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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $932 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,232 in Al Majma'ah, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,399 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,961 in Al Majma'ah, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,690 in Al Majma'ah, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 24% cheaper than Al Majma'ah, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and Al Majma'ah are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 32% lower, Al Majma'ah 10% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿69.3

$7.89 SAR 29.64

-73.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.61 ฿653

$64.7 SAR 243

-69.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.67 ฿189

$8.89 SAR 33.39

-36.22%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.90 SAR 7.15

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.01 SAR 11.30

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿60.1

$4.41 SAR 16.55

-58.96%

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

$0.77 ฿25.58

$0.95 SAR 3.58

-18.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.49

$0.31 SAR 1.18

12.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿73.7

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿126

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 ฿68.2

$1.66 SAR 6.24

23.49%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 ฿50.4

$1.33 SAR 4.98

13.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 ฿46.57

$2.38 SAR 8.94

-41.18%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿75.2

$3.24 SAR 12.18

-30.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿539

$9.63 SAR 36.16

68.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.90 ฿96.4

$9.56 SAR 35.91

-69.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.42 ฿314

$15.60 SAR 58.6

-39.62%

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 ฿89.2

$2.72 SAR 10.22

-1.47%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.28

$1.94 SAR 7.27

-43.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.8

$2.38 SAR 8.96

-31.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.61

$1.75 SAR 6.56

-16.57%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.54

$1.19 SAR 4.46

7.56%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 ฿35.21

$1.35 SAR 5.07

-21.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.88

$1.71 SAR 6.44

-57.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.51

$0.56 SAR 2.10

-5.36%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.75 SAR 10.34

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.82 SAR 6.85

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.45 SAR 9.20

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.23 ฿141

$7.43 SAR 27.91

-43.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.29 ฿609

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ฿54.3

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿96.6

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.24

$1.05 SAR 3.93

-16.19%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.8 ฿1,790

$35.52 SAR 133

51.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 ฿39.04

$3.15 SAR 11.84

-62.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿19.25

$1.82 SAR 6.84

-68.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.39 ฿79.4

$13.52 SAR 50.8

-82.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.28

$0.64 SAR 2.40

126.56%

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

$21.0K ฿699.5K

$35.9K SAR 135.0K

-41.53%

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

$26.4K ฿879.7K

$22.7K SAR 85.4K

16.23%

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

$63.7 ฿2,119

$94.3 SAR 354

-32.50%

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

$12.89 ฿429

$32.85 SAR 123

-60.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.52 ฿683

$69.0 SAR 259

-70.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.02 ฿1,299

$83.9 SAR 315

-53.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.92 ฿130

$37.05 SAR 139

-89.42%

Cinema Ticket

$6.58 ฿219

$13.26 SAR 49.82

-50.38%

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

$784 ฿26.1K

$540 SAR 2,028

45.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿488.4K

$11.1K SAR 41.6K

32.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 ฿1,835

$59.2 SAR 222

-6.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.74 ฿824

$57.2 SAR 215

-56.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.1 ฿3,133

$106 SAR 398

-11.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.0 ฿2,462

$108 SAR 407

-31.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.3K

$581 SAR 2,182

-15.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$288 ฿9,594

$351 SAR 1,317

-17.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$891 ฿29.7K

$877 SAR 3,294

1.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$521 ฿17.3K

$540 SAR 2,027

-3.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,974 ฿65.7K

$2,320 SAR 8,716

-14.94%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,444 ฿48.1K

$1,378 SAR 5,176

4.81%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿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: September 13, 2026

Last update for Al Majma'ah: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $490 in Chiang Mai versus $581 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $65.0 in Al Majma'ah. Groceries tell a different story – $241 in Chiang Mai vs $239 in Al Majma'ah – so Al Majma'ah 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 Al Majma'ah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Al Majma'ah costs about 32% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by 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 $1,398 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,848 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. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $784 per month in Chiang Mai and $540 in Al Majma'ah. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 1% cheaper in Al Majma'ah – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $932, than in Al Majma'ah at $1,232. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Al Majma'ah it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $932 versus $1,232 in Al Majma'ah. 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, Al Majma'ah makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.