Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Khamis Mushayt Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Khamis Mushayt

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $932 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,120 in Khamis Mushayt, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,399 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,663 in Khamis Mushayt, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,206 in Khamis Mushayt, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 17% cheaper than Khamis Mushayt, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Chiang Mai and Khamis Mushayt are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 32% lower, Khamis Mushayt 18% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿69.3

$4.74 SAR 17.80

-56.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.61 ฿653

$32.27 SAR 121

-39.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.67 ฿189

$6.76 SAR 25.41

-16.12%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.61 SAR 6.05

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.89 SAR 7.09

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿60.1

$2.87 SAR 10.80

-36.93%

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

$0.77 ฿25.58

$0.66 SAR 2.47

16.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.49

$0.23 SAR 0.87

52.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿73.7

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿126

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 ฿68.2

$1.57 SAR 5.88

30.57%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 ฿50.4

$0.42 SAR 1.58

259.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 ฿46.57

$3.17 SAR 11.89

-55.84%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿75.2

$2.41 SAR 9.04

-6.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿539

$6.29 SAR 23.64

157.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.90 ฿96.4

$5.59 SAR 20.98

-48.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.42 ฿314

$14.25 SAR 53.5

-33.89%

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 ฿89.2

$2.15 SAR 8.09

24.65%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.28

$1.74 SAR 6.55

-37.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.8

$1.57 SAR 5.90

3.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.61

$1.68 SAR 6.33

-13.10%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.54

$1.16 SAR 4.35

10.34%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 ฿35.21

$1.33 SAR 4.99

-20.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.88

$1.23 SAR 4.61

-41.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.51

$0.58 SAR 2.20

-8.62%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.49 SAR 9.34

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.54 SAR 5.79

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.15 SAR 8.09

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.23 ฿141

$6.52 SAR 24.47

-35.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.29 ฿609

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ฿54.3

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿96.6

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.24

$1.03 SAR 3.85

-14.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.8 ฿1,790

$31.41 SAR 118

71.19%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 ฿39.04

$2.88 SAR 10.83

-59.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿19.25

$1.57 SAR 5.88

-63.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.39 ฿79.4

$13.70 SAR 51.5

-82.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.28

$0.65 SAR 2.44

123.08%

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

$21.0K ฿699.5K

$42.1K SAR 158.2K

-50.10%

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

$26.4K ฿879.7K

$20.2K SAR 75.9K

30.74%

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

$63.7 ฿2,119

$101 SAR 381

-37.23%

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

$12.89 ฿429

$32.89 SAR 124

-60.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.52 ฿683

$63.7 SAR 239

-67.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.02 ฿1,299

$85.8 SAR 322

-54.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.92 ฿130

$40.26 SAR 151

-90.26%

Cinema Ticket

$6.58 ฿219

$13.47 SAR 50.6

-51.15%

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

$784 ฿26.1K

$324 SAR 1,218

141.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿488.4K

$6,702 SAR 25.2K

118.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 ฿1,835

$54.6 SAR 205

0.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.74 ฿824

$52.9 SAR 199

-53.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.1 ฿3,133

$97.9 SAR 368

-3.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.0 ฿2,462

$86.7 SAR 326

-14.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.3K

$518 SAR 1,947

-5.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$288 ฿9,594

$301 SAR 1,131

-4.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$891 ฿29.7K

$798 SAR 2,998

11.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$521 ฿17.3K

$588 SAR 2,208

-11.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,974 ฿65.7K

$2,478 SAR 9,306

-20.34%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,444 ฿48.1K

$1,443 SAR 5,420

0.09%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿20.0K

$1,573 SAR 5,908

-61.75%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

5.47

1.83%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 13, 2026

Last update for Khamis Mushayt: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $490 in Chiang Mai versus $518 in Khamis Mushayt. 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 161% higher in Khamis Mushayt, 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $32.00 in Khamis Mushayt. Groceries tell a different story – $241 in Chiang Mai vs $186 in Khamis Mushayt – so Khamis Mushayt 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 Khamis Mushayt: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Khamis Mushayt costs about 20% 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 $1,398 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,680 in Khamis Mushayt. 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 $784 per month in Chiang Mai and $324 in Khamis Mushayt. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 30% cheaper in Khamis Mushayt – 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 $932, than in Khamis Mushayt at $1,120. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Khamis Mushayt it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $932 versus $1,120 in Khamis Mushayt. 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, Khamis Mushayt makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.