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 $848 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,049 in Jubail, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,331 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,657 in Jubail, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,814 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,264 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 21% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿63.6

$6.59 SAR 24.74

-70.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.39 ฿598

$39.56 SAR 148

-53.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.87 ฿256

$9.35 SAR 35.10

-15.83%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.82 SAR 6.83

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.91 SAR 10.90

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.4

$3.23 SAR 12.14

-39.63%

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

$0.85 ฿27.57

$0.78 SAR 2.92

8.97%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ฿10.52

$0.26 SAR 0.97

23.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿69.6

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.68 ฿120

Milk (1 liter)

$1.66 ฿53.9

$1.79 SAR 6.71

-7.26%

White Bread (500g)

$1.56 ฿50.7

$1.01 SAR 3.78

54.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.63

$1.61 SAR 6.03

-26.09%

Eggs

$1.99 ฿64.7

$2.50 SAR 9.38

-20.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.24 ฿528

$8.20 SAR 30.76

98.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.17 ฿103

$6.89 SAR 25.85

-53.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.84 ฿352

$10.98 SAR 41.20

-1.28%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 ฿86.2

$2.37 SAR 8.89

11.81%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿39.67

$1.64 SAR 6.16

-25.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.65 ฿53.7

$1.58 SAR 5.92

4.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.55 ฿50.3

$1.35 SAR 5.08

14.81%

Potato (1kg)

$1.33 ฿43.17

$1.18 SAR 4.44

12.71%

Onion (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.43

$1.34 SAR 5.03

-9.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 ฿22.04

$1.41 SAR 5.29

-51.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 ฿18.38

$0.60 SAR 2.25

-5.00%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.88 SAR 10.80

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.02 SAR 7.56

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 SAR 8.95

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.68 ฿152

$7.26 SAR 27.24

-35.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.99 ฿552

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.82 ฿59.3

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 ฿103

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿29.46

$0.91 SAR 3.43

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.74 ฿609

$26.04 SAR 97.7

-28.03%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.80

$4.09 SAR 15.36

-65.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿43.52

$1.86 SAR 6.97

-27.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.14 ฿265

$17.44 SAR 65.4

-53.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 ฿41.53

$0.59 SAR 2.23

116.95%

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

$21.8K ฿709.3K

$19.9K SAR 74.6K

9.77%

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

$22.4K ฿728.0K

$24.1K SAR 90.5K

-7.15%

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

$70.5 ฿2,291

$98.4 SAR 369

-28.39%

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

$14.05 ฿457

$31.88 SAR 120

-55.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.65 ฿574

$65.1 SAR 244

-72.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.29 ฿1,342

$88.0 SAR 330

-53.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.76 ฿220

$35.61 SAR 134

-81.02%

Cinema Ticket

$5.96 ฿194

$14.00 SAR 52.5

-57.43%

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

$303 ฿9,846

$205 SAR 769

47.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿486.2K

$8,430 SAR 31.6K

77.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,778

$38.03 SAR 143

43.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.29 ฿854

$62.8 SAR 236

-58.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 ฿2,788

$81.7 SAR 307

4.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.7 ฿2,265

$78.4 SAR 294

-11.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿13.9K

$406 SAR 1,525

5.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿7,769

$278 SAR 1,044

-14.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$811 ฿26.4K

$639 SAR 2,400

26.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$510 ฿16.6K

$493 SAR 1,850

3.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,025 ฿65.8K

$2,528 SAR 9,486

-19.87%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,502 ฿48.8K

$1,314 SAR 4,931

14.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$623 ฿20.2K

$1,593 SAR 5,979

-60.93%

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: June 13, 2026

Last update for Jubail: June 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $428 in Chiang Mai versus $406 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 156% 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 $18.00 in Chiang Mai versus $40.00 in Jubail. Groceries tell a different story – $242 in Chiang Mai vs $190 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 24% 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 $1,272 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,574 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 $303 per month in Chiang Mai and $205 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 $848, than in Jubail at $1,049. 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 $848 versus $1,049 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.