Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Al-hawiyah Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Al-hawiyah

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $866 in Chiang Mai versus $1,222 in Al-hawiyah.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,351 in Chiang Mai versus $1,882 in Al-hawiyah.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,835 in Chiang Mai versus $2,542 in Al-hawiyah.

Living in Chiang Mai costs roughly 29% less than in Al-hawiyah, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities sit below the global median: Chiang Mai 35% lower, Al-hawiyah 9% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ฿63.5

$6.84 SAR 25.66

-71.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 ฿609

$44.30 SAR 166

-57.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 ฿255

$7.80 SAR 29.27

0.26%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.70 SAR 6.37

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.85 SAR 6.92

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.8

$3.61 SAR 13.54

-45.98%

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

$0.85 ฿27.77

$0.80 SAR 3.02

6.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.58

$0.29 SAR 1.07

20.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.6

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿56.0

$1.69 SAR 6.35

1.18%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$0.96 SAR 3.60

69.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ฿37.15

$2.27 SAR 8.52

-49.78%

Eggs

$1.93 ฿63.1

$2.42 SAR 9.09

-20.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ฿530

$6.73 SAR 25.27

140.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿102

$7.61 SAR 28.55

-59.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿356

$13.06 SAR 49.00

-16.54%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ฿90.0

$2.29 SAR 8.58

20.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.52

$1.64 SAR 6.17

-26.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.0

$1.70 SAR 6.37

-4.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$1.56 SAR 5.84

1.92%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿45.70

$1.29 SAR 4.85

8.53%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.17

$1.26 SAR 4.75

-7.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.60

$1.20 SAR 4.49

-45.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.22

$0.55 SAR 2.08

-3.64%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.67 SAR 10.00

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 SAR 6.64

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.10 SAR 7.87

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿153

$6.89 SAR 25.88

-31.93%

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)

$0.90 ฿29.26

$1.05 SAR 3.94

-14.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

$40.44 SAR 152

-52.50%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.91

$2.67 SAR 10.02

-47.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.12

$1.90 SAR 7.12

-32.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$13.34 SAR 50.1

-41.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.58

$0.65 SAR 2.43

95.38%

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

$21.3K ฿694.9K

$26.6K SAR 99.9K

-20.06%

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

$22.2K ฿725.4K

$22.1K SAR 83.1K

0.29%

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

$69.1 ฿2,256

$106 SAR 397

-34.65%

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

$14.08 ฿460

$34.27 SAR 129

-58.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿588

$73.7 SAR 277

-75.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,341

$86.6 SAR 325

-52.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$36.20 SAR 136

-80.77%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿193

$15.96 SAR 59.9

-62.91%

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

$299 ฿9,766

$350 SAR 1,313

-14.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿488.3K

$6,922 SAR 26.0K

116.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,787

$59.2 SAR 222

-7.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.77 ฿874

$61.4 SAR 231

-56.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 ฿2,776

$77.8 SAR 292

9.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,306

$82.6 SAR 310

-14.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

$433 SAR 1,627

-1.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,752

$374 SAR 1,405

-36.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.2K

$866 SAR 3,252

-7.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$625 SAR 2,346

-17.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

$2,091 SAR 7,846

-5.55%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

$1,170 SAR 4,390

26.11%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.42

13.12%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Last update for Al-hawiyah: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $428 in Chiang Mai and $433 in Al-hawiyah. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $19.00 in Chiang Mai vs $44.00 in Al-hawiyah. Groceries flip the comparison at $246 vs $196, with Al-hawiyah cheaper for home cooking.

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 Al-hawiyah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai and Al-hawiyah differ by about 41% in total monthly costs ($866 vs $1,222 including rent). Chiang Mai is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,300 in Chiang Mai and $1,833 in Al-hawiyah to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $428 in Chiang Mai versus $433 in Al-hawiyah. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Chiang Mai – a meal for two runs $19.00 versus $44.00 in Al-hawiyah. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $866 per month in Chiang Mai versus $1,222 in Al-hawiyah – a 41% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $866 in Chiang Mai versus $1,222 in Al-hawiyah, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Chiang Mai but tight or insufficient in Al-hawiyah. The gap between the two cities makes Chiang Mai the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Chiang Mai and Al-hawiyah are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Chiang Mai gentler on the wallet – expenses run 41% less than in Al-hawiyah. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.