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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,050 in Jubail, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,354 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,650 in Jubail, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,857 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,251 in Jubail, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 19% cheaper than Jubail, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Chiang Mai and Jubail are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Jubail 22% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿64.0

$6.48 SAR 24.31

-69.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.81 ฿615

$40.19 SAR 151

-53.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.92 ฿259

$9.29 SAR 34.84

-14.75%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.82 SAR 6.83

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.85 SAR 10.70

Cappuccino

$1.91 ฿62.6

$3.39 SAR 12.71

-43.66%

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

$0.84 ฿27.41

$0.83 SAR 3.10

1.20%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.51

$0.26 SAR 0.97

34.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 ฿124

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$1.77 SAR 6.65

-7.34%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 ฿53.1

$0.98 SAR 3.68

65.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.62

$1.63 SAR 6.11

-27.61%

Eggs

$2.01 ฿65.8

$2.52 SAR 9.44

-20.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.89 ฿520

$8.20 SAR 30.76

93.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.01 ฿98.5

$6.89 SAR 25.85

-56.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.77 ฿352

$11.19 SAR 41.96

-3.75%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 ฿85.5

$2.32 SAR 8.72

12.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿39.88

$1.71 SAR 6.40

-28.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.7

$1.58 SAR 5.91

7.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 ฿51.5

$1.43 SAR 5.37

10.49%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 ฿43.14

$1.12 SAR 4.20

17.86%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.23

$1.30 SAR 4.86

-10.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿21.98

$1.38 SAR 5.17

-51.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.32

$0.64 SAR 2.39

-12.50%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.91 SAR 10.92

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.98 SAR 7.42

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.44 SAR 9.14

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.53 ฿148

$7.02 SAR 26.33

-35.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.20 ฿595

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿60.0

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ฿29.00

$0.97 SAR 3.63

-8.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.38 ฿634

$25.13 SAR 94.2

-22.88%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.35 ฿44.20

$4.08 SAR 15.32

-66.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 ฿44.05

$1.85 SAR 6.94

-27.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.25 ฿270

$17.01 SAR 63.8

-51.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.64

$0.63 SAR 2.37

101.59%

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

$21.2K ฿691.8K

$20.2K SAR 75.9K

4.50%

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

$22.5K ฿735.3K

$24.2K SAR 90.8K

-7.10%

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

$70.2 ฿2,294

$98.8 SAR 371

-29.01%

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

$13.77 ฿450

$31.97 SAR 120

-56.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.60 ฿575

$65.1 SAR 244

-72.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.57 ฿1,360

$88.0 SAR 330

-52.76%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.60 ฿216

$35.90 SAR 135

-81.62%

Cinema Ticket

$5.78 ฿189

$13.89 SAR 52.1

-58.39%

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

$306 ฿10.0K

$202 SAR 759

51.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿484.8K

$8,378 SAR 31.4K

76.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.4 ฿1,778

$38.63 SAR 145

40.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.14 ฿855

$62.2 SAR 233

-57.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.5 ฿2,764

$83.4 SAR 313

1.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.4 ฿2,270

$79.4 SAR 298

-12.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$424 ฿13.9K

$403 SAR 1,513

5.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$238 ฿7,788

$277 SAR 1,039

-14.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$825 ฿27.0K

$655 SAR 2,456

25.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$505 SAR 1,892

2.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,049 ฿67.0K

$2,522 SAR 9,458

-18.74%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,523 ฿49.8K

$1,316 SAR 4,934

15.74%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$635 ฿20.8K

$1,602 SAR 6,008

-60.36%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

-6.19%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 27, 2026

Last update for Jubail: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $424 in Chiang Mai versus $403 in Jubail. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 152% higher in Jubail, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $40.00 in Jubail. Groceries tell a different story – $243 in Chiang Mai vs $191 in Jubail – so Jubail 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 Jubail: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Jubail costs about 23% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,278 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,575 in Jubail. 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 $306 per month in Chiang Mai and $202 in Jubail. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 27% cheaper in Jubail – 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 $852, than in Jubail at $1,050. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Jubail it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $852 versus $1,050 in Jubail. 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, Jubail makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.