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 $866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $952 in Khamis Mushayt, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,351 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,562 in Khamis Mushayt, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,835 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,172 in Khamis Mushayt, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 9% 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 35% lower, Khamis Mushayt 29% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ฿63.5

$6.83 SAR 25.65

-71.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 ฿609

$42.60 SAR 160

-56.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 ฿255

$6.94 SAR 26.06

12.68%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.76 SAR 6.60

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.78 SAR 6.70

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.8

$5.35 SAR 20.09

-63.55%

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

$0.85 ฿27.77

$0.75 SAR 2.82

13.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.58

$0.26 SAR 0.97

34.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.6

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿56.0

$1.75 SAR 6.56

-2.29%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$0.35 SAR 1.32

365.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ฿37.15

$1.92 SAR 7.21

-40.63%

Eggs

$1.93 ฿63.1

$4.37 SAR 16.39

-55.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ฿530

$6.63 SAR 24.87

144.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿102

$7.67 SAR 28.78

-59.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿356

$15.41 SAR 57.8

-29.27%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ฿90.0

$2.24 SAR 8.40

22.77%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.52

$1.43 SAR 5.38

-15.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.0

$1.05 SAR 3.93

54.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$1.97 SAR 7.40

-19.29%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿45.70

$1.70 SAR 6.40

-17.65%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.17

$1.38 SAR 5.20

-15.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.60

$1.25 SAR 4.67

-47.20%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.22

$0.65 SAR 2.43

-18.46%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.11 SAR 11.68

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 SAR 6.35

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.10 SAR 7.87

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿153

$7.83 SAR 29.37

-40.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿609

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.8

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.26

$1.10 SAR 4.13

-18.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

$40.19 SAR 151

-52.20%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.91

$2.65 SAR 9.93

-46.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.12

$2.02 SAR 7.59

-36.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$13.45 SAR 50.5

-41.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.58

$0.63 SAR 2.37

101.59%

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

$21.3K ฿694.9K

$26.5K SAR 99.5K

-19.76%

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

$22.2K ฿725.4K

$22.4K SAR 84.1K

-0.92%

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

$69.1 ฿2,256

$106 SAR 399

-34.98%

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

$14.08 ฿460

$34.38 SAR 129

-59.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿588

$71.5 SAR 268

-74.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,341

$89.5 SAR 336

-54.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$35.37 SAR 133

-80.32%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿193

$15.61 SAR 58.6

-62.08%

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

$299 ฿9,766

$346 SAR 1,300

-13.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿488.3K

$7,039 SAR 26.4K

112.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,787

$58.8 SAR 221

-6.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.77 ฿874

$60.7 SAR 228

-55.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 ฿2,776

$77.8 SAR 292

9.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,306

$82.3 SAR 309

-14.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

$159 SAR 597

169.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,752

$108 SAR 404

120.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.2K

$406 SAR 1,523

97.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$282 SAR 1,059

82.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

$2,505 SAR 9,402

-21.18%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

$1,144 SAR 4,294

28.93%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

$1,619 SAR 6,078

-61.87%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Khamis Mushayt: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $428 in Chiang Mai versus $159 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 162% 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $43.00 in Khamis Mushayt. Groceries tell a different story – $246 in Chiang Mai vs $205 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 10% 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 $1,300 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,427 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 $299 per month in Chiang Mai and $346 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 20% cheaper in Khamis Mushayt – 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 $866 in Chiang Mai and $952 in Khamis Mushayt, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $866 versus $952 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.