Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Al Majma'ah

For one person, living is cheaper in Chiang Mai: $935 a month against $1,300 in Al Majma’ah, rent and utilities included – about $4,400 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

45

Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai Living Index
62

Cost of Living Index in Al Majma'ah
Learn more

Al Majma'ah Living Index

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Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$935

/mo nomad

Al Majma'ah

🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia

$1,300

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chiang Mai and in Al Majma'ah

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Chiang Mai and in Al Majma'ah actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $935 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,300 in Al Majma’ah, rent included.

Chiang Mai $935
Al Majma'ah $1,300

A couple spends around $1,467 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,000 in Al Majma’ah, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,467
Al Majma'ah $2,000

A family of three spends $1,999 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,700 in Al Majma’ah, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,999
Al Majma'ah $2,700

Chiang Mai is about 28% cheaper than Al Majma’ah, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Chiang Mai and Al Majma’ah are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 31% lower, Al Majma’ah 4% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.13 ฿71.7

$7.96 SAR 29.87

-73.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.62 ฿625

$66.6 SAR 250

-72.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.60 ฿188

$8.09 SAR 30.37

-30.78%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 SAR 8.03

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 SAR 11.16

Cappuccino

$1.66 ฿55.9

$4.45 SAR 16.71

-62.70%

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

$0.65 ฿21.73

$0.84 SAR 3.16

-22.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 ฿10.24

$0.33 SAR 1.24

-9.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.32 ฿78.0

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿123

Milk (1 liter)

$2.02 ฿67.7

$1.82 SAR 6.84

10.99%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 ฿47.29

$1.33 SAR 5.00

6.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.75

$2.46 SAR 9.24

-43.50%

Eggs

$2.37 ฿79.5

$2.99 SAR 11.22

-20.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.52 ฿555

$10.35 SAR 38.84

59.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.67 ฿89.7

$9.52 SAR 35.73

-71.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.02 ฿303

$15.25 SAR 57.2

-40.85%

Apples (1kg)

$2.40 ฿80.6

$2.92 SAR 10.94

-17.81%

Banana (1kg)

$1.04 ฿34.98

$1.97 SAR 7.39

-47.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.66 ฿55.7

$2.49 SAR 9.36

-33.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.56 ฿52.4

$1.72 SAR 6.46

-9.30%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 ฿41.57

$1.17 SAR 4.39

5.98%

Onion (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.50

$1.28 SAR 4.81

-14.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.76 ฿25.59

$1.68 SAR 6.31

-54.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿17.27

$0.57 SAR 2.14

-10.53%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.93 SAR 11.00

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 SAR 6.55

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.39 SAR 8.95

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.12 ฿138

$7.55 SAR 28.34

-45.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.93 ฿602

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 ฿54.5

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.82 ฿94.8

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.93 ฿31.39

$1.00 SAR 3.77

-7.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$52.9 ฿1,777

$38.68 SAR 145

36.74%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.18 ฿39.52

$3.28 SAR 12.33

-64.02%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.17 ฿5.76

$1.83 SAR 6.87

-90.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.81 ฿60.9

$13.39 SAR 50.3

-86.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 ฿49.47

$0.65 SAR 2.44

126.15%

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

$21.0K ฿705.8K

$26.4K SAR 99.1K

-20.45%

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

$26.5K ฿890.7K

$22.4K SAR 84.1K

18.36%

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

$62.6 ฿2,101

$107 SAR 400

-41.32%

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

$11.60 ฿390

$29.12 SAR 109

-60.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.30 ฿682

$69.8 SAR 262

-70.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.88 ฿1,272

$71.6 SAR 269

-47.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.70 ฿124

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 ฿219

$13.98 SAR 52.5

-53.43%

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

$727 ฿24.4K

$552 SAR 2,072

31.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.6K ฿556.7K

$16.5K SAR 62.1K

0.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.5 ฿1,798

$58.3 SAR 219

-8.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.80 ฿833

$53.2 SAR 200

-53.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.4 ฿3,036

$101 SAR 378

-10.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.0 ฿2,418

$105 SAR 393

-31.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$481 ฿16.2K

$552 SAR 2,071

-12.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$310 ฿10.4K

$408 SAR 1,533

-24.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,058 ฿35.5K

$883 SAR 3,313

19.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$659 ฿22.1K

$614 SAR 2,304

7.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,418 ฿81.2K

$2,020 SAR 7,583

19.68%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,609 ฿54.0K

$1,119 SAR 4,202

43.72%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿20.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

5.54

0.54%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: November 1, 2026

Last update for Al Majma'ah: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$310 33.1%

Al Majma'ah

$408 31.4% 31.8% $98

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$237 25.3%

Al Majma'ah

$242 18.7% 2.4% $5.7

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$108 11.6%

Al Majma'ah

$143 11% 31.6% $34

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$94 10.1%

Al Majma'ah

$206 15.8% 118% $111

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$77 8.2%

Al Majma'ah

$146 11.2% 90.7% $69

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$59 6.3%

Al Majma'ah

$55 4.2% 6% $3.5

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$51 5.4%

Al Majma'ah

$100 7.7% 95.7% $49

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $481 in Chiang Mai versus $552 in Al Majma’ah. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19 in Chiang Mai versus $67 in Al Majma’ah. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $237 vs $242 – making Chiang Mai the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇸🇦 Al Majma'ah

🕒 Local time

13:48 1:48 PM

09:48 9:48 AM

4 h behind Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Saudi Riyal SAR ر.س

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.98 USD

100 THB = 2.64 EUR

1 SAR = 0.266 USD

1 SAR = 0.237 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

SAR, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

Thai Baht exchange rates as of November 5, 2026: 1 USD = 33.59 THB (100 THB = 2.98 USD). 1 EUR = 37.81 THB (100 THB = 2.64 EUR).

Saudi Riyal exchange rates as of November 5, 2026: 1 USD = 3.75 SAR (1 SAR = 0.266 USD). 1 EUR = 4.23 SAR (1 SAR = 0.237 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Chiang Mai Al Majma'ah 5,540 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
Al Majma'ah

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Majma'ah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Al Majma’ah costs about 39% more than Chiang Mai, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from eating out. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,403 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,949 in Al Majma’ah. 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: a one-bedroom in the center costs $481 there versus $552 in Al Majma’ah.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $935 in Chiang Mai and $1,300 in Al Majma’ah. That makes Chiang Mai about 28% cheaper.

Kindergarten costs $727 per month in Chiang Mai and $552 in Al Majma’ah. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$800 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $935 in Chiang Mai and $1,300 in Al Majma’ah. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

It depends on your priorities. Chiang Mai has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $935 in Chiang Mai to $1,300 in Al Majma’ah. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.