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: $906 in Chiang Mai versus $1,074 in Al-hawiyah.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,385 in Chiang Mai versus $1,596 in Al-hawiyah.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,864 in Chiang Mai versus $2,118 in Al-hawiyah.

Living in Chiang Mai costs roughly 16% less than in Al-hawiyah, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Chiang Mai 32% lower, Al-hawiyah 20% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.13 ฿71.6

$4.66 SAR 17.48

-54.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.40 ฿652

$26.67 SAR 100

-27.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.47 ฿184

$6.85 SAR 25.70

-20.15%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.49 SAR 5.59

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 SAR 5.66

Cappuccino

$1.68 ฿56.6

$2.53 SAR 9.50

-33.60%

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

$0.66 ฿22.18

$0.71 SAR 2.65

-7.04%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.34 ฿11.56

$0.23 SAR 0.86

47.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.42 ฿81.3

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿125

Milk (1 liter)

$2.06 ฿69.2

$1.88 SAR 7.06

9.57%

White Bread (500g)

$1.46 ฿48.95

$0.96 SAR 3.59

52.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.35 ฿45.25

$2.19 SAR 8.21

-38.36%

Eggs

$2.27 ฿76.2

$2.55 SAR 9.58

-10.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.31 ฿548

$5.80 SAR 21.78

181.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.70 ฿90.6

$11.95 SAR 44.85

-77.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.20 ฿309

$13.08 SAR 49.09

-29.66%

Apples (1kg)

$2.39 ฿80.4

$2.03 SAR 7.60

17.73%

Banana (1kg)

$1.04 ฿34.78

$1.62 SAR 6.07

-35.80%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.60 ฿53.9

$1.83 SAR 6.85

-12.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.44 ฿48.54

$1.48 SAR 5.54

-2.70%

Potato (1kg)

$1.30 ฿43.75

$1.35 SAR 5.05

-3.70%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 ฿37.43

$1.51 SAR 5.66

-26.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ฿23.64

$1.09 SAR 4.08

-35.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿17.05

$0.69 SAR 2.59

-26.09%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.59 SAR 9.73

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.08 SAR 7.80

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 SAR 5.89

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.13 ฿139

$8.08 SAR 30.33

-48.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.78 ฿598

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ฿54.9

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 ฿96.4

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 ฿28.86

$1.12 SAR 4.20

-23.21%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.2 ฿1,786

$31.31 SAR 118

69.75%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.22 ฿40.96

$2.42 SAR 9.09

-49.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 ฿18.88

$2.74 SAR 10.29

-79.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.31 ฿77.7

$13.50 SAR 50.7

-82.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.50 ฿50.3

$0.61 SAR 2.28

145.90%

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

$20.9K ฿700.8K

$44.4K SAR 166.7K

-53.03%

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

$26.7K ฿898.3K

$21.1K SAR 79.2K

26.64%

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

$61.3 ฿2,058

$66.5 SAR 249

-7.82%

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

$12.50 ฿420

$35.32 SAR 133

-64.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.36 ฿684

$61.9 SAR 232

-67.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.94 ฿1,275

$87.4 SAR 328

-56.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.77 ฿127

Cinema Ticket

$6.60 ฿222

$15.06 SAR 56.5

-56.18%

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

$774 ฿26.0K

$395 SAR 1,483

95.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.4K ฿485.0K

$8,923 SAR 33.5K

61.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.8 ฿1,841

$13.43 SAR 50.4

308.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.26 ฿849

$53.8 SAR 202

-53.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.6 ฿3,043

$40.12 SAR 151

125.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.3 ฿2,461

$53.4 SAR 200

37.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$459 ฿15.4K

$545 SAR 2,044

-15.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$294 ฿9,871

$349 SAR 1,309

-15.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$919 ฿30.9K

$873 SAR 3,279

5.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$552 ฿18.5K

$560 SAR 2,102

-1.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,917 ฿64.4K

$2,288 SAR 8,591

-16.22%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,445 ฿48.5K

$1,239 SAR 4,652

16.56%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$592 ฿19.9K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

5.25

6.10%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 5, 2026

Last update for Al-hawiyah: October 3, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $459 in Chiang Mai and $545 in Al-hawiyah. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $19.00 in Chiang Mai vs $27.00 in Al-hawiyah. Groceries flip the comparison at $236 vs $218, 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 18% in total monthly costs ($906 vs $1,074 including rent). Chiang Mai is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,359 in Chiang Mai and $1,610 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: $459 in Chiang Mai versus $545 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 $27.00 in Al-hawiyah. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $906 per month in Chiang Mai versus $1,074 in Al-hawiyah – a 18% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $906 in Chiang Mai versus $1,074 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 18% less than in Al-hawiyah. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.