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 $932 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,040 in Abha, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,399 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,766 in Abha, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,492 in Abha, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 10% cheaper than Abha, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Chiang Mai and Abha are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 32% lower, Abha 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿69.3

$5.25 SAR 19.70

-60.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.61 ฿653

$51.6 SAR 194

-61.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.67 ฿189

$7.51 SAR 28.21

-24.50%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.57 SAR 5.89

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.30 SAR 4.88

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿60.1

$3.21 SAR 12.05

-43.61%

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

$0.77 ฿25.58

$0.59 SAR 2.22

30.51%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.49

$0.22 SAR 0.82

59.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿73.7

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿126

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 ฿68.2

$1.64 SAR 6.17

25.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 ฿50.4

$0.61 SAR 2.28

147.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 ฿46.57

$1.92 SAR 7.22

-27.08%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿75.2

$3.23 SAR 12.12

-30.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿539

$4.55 SAR 17.08

255.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.90 ฿96.4

$7.35 SAR 27.62

-60.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.42 ฿314

$18.53 SAR 69.6

-49.16%

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 ฿89.2

$1.99 SAR 7.46

34.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.28

$1.96 SAR 7.38

-44.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.8

$1.56 SAR 5.86

3.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.61

$1.63 SAR 6.14

-10.43%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.54

$2.26 SAR 8.51

-43.36%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 ฿35.21

$1.22 SAR 4.60

-13.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.88

$0.37 SAR 1.40

94.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.51

$0.50 SAR 1.89

6.00%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.49 SAR 16.86

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.18 SAR 4.43

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 SAR 5.68

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.23 ฿141

$9.55 SAR 35.86

-55.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.29 ฿609

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ฿54.3

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿96.6

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.24

$0.84 SAR 3.17

4.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.8 ฿1,790

$35.69 SAR 134

50.66%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 ฿39.04

$3.01 SAR 11.31

-61.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿19.25

$2.69 SAR 10.10

-78.44%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.39 ฿79.4

$13.36 SAR 50.2

-82.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.28

$0.64 SAR 2.40

126.56%

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

$21.0K ฿699.5K

$45.4K SAR 170.6K

-53.75%

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

$26.4K ฿879.7K

$19.2K SAR 72.2K

37.52%

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

$63.7 ฿2,119

$89.6 SAR 337

-28.98%

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

$12.89 ฿429

$36.82 SAR 138

-64.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.52 ฿683

$76.0 SAR 286

-73.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.02 ฿1,299

$91.7 SAR 344

-57.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.92 ฿130

$45.76 SAR 172

-91.43%

Cinema Ticket

$6.58 ฿219

$16.08 SAR 60.4

-59.08%

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

$784 ฿26.1K

$211 SAR 792

271.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿488.4K

$4,113 SAR 15.4K

256.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 ฿1,835

$30.18 SAR 113

82.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.74 ฿824

$71.3 SAR 268

-65.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.1 ฿3,133

$97.1 SAR 365

-3.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.0 ฿2,462

$65.4 SAR 245

13.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.3K

$312 SAR 1,173

57.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$288 ฿9,594

$246 SAR 925

17.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$891 ฿29.7K

$541 SAR 2,032

64.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$521 ฿17.3K

$567 SAR 2,130

-8.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,974 ฿65.7K

$920 SAR 3,457

114.42%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,444 ฿48.1K

$1,340 SAR 5,034

7.77%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿20.0K

$2,258 SAR 8,480

-73.35%

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: September 13, 2026

Last update for Abha: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $490 in Chiang Mai versus $312 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 275% 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 $52.0 in Abha. Groceries tell a different story – $241 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 12% 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 $1,398 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,560 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 19% 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 $52.0 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 $932, than in Abha at $1,040. 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 $932 versus $1,040 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.