Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Rabigh Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Rabigh

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $869 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,148 in Rabigh, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,362 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,667 in Rabigh, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,855 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,186 in Rabigh, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 24% cheaper than Rabigh, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Rabigh are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Rabigh 15% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.98 ฿64.3

$3.90 SAR 14.63

-49.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.80 ฿612

$21.09 SAR 79.1

-10.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.75 ฿252

$7.15 SAR 26.82

8.39%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.31 SAR 4.93

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 SAR 2.87

Cappuccino

$1.92 ฿62.5

$2.42 SAR 9.06

-20.66%

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

$0.79 ฿25.79

$0.64 SAR 2.39

23.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.62

$0.11 SAR 0.42

227.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿53.8

$1.30 SAR 4.88

26.92%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$0.28 SAR 1.06

482.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.86

$2.34 SAR 8.77

-49.15%

Eggs

$2.00 ฿65.1

$2.22 SAR 8.32

-9.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.98 ฿520

$5.48 SAR 20.56

191.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.03 ฿98.5

$4.94 SAR 18.55

-38.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 ฿354

$12.57 SAR 47.16

-13.60%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 ฿90.0

$2.18 SAR 8.17

26.61%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.42

$1.60 SAR 6.00

-26.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$1.58 SAR 5.92

3.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.51

$1.30 SAR 4.87

16.92%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿45.10

$1.33 SAR 4.98

3.76%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.84

$1.25 SAR 4.70

-4.80%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ฿22.86

$1.09 SAR 4.10

-35.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.13

$0.56 SAR 2.09

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.14 SAR 15.53

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.87 SAR 7.00

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.52 SAR 9.45

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.58 ฿149

$2.72 SAR 10.21

68.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.56 ฿539

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿59.5

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 ฿104

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿28.56

$1.05 SAR 3.93

-16.19%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.72 ฿610

$40.05 SAR 150

-53.26%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿44.16

$3.29 SAR 12.36

-58.66%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿43.65

$1.82 SAR 6.84

-26.37%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$15.02 SAR 56.4

-47.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿39.92

$0.59 SAR 2.23

108.47%

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

$21.6K ฿704.3K

$27.1K SAR 101.6K

-20.13%

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

$22.5K ฿734.3K

$22.1K SAR 82.8K

2.19%

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

$70.5 ฿2,298

$107 SAR 402

-34.15%

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

$13.68 ฿445

$32.50 SAR 122

-57.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.45 ฿568

$69.0 SAR 259

-74.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.33 ฿1,346

$87.0 SAR 326

-52.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$35.38 SAR 133

-80.33%

Cinema Ticket

$5.77 ฿188

$13.54 SAR 50.8

-57.39%

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

$307 ฿10.0K

$401 SAR 1,504

-23.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿475.9K

$6,411 SAR 24.1K

127.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,817

$63.6 SAR 239

-12.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.21 ฿854

$58.4 SAR 219

-55.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 ฿2,793

$93.5 SAR 351

-8.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.2 ฿2,353

$82.9 SAR 311

-12.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$430 ฿14.0K

$282 SAR 1,059

52.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿7,774

$382 SAR 1,434

-37.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$817 ฿26.6K

$523 SAR 1,962

56.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$511 ฿16.6K

$620 SAR 2,326

-17.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,983 ฿64.6K

$2,005 SAR 7,525

-1.11%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,484 ฿48.3K

$1,394 SAR 5,231

6.45%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$619 ฿20.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.5

11.11%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 7, 2026

Last update for Rabigh: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $430 in Chiang Mai versus $282 in Rabigh. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $21.00 in Rabigh. Groceries tell a different story – $241 in Chiang Mai vs $164 in Rabigh – so Rabigh 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 Rabigh: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Rabigh costs about 32% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,303 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,722 in Rabigh. 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 $307 per month in Chiang Mai and $401 in Rabigh. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 47% cheaper in Rabigh – 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 $869 in Chiang Mai and $1,148 in Rabigh, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $869 versus $1,148 in Rabigh. 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, Rabigh makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.