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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $845 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,215 in Dammam, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,323 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,840 in Dammam, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,802 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,465 in Dammam, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 30% cheaper than Dammam, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Chiang Mai and Dammam are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 37% lower, Dammam 9% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.95 ฿62.8

$6.68 SAR 25.04

-70.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.43 ฿594

$39.64 SAR 149

-53.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.50 ฿241

$8.01 SAR 30.05

-6.37%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.78 SAR 6.68

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.85 SAR 6.93

Cappuccino

$1.93 ฿62.3

$3.56 SAR 13.36

-45.79%

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

$0.78 ฿25.08

$0.81 SAR 3.03

-3.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ฿10.42

$0.30 SAR 1.14

6.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.15 ฿69.2

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.71 ฿120

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿55.2

$1.71 SAR 6.40

White Bread (500g)

$1.56 ฿50.3

$1.00 SAR 3.76

56.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.06

$2.37 SAR 8.89

-50.21%

Eggs

$1.98 ฿63.9

$2.51 SAR 9.41

-21.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.04 ฿517

$6.73 SAR 25.24

138.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.17 ฿102

$7.53 SAR 28.26

-57.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿353

$12.78 SAR 47.94

-14.40%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 ฿84.7

$2.28 SAR 8.54

15.35%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿37.61

$1.66 SAR 6.23

-29.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.65 ฿53.0

$1.59 SAR 5.95

3.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.54 ฿49.51

$1.56 SAR 5.84

-1.28%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿44.34

$1.23 SAR 4.60

12.20%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿37.54

$1.32 SAR 4.96

-11.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.25

$1.30 SAR 4.87

-49.23%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.55

$0.63 SAR 2.35

-19.05%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.90 SAR 10.89

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 SAR 6.71

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.01 SAR 7.52

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.52 ฿146

$7.13 SAR 26.75

-36.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.32 ฿590

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿57.9

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 ฿102

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿28.97

$1.10 SAR 4.11

-18.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.00 ฿612

$39.58 SAR 148

-52.00%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.50

$2.73 SAR 10.23

-48.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.31 ฿42.15

$1.92 SAR 7.21

-31.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.09 ฿261

$13.42 SAR 50.3

-39.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 ฿41.08

$0.64 SAR 2.40

100.00%

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

$21.3K ฿686.1K

$26.2K SAR 98.2K

-18.69%

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

$21.7K ฿699.3K

$23.1K SAR 86.7K

-6.14%

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

$69.2 ฿2,230

$106 SAR 397

-34.61%

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

$13.97 ฿450

$33.23 SAR 125

-57.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.95 ฿578

$70.5 SAR 264

-74.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.31 ฿1,363

$96.3 SAR 361

-56.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.66 ฿214

$36.28 SAR 136

-81.64%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿191

$14.86 SAR 55.7

-60.16%

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

$299 ฿9,640

$346 SAR 1,298

-13.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿478.4K

$7,416 SAR 27.8K

100.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.2 ฿1,810

$56.4 SAR 212

-0.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.94 ฿868

$63.9 SAR 240

-57.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.9 ฿2,735

$84.5 SAR 317

0.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.8 ฿2,314

$81.8 SAR 307

-12.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$435 ฿14.0K

$428 SAR 1,606

1.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$240 ฿7,727

$382 SAR 1,434

-37.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$798 ฿25.7K

$877 SAR 3,288

-9.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$498 ฿16.1K

$633 SAR 2,374

-21.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,995 ฿64.3K

$1,776 SAR 6,661

12.34%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,532 ฿49.4K

$1,107 SAR 4,150

38.40%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$628 ฿20.2K

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: April 20, 2026

Last update for Dammam: April 22, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $435 in Chiang Mai versus $428 in Dammam. 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 in Chiang Mai versus $40 in Dammam. Groceries tell a different story – $244 in Chiang Mai vs $197 in Dammam – so Dammam 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 Dammam: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Dammam costs about 44% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,267 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,823 in Dammam. 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 $299 per month in Chiang Mai and $346 in Dammam. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 24% cheaper in Dammam – 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 $845, than in Dammam at $1,215. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Dammam it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $845 versus $1,215 in Dammam. 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, Dammam makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.