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 $861 per month in Chiang Mai vs $966 in Khamis Mushayt, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,350 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,565 in Khamis Mushayt, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,838 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,163 in Khamis Mushayt, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 11% 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 36% lower, Khamis Mushayt 28% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿65.8

$6.57 SAR 24.68

-70.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.35 ฿617

$41.89 SAR 157

-56.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.48 ฿252

$6.71 SAR 25.19

11.48%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.75 SAR 6.57

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.81 SAR 6.81

Cappuccino

$2.02 ฿67.8

$5.23 SAR 19.64

-61.38%

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

$0.85 ฿28.50

$0.76 SAR 2.86

11.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.96

$0.28 SAR 1.06

28.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.8

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 ฿121

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿55.5

$1.71 SAR 6.42

-3.51%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.7

$0.36 SAR 1.35

336.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿40.02

$1.84 SAR 6.91

-35.33%

Eggs

$1.94 ฿65.1

$4.44 SAR 16.66

-56.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿544

$6.79 SAR 25.48

138.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.99 ฿101

$7.66 SAR 28.75

-60.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿368

$15.42 SAR 57.9

-29.05%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 ฿91.2

$2.20 SAR 8.25

23.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿39.25

$1.49 SAR 5.58

-21.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 ฿56.7

$1.08 SAR 4.06

56.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 ฿54.0

$2.02 SAR 7.57

-20.79%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.54

$1.71 SAR 6.43

-19.30%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.45

$1.44 SAR 5.39

-16.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿22.50

$1.19 SAR 4.47

-43.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.73

$0.70 SAR 2.61

-20.00%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.41 SAR 9.05

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 SAR 6.44

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.02 SAR 7.57

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.64 ฿156

$8.10 SAR 30.41

-42.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.62 ฿593

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.5

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 ฿111

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.68

$1.04 SAR 3.91

-15.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ฿650

$40.69 SAR 153

-52.47%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿45.90

$2.67 SAR 10.03

-49.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.98

$2.02 SAR 7.58

-33.66%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.21 ฿276

$13.12 SAR 49.26

-37.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ฿41.18

$0.63 SAR 2.38

93.65%

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

$21.4K ฿718.1K

$26.7K SAR 100.3K

-20.05%

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

$22.5K ฿757.7K

$22.6K SAR 84.9K

-0.32%

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

$70.7 ฿2,376

$106 SAR 398

-33.35%

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

$14.04 ฿472

$33.53 SAR 126

-58.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.49 ฿588

$71.3 SAR 268

-75.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.15 ฿1,417

$87.9 SAR 330

-52.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

$35.17 SAR 132

-80.44%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿199

$15.36 SAR 57.7

-61.46%

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

$309 ฿10.4K

$348 SAR 1,308

-11.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K ฿500.4K

$6,953 SAR 26.1K

114.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,875

$60.0 SAR 225

-7.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.11 ฿878

$61.1 SAR 230

-57.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.0 ฿2,792

$79.7 SAR 299

4.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 ฿2,369

$83.3 SAR 313

-15.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$432 ฿14.5K

$157 SAR 591

174.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿8,035

$105 SAR 396

126.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$822 ฿27.7K

$402 SAR 1,509

104.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$512 ฿17.2K

$281 SAR 1,053

82.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,915 ฿64.4K

$2,607 SAR 9,789

-26.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 ฿49.3K

$1,448 SAR 5,438

1.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$579 ฿19.5K

$1,603 SAR 6,019

-63.86%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Khamis Mushayt: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $432 in Chiang Mai versus $157 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 177% 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 $18.00 in Chiang Mai versus $42.00 in Khamis Mushayt. Groceries tell a different story – $243 in Chiang Mai vs $206 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 12% 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 $1,292 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,449 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 $309 per month in Chiang Mai and $348 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 18% 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 $861, than in Khamis Mushayt at $966. 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 $861 versus $966 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.