Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Arar Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Arar

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $861 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,198 in Arar, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,350 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,849 in Arar, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,838 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,501 in Arar, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 28% cheaper than Arar, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Chiang Mai and Arar are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Arar 10% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿65.8

$6.54 SAR 24.55

-70.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.35 ฿617

$44.74 SAR 168

-58.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.48 ฿252

$7.91 SAR 29.69

-5.44%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.77 SAR 6.65

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.75 SAR 6.56

Cappuccino

$2.02 ฿67.8

$3.70 SAR 13.88

-45.41%

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

$0.85 ฿28.50

$0.74 SAR 2.77

14.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.96

$0.29 SAR 1.07

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

$1.62 SAR 6.09

1.85%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.7

$0.95 SAR 3.57

65.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿40.02

$2.40 SAR 9.00

-50.42%

Eggs

$1.94 ฿65.1

$2.48 SAR 9.31

-21.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿544

$6.83 SAR 25.64

137.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.99 ฿101

$7.35 SAR 27.59

-59.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿368

$12.96 SAR 48.67

-15.59%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 ฿91.2

$2.17 SAR 8.16

24.88%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿39.25

$1.57 SAR 5.91

-25.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 ฿56.7

$1.68 SAR 6.32

0.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 ฿54.0

$1.56 SAR 5.88

2.56%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.54

$1.29 SAR 4.84

6.98%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.45

$1.26 SAR 4.74

-4.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿22.50

$1.24 SAR 4.65

-45.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.73

$0.59 SAR 2.22

-5.08%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.97 SAR 11.17

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 SAR 6.58

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.04 SAR 7.64

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.64 ฿156

$6.99 SAR 26.25

-33.62%

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

$1.04 SAR 3.91

-15.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ฿650

$40.26 SAR 151

-51.96%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿45.90

$2.61 SAR 9.80

-47.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.98

$1.86 SAR 6.98

-27.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.21 ฿276

$13.54 SAR 50.9

-39.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ฿41.18

$0.63 SAR 2.37

93.65%

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

$21.4K ฿718.1K

$26.6K SAR 99.9K

-19.74%

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

$22.5K ฿757.7K

$22.0K SAR 82.8K

2.19%

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

$70.7 ฿2,376

$106 SAR 397

-33.08%

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

$14.04 ฿472

$33.50 SAR 126

-58.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.49 ฿588

$75.5 SAR 283

-76.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.15 ฿1,417

$88.6 SAR 333

-52.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

$35.68 SAR 134

-80.72%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿199

$15.91 SAR 59.7

-62.79%

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

$309 ฿10.4K

$351 SAR 1,317

-12.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K ฿500.4K

$6,890 SAR 25.9K

115.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,875

$59.4 SAR 223

-6.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.11 ฿878

$59.8 SAR 225

-56.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.0 ฿2,792

$77.6 SAR 292

6.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 ฿2,369

$83.0 SAR 312

-15.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$432 ฿14.5K

$433 SAR 1,628

-0.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿8,035

$383 SAR 1,439

-37.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$822 ฿27.7K

$844 SAR 3,170

-2.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$512 ฿17.2K

$627 SAR 2,355

-18.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,915 ฿64.4K

$2,082 SAR 7,816

-8.02%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 ฿49.3K

$1,467 SAR 5,507

0.04%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$579 ฿19.5K

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 Arar: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $432 in Chiang Mai versus $433 in Arar. 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 $18.00 in Chiang Mai versus $45.00 in Arar. Groceries tell a different story – $243 in Chiang Mai vs $195 in Arar – so Arar 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 Arar: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $861 in Chiang Mai, $1,198 in Arar – roughly 39% apart. Arar costs more across the board, with Monthly Utilities & Internet showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,292 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,797 in Arar. 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.

Public transport costs about 108% less in Chiang Mai. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $309 per month in Chiang Mai and $351 in Arar. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $861, than in Arar at $1,198. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Arar 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 $861 in Chiang Mai to $1,198 in Arar. 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, Arar makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.