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 $1,054 in Jubail, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,360 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,650 in Jubail, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,867 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,247 in Jubail, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 19% cheaper than Jubail, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Chiang Mai and Jubail are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Jubail 21% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.04 ฿68.2

$6.74 SAR 25.30

-69.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.71 ฿624

$39.37 SAR 148

-52.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.86 ฿262

$9.41 SAR 35.35

-16.47%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.92 SAR 7.20

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.91 SAR 10.94

Cappuccino

$2.03 ฿67.7

$3.34 SAR 12.55

-39.22%

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

$0.80 ฿26.64

$0.76 SAR 2.86

5.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.68

$0.28 SAR 1.05

25.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.5

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿122

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 ฿57.6

$1.82 SAR 6.84

-4.95%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.4

$0.99 SAR 3.70

58.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 ฿39.99

$1.68 SAR 6.30

-28.57%

Eggs

$1.97 ฿65.8

$2.51 SAR 9.44

-21.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.23 ฿541

$8.19 SAR 30.74

98.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.06 ฿102

$6.86 SAR 25.76

-55.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.80 ฿360

$11.08 SAR 41.61

-2.53%

Apples (1kg)

$2.77 ฿92.3

$2.31 SAR 8.68

19.91%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.94

$1.66 SAR 6.23

-29.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 ฿57.0

$1.58 SAR 5.92

8.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿53.2

$1.41 SAR 5.29

12.77%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.51

$1.12 SAR 4.19

24.11%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 ฿38.56

$1.37 SAR 5.13

-15.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿22.05

$1.41 SAR 5.29

-53.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.31

$0.60 SAR 2.24

-13.33%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.98 SAR 11.18

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.01 SAR 7.54

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.33 SAR 8.76

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 ฿155

$7.26 SAR 27.27

-35.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.78 ฿593

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ฿59.6

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 ฿111

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿30.27

$0.91 SAR 3.42

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.64 ฿622

$25.68 SAR 96.4

-27.41%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿47.04

$4.05 SAR 15.20

-65.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.70

$1.82 SAR 6.84

-26.37%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.11 ฿270

$16.99 SAR 63.8

-52.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿41.16

$0.64 SAR 2.41

92.19%

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

$21.4K ฿715.1K

$19.7K SAR 73.9K

8.92%

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

$21.8K ฿728.0K

$24.3K SAR 91.1K

-10.03%

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

$71.3 ฿2,379

$102 SAR 381

-29.74%

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

$14.01 ฿467

$31.84 SAR 120

-56.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.93 ฿598

$64.4 SAR 242

-72.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.82 ฿1,362

$89.4 SAR 336

-54.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿230

$35.40 SAR 133

-80.56%

Cinema Ticket

$5.72 ฿191

$14.00 SAR 52.6

-59.14%

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

$308 ฿10.3K

$202 SAR 757

52.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿489.7K

$8,592 SAR 32.3K

70.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,860

$37.51 SAR 141

48.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.04 ฿869

$61.2 SAR 230

-57.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 ฿2,829

$84.6 SAR 318

0.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.0 ฿2,368

$80.4 SAR 302

-11.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$423 ฿14.1K

$403 SAR 1,514

4.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 ฿8,088

$273 SAR 1,025

-11.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$797 ฿26.6K

$636 SAR 2,390

25.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$507 ฿16.9K

$497 SAR 1,868

1.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,918 ฿64.0K

$2,545 SAR 9,556

-24.62%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,464 ฿48.8K

$1,317 SAR 4,945

11.16%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

$1,627 SAR 6,109

-63.42%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Jubail: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $423 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 173% 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 $39.00 in Jubail. Groceries tell a different story – $244 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 24% 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 $1,279 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,581 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 $308 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 28% cheaper in Jubail – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $852 in Chiang Mai and $1,054 in Jubail, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $852 versus $1,054 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.