

Cinema Ticket

$6.62 ฿221

$16.24 SAR 61.0

-59.24%

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

$782 ฿26.1K

$207 SAR 779

277.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿494.4K

$4,143 SAR 15.6K

257.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.1 ฿1,806

$30.48 SAR 114

77.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.39 ฿848

$72.0 SAR 270

-64.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.9 ฿3,038

$96.9 SAR 364

-6.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.0 ฿2,470

$67.6 SAR 254

9.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 ฿15.9K

$309 SAR 1,161

53.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$275 ฿9,178

$251 SAR 943

9.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$881 ฿29.4K

$535 SAR 2,010

64.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$528 ฿17.6K

$561 SAR 2,108

-5.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,989 ฿66.4K

$940 SAR 3,532

111.48%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,476 ฿49.3K

$1,352 SAR 5,077

9.18%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$598 ฿20.0K

$2,231 SAR 8,379

-73.20%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

-7.17%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 2, 2026

Last update for Abha: August 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Chiang Mai versus $309 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 273% 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $51.0 in Abha. Groceries tell a different story – $234 in Chiang Mai vs $202 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 19% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,358 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,618 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 16% 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai and $51.0 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 $905, than in Abha at $1,079. 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 $905 versus $1,079 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.