Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Ar-rass Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Ar-rass

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $861 in Chiang Mai versus $1,174 in Ar-rass.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,350 in Chiang Mai versus $1,802 in Ar-rass.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,838 in Chiang Mai versus $2,431 in Ar-rass.

Living in Chiang Mai costs roughly 27% less than in Ar-rass, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities sit below the global median: Chiang Mai 36% lower, Ar-rass 12% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿65.8

$6.58 SAR 24.71

-70.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.35 ฿617

$43.89 SAR 165

-58.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.48 ฿252

$7.93 SAR 29.79

-5.67%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.77 SAR 6.64

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.75 SAR 6.58

Cappuccino

$2.02 ฿67.8

$3.69 SAR 13.87

-45.26%

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

$0.85 ฿28.50

$0.79 SAR 2.97

7.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.96

$0.29 SAR 1.08

24.14%

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

$2.33 SAR 8.77

-29.18%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.7

$1.06 SAR 3.97

48.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿40.02

$1.51 SAR 5.69

-21.19%

Eggs

$1.94 ฿65.1

$3.62 SAR 13.58

-46.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿544

$6.82 SAR 25.62

137.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.99 ฿101

$7.40 SAR 27.79

-59.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿368

$13.14 SAR 49.34

-16.74%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 ฿91.2

$2.18 SAR 8.19

24.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿39.25

$1.64 SAR 6.17

-28.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 ฿56.7

$1.72 SAR 6.47

-1.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 ฿54.0

$1.56 SAR 5.84

2.56%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.54

$1.23 SAR 4.61

12.20%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.45

$1.27 SAR 4.76

-5.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿22.50

$1.24 SAR 4.66

-45.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.73

$0.55 SAR 2.07

1.82%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.40 SAR 9.03

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 SAR 6.41

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.11 SAR 7.91

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.64 ฿156

$6.23 SAR 23.40

-25.52%

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

$1.06 SAR 3.98

-16.98%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ฿650

$39.89 SAR 150

-51.52%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿45.90

$2.65 SAR 9.94

-48.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.98

$1.86 SAR 6.98

-27.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.21 ฿276

$13.19 SAR 49.52

-37.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ฿41.18

$0.58 SAR 2.18

110.34%

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

$21.4K ฿718.1K

$26.4K SAR 99.3K

-19.26%

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

$22.5K ฿757.7K

$22.2K SAR 83.4K

1.44%

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

$70.7 ฿2,376

$107 SAR 403

-34.22%

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

$14.04 ฿472

$33.12 SAR 124

-57.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.49 ฿588

$72.8 SAR 273

-75.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.15 ฿1,417

$45.13 SAR 169

-6.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

$35.22 SAR 132

-80.47%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿199

$15.83 SAR 59.4

-62.60%

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

$309 ฿10.4K

$355 SAR 1,334

-13.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K ฿500.4K

$6,847 SAR 25.7K

117.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,875

$21.29 SAR 79.9

161.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.11 ฿878

$60.0 SAR 225

-56.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.0 ฿2,792

$79.2 SAR 297

4.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 ฿2,369

$83.0 SAR 312

-15.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$432 ฿14.5K

$437 SAR 1,641

-1.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿8,035

$386 SAR 1,450

-38.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$822 ฿27.7K

$384 SAR 1,442

114.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$512 ฿17.2K

$615 SAR 2,308

-16.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,915 ฿64.4K

$2,551 SAR 9,579

-24.95%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 ฿49.3K

$1,264 SAR 4,746

16.06%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$579 ฿19.5K

$1,700 SAR 6,383

-65.92%

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 Ar-rass: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $432 in Chiang Mai and $437 in Ar-rass. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ar-rass pays 193% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $18.00 in Chiang Mai vs $44.00 in Ar-rass. Groceries flip the comparison at $243 vs $205, with Ar-rass 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 Ar-rass: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai and Ar-rass differ by about 36% in total monthly costs ($861 vs $1,174 including rent). Chiang Mai is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 193% lower in Ar-rass. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $432 in Chiang Mai versus $437 in Ar-rass. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $309 in Chiang Mai versus $355 in Ar-rass. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Ar-rass pay roughly 19% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $861 in Chiang Mai versus $1,174 in Ar-rass, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Chiang Mai but tight or insufficient in Ar-rass. 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 Ar-rass 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 36% less than in Ar-rass. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.