Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Al-Ula

For one person, living is cheaper in Chiang Mai: $938 a month against $1,184 in Al-Ula, rent and utilities included – about $3,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

45

Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai Living Index
57

Cost of Living Index in Al-Ula
Learn more

Al-Ula Living Index

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Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$938

/mo nomad

Al-Ula

🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia

$1,184

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chiang Mai and in Al-Ula

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-Ula actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $938 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,184 in Al-Ula, rent included.

Chiang Mai $938
Al-Ula $1,184

A couple spends around $1,426 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,757 in Al-Ula, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,426
Al-Ula $1,757

A family of three spends $1,914 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,330 in Al-Ula, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,914
Al-Ula $2,330

Chiang Mai is about 21% cheaper than Al-Ula, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in utilities.

Both Chiang Mai and Al-Ula are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 30% lower, Al-Ula 12% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.26 ฿75.4

$6.11 SAR 22.91

-63.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.18 ฿641

$36.80 SAR 138

-47.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.59 ฿187

$7.96 SAR 29.87

-29.77%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.89 SAR 7.08

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.30 SAR 8.62

Cappuccino

$1.72 ฿57.6

$3.17 SAR 11.89

-45.74%

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

$0.64 ฿21.54

$0.86 SAR 3.24

-25.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 ฿11.18

$0.26 SAR 0.98

26.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.36 ฿78.7

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.90 ฿130

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 ฿68.6

$1.74 SAR 6.52

17.82%

White Bread (500g)

$1.40 ฿46.70

$1.27 SAR 4.75

10.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.89

$2.30 SAR 8.62

-44.35%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.3

$2.32 SAR 8.72

-3.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.94 ฿566

$7.39 SAR 27.75

129.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.74 ฿91.6

$8.07 SAR 30.27

-66.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.36 ฿313

$12.67 SAR 47.54

-26.12%

Apples (1kg)

$2.40 ฿80.3

$2.25 SAR 8.45

6.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.01 ฿33.92

$1.76 SAR 6.60

-42.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.61 ฿53.9

$1.58 SAR 5.94

1.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿50.7

$1.57 SAR 5.89

-3.18%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.90

$1.23 SAR 4.61

4.07%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 ฿37.22

$1.28 SAR 4.79

-13.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿24.09

$1.22 SAR 4.58

-40.98%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.54

$0.54 SAR 2.02

-3.70%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.86 SAR 10.71

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 SAR 6.68

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.11 SAR 7.91

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.33 ฿145

$6.74 SAR 25.28

-35.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.73 ฿593

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ฿54.4

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.85 ฿95.3

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 ฿28.31

$1.09 SAR 4.08

-22.02%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.9 ฿1,801

$36.77 SAR 138

46.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 ฿39.18

$2.61 SAR 9.80

-55.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.57 ฿19.00

$1.85 SAR 6.95

-69.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.37 ฿79.2

$13.14 SAR 49.29

-81.96%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.32

$0.65 SAR 2.44

123.08%

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

$20.5K ฿684.3K

$44.0K SAR 165.2K

-53.49%

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

$26.5K ฿886.1K

$21.3K SAR 79.9K

24.47%

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

$62.3 ฿2,083

$106 SAR 397

-41.15%

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

$12.27 ฿410

$33.21 SAR 125

-63.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.97 ฿668

$65.8 SAR 247

-69.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.91 ฿1,267

$82.4 SAR 309

-53.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.76 ฿126

Cinema Ticket

$6.71 ฿224

$13.33 SAR 50.0

-49.66%

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

$797 ฿26.6K

$425 SAR 1,596

87.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿495.7K

$8,102 SAR 30.4K

83.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.3 ฿1,780

$42.74 SAR 160

24.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.05 ฿837

$55.4 SAR 208

-54.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.6 ฿3,062

$96.2 SAR 361

-4.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.5 ฿2,455

$87.6 SAR 329

-16.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$464 ฿15.5K

$576 SAR 2,162

-19.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$305 ฿10.2K

$372 SAR 1,397

-18.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$915 ฿30.6K

$832 SAR 3,121

10.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$552 ฿18.5K

$572 SAR 2,147

-3.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,912 ฿63.9K

$2,323 SAR 8,718

-17.71%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,438 ฿48.1K

$1,382 SAR 5,187

4.06%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

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: October 13, 2026

Last update for Al-Ula: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$305 32.5%

Al-Ula

$372 31.5% 22.2% $68

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$238 25.4%

Al-Ula

$203 17.1% 14.9% $35

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$110 11.7%

Al-Ula

$127 10.7% 15.8% $17

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$95 10.1%

Al-Ula

$205 17.3% 117% $110

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$79 8.4%

Al-Ula

$115 9.7% 45.9% $36

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$61 6.5%

Al-Ula

$53 4.5% 13.6% $8.3

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$51 5.5%

Al-Ula

$109 9.2% 112% $58

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $464 in Chiang Mai versus $576 in Al-Ula. 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $37.00 in Al-Ula. Groceries tell a different story – $238 in Chiang Mai vs $203 in Al-Ula – so Al-Ula wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇸🇦 Al-Ula

🕒 Local time

16:34 4:34 PM

12:34 12:34 PM

4 h behind Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

32,413

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Saudi Riyal SAR ر.س

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.99 USD

100 THB = 2.66 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 October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 33.42 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.57 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

Saudi Riyal exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 3.75 SAR (1 SAR = 0.266 USD). 1 EUR = 4.22 SAR (1 SAR = 0.237 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Chiang Mai Al-Ula 6,270 km ≈ 8 h nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
Al-Ula

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-Ula: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $938 in Chiang Mai, $1,184 in Al-Ula – roughly 26% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in utilities.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,408 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,776 in Al-Ula. 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 $797 per month in Chiang Mai and $425 in Al-Ula. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 17% cheaper in Al-Ula – 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 $938, than in Al-Ula at $1,184. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Al-Ula it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Chiang Mai has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $938 in Chiang Mai to $1,184 in Al-Ula. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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-Ula makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.