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: $932 in Chiang Mai versus $1,103 in Ar-rass.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,399 in Chiang Mai versus $1,669 in Ar-rass.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,866 in Chiang Mai versus $2,235 in Ar-rass.

Living in Chiang Mai costs roughly 15% less than in Ar-rass, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities sit below the global median: Chiang Mai 32% lower, Ar-rass 19% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿69.3

$6.70 SAR 25.15

-68.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.61 ฿653

$37.74 SAR 142

-48.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.67 ฿189

$7.77 SAR 29.17

-27.03%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.84 SAR 6.90

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.01 SAR 7.55

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿60.1

$3.36 SAR 12.63

-46.13%

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

$0.77 ฿25.58

$0.81 SAR 3.04

-4.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.49

$0.24 SAR 0.90

45.83%

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

$1.82 SAR 6.85

12.64%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 ฿50.4

$0.41 SAR 1.55

268.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 ฿46.57

$1.90 SAR 7.14

-26.32%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿75.2

$3.68 SAR 13.82

-38.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿539

$7.03 SAR 26.40

130.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.90 ฿96.4

$8.16 SAR 30.65

-64.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.42 ฿314

$13.12 SAR 49.27

-28.20%

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 ฿89.2

$2.09 SAR 7.83

28.23%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.28

$1.77 SAR 6.66

-38.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.8

$1.56 SAR 5.86

3.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.61

$1.61 SAR 6.05

-9.32%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.54

$1.15 SAR 4.32

11.30%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 ฿35.21

$1.35 SAR 5.05

-21.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.88

$1.15 SAR 4.32

-37.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.51

$0.56 SAR 2.10

-5.36%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.79 SAR 10.47

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.82 SAR 6.83

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.81 SAR 6.82

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.23 ฿141

$7.90 SAR 29.67

-46.46%

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

$1.22 SAR 4.57

-27.87%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.8 ฿1,790

$35.86 SAR 135

49.94%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 ฿39.04

$2.96 SAR 11.11

-60.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿19.25

$1.54 SAR 5.78

-62.34%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.39 ฿79.4

$11.37 SAR 42.69

-78.98%

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

$47.0K SAR 176.6K

-55.32%

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

$26.4K ฿879.7K

$21.3K SAR 79.9K

24.26%

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

$63.7 ฿2,119

$88.2 SAR 331

-27.86%

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

$12.89 ฿429

$24.45 SAR 91.8

-47.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.52 ฿683

$60.2 SAR 226

-65.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.02 ฿1,299

$44.03 SAR 165

-11.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.92 ฿130

$40.53 SAR 152

-90.33%

Cinema Ticket

$6.58 ฿219

$13.08 SAR 49.14

-49.69%

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

$784 ฿26.1K

$349 SAR 1,310

124.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿488.4K

$7,401 SAR 27.8K

98.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 ฿1,835

$50.6 SAR 190

8.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.74 ฿824

$58.2 SAR 219

-57.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.1 ฿3,133

$95.0 SAR 357

-0.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.0 ฿2,462

$95.5 SAR 359

-22.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.3K

$580 SAR 2,177

-15.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$288 ฿9,594

$339 SAR 1,273

-14.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$891 ฿29.7K

$382 SAR 1,433

133.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$521 ฿17.3K

$591 SAR 2,220

-11.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,974 ฿65.7K

$2,677 SAR 10.1K

-26.27%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,444 ฿48.1K

$1,276 SAR 4,793

13.19%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿20.0K

$1,706 SAR 6,407

-64.73%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

5.47

1.83%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 13, 2026

Last update for Ar-rass: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $490 in Chiang Mai and $580 in Ar-rass. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ar-rass pays 184% 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: $20.00 in Chiang Mai vs $38.00 in Ar-rass. Groceries flip the comparison at $241 vs $199, 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 18% in total monthly costs ($932 vs $1,103 including rent). Chiang Mai is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 184% 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: $490 in Chiang Mai versus $580 in Ar-rass. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $784 in Chiang Mai versus $349 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 21% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $932 in Chiang Mai versus $1,103 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 18% less than in Ar-rass. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.