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: $861 in Chiang Mai versus $1,204 in Al-hawiyah.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,350 in Chiang Mai versus $1,854 in Al-hawiyah.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,838 in Chiang Mai versus $2,504 in Al-hawiyah.

Living in Chiang Mai costs roughly 28% less than in Al-hawiyah, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities sit below the global median: Chiang Mai 36% lower, Al-hawiyah 10% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿65.8

$6.52 SAR 24.50

-69.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.35 ฿617

$43.75 SAR 164

-58.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.48 ฿252

$7.91 SAR 29.72

-5.44%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.77 SAR 6.66

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.82 SAR 6.82

Cappuccino

$2.02 ฿67.8

$3.71 SAR 13.92

-45.55%

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

$0.85 ฿28.50

$0.80 SAR 2.99

6.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.96

$0.31 SAR 1.17

16.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.8

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 ฿121

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿55.5

$1.65 SAR 6.18

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.7

$1.02 SAR 3.82

53.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿40.02

$2.32 SAR 8.71

-48.71%

Eggs

$1.94 ฿65.1

$2.41 SAR 9.05

-19.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿544

$6.99 SAR 26.24

131.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.99 ฿101

$7.58 SAR 28.48

-60.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿368

$12.84 SAR 48.22

-14.80%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 ฿91.2

$2.27 SAR 8.52

19.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿39.25

$1.66 SAR 6.22

-29.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 ฿56.7

$1.73 SAR 6.50

-2.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 ฿54.0

$1.57 SAR 5.88

1.91%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.54

$1.24 SAR 4.65

11.29%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.45

$1.28 SAR 4.79

-6.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿22.50

$1.19 SAR 4.45

-43.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.73

$0.55 SAR 2.07

1.82%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.02 SAR 11.36

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 SAR 6.58

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 SAR 7.61

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.64 ฿156

$6.86 SAR 25.76

-32.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.62 ฿593

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.5

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 ฿111

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.68

$1.05 SAR 3.94

-16.19%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ฿650

$39.56 SAR 149

-51.11%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿45.90

$2.60 SAR 9.75

-47.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.98

$1.89 SAR 7.10

-29.10%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.21 ฿276

$13.43 SAR 50.4

-38.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ฿41.18

$0.60 SAR 2.24

103.33%

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

$21.4K ฿718.1K

$26.5K SAR 99.6K

-19.48%

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

$22.5K ฿757.7K

$22.3K SAR 83.7K

1.12%

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

$70.7 ฿2,376

$105 SAR 393

-32.45%

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

$14.04 ฿472

$33.27 SAR 125

-57.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.49 ฿588

$71.6 SAR 269

-75.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.15 ฿1,417

$88.9 SAR 334

-52.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

$35.66 SAR 134

-80.71%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿199

$15.40 SAR 57.8

-61.56%

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

$309 ฿10.4K

$350 SAR 1,313

-11.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K ฿500.4K

$7,026 SAR 26.4K

111.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,875

$58.4 SAR 219

-4.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.11 ฿878

$60.7 SAR 228

-56.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.0 ฿2,792

$77.9 SAR 292

6.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 ฿2,369

$83.1 SAR 312

-15.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$432 ฿14.5K

$431 SAR 1,618

0.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿8,035

$386 SAR 1,450

-38.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$822 ฿27.7K

$849 SAR 3,187

-3.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$512 ฿17.2K

$617 SAR 2,317

-17.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,915 ฿64.4K

$2,514 SAR 9,440

-23.85%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 ฿49.3K

$1,367 SAR 5,134

7.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$579 ฿19.5K

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Al-hawiyah: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $432 in Chiang Mai and $431 in Al-hawiyah. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $18.00 in Chiang Mai vs $44.00 in Al-hawiyah. Groceries flip the comparison at $243 vs $197, 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 40% in total monthly costs ($861 vs $1,204 including rent). Chiang Mai is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,292 in Chiang Mai and $1,805 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: $432 in Chiang Mai versus $431 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 $18.00 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 $861 per month in Chiang Mai versus $1,204 in Al-hawiyah – a 40% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $861 in Chiang Mai versus $1,204 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 40% less than in Al-hawiyah. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.