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 $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,141 in Abha, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,354 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,892 in Abha, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,857 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,643 in Abha, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 25% 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 15% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿64.0

$5.45 SAR 20.42

-64.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.81 ฿615

$53.5 SAR 201

-64.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.92 ฿259

$7.66 SAR 28.72

3.39%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 SAR 6.34

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.37 SAR 5.14

Cappuccino

$1.91 ฿62.6

$3.22 SAR 12.08

-40.68%

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

$0.84 ฿27.41

$0.64 SAR 2.39

31.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.51

$0.23 SAR 0.86

52.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 ฿124

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$1.90 SAR 7.14

-13.68%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 ฿53.1

$0.52 SAR 1.96

211.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.62

$2.01 SAR 7.54

-41.29%

Eggs

$2.01 ฿65.8

$2.98 SAR 11.19

-32.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.89 ฿520

$5.91 SAR 22.15

168.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.01 ฿98.5

$8.42 SAR 31.57

-64.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.77 ฿352

$17.17 SAR 64.4

-37.27%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 ฿85.5

$1.82 SAR 6.81

43.41%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿39.88

$1.69 SAR 6.35

-27.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.7

$1.43 SAR 5.35

18.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 ฿51.5

$1.66 SAR 6.23

-4.82%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 ฿43.14

$1.41 SAR 5.30

-6.38%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.23

$1.20 SAR 4.52

-2.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿21.98

$0.92 SAR 3.43

-27.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.32

$0.54 SAR 2.04

3.70%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.88 SAR 10.79

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.52 SAR 5.70

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.48 SAR 5.55

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.53 ฿148

$9.56 SAR 35.85

-52.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.20 ฿595

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿60.0

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ฿29.00

$0.79 SAR 2.96

12.66%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.38 ฿634

$39.27 SAR 147

-50.65%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.35 ฿44.20

$2.58 SAR 9.69

-47.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 ฿44.05

$2.63 SAR 9.87

-48.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.25 ฿270

$13.37 SAR 50.1

-38.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.64

$0.61 SAR 2.28

108.20%

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

$21.2K ฿691.8K

$24.4K SAR 91.4K

-13.16%

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

$22.5K ฿735.3K

$22.3K SAR 83.7K

0.73%

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

$70.2 ฿2,294

$81.9 SAR 307

-14.33%

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

$13.77 ฿450

$37.31 SAR 140

-63.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.60 ฿575

$54.6 SAR 205

-67.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.57 ฿1,360

$122 SAR 456

-65.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.60 ฿216

$26.62 SAR 99.8

-75.21%

Cinema Ticket

$5.78 ฿189

$18.01 SAR 67.6

-67.91%

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

$306 ฿10.0K

$233 SAR 874

31.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿484.8K

$5,236 SAR 19.6K

183.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.4 ฿1,778

$38.24 SAR 143

42.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.14 ฿855

$66.8 SAR 250

-60.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.5 ฿2,764

$178 SAR 669

-52.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.4 ฿2,270

$89.4 SAR 335

-22.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$424 ฿13.9K

$349 SAR 1,309

21.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$238 ฿7,788

$263 SAR 985

-9.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$825 ฿27.0K

$559 SAR 2,095

47.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$629 SAR 2,360

-18.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,049 ฿67.0K

$1,053 SAR 3,949

94.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,523 ฿49.8K

$611 SAR 2,293

149.09%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$635 ฿20.8K

$2,393 SAR 8,972

-73.45%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Abha: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $424 in Chiang Mai versus $349 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 277% 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $54.0 in Abha. Groceries tell a different story – $243 in Chiang Mai vs $206 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 34% 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 $1,278 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,711 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 18% 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai and $54.0 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 $852, than in Abha at $1,141. 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 $852 versus $1,141 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.