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 $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,121 in Rabigh, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,360 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,674 in Rabigh, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,867 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,228 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 36% lower, Rabigh 16% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.04 ฿68.2

$4.04 SAR 15.17

-49.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.71 ฿624

$21.35 SAR 80.2

-12.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.86 ฿262

$7.26 SAR 27.25

8.26%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.36 SAR 5.12

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 SAR 2.90

Cappuccino

$2.03 ฿67.7

$2.42 SAR 9.08

-16.12%

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

$0.80 ฿26.64

$0.66 SAR 2.47

21.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.68

$0.13 SAR 0.49

169.23%

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

$1.35 SAR 5.07

28.15%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.4

$0.26 SAR 0.98

503.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 ฿39.99

$2.29 SAR 8.61

-47.60%

Eggs

$1.97 ฿65.8

$2.20 SAR 8.25

-10.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.23 ฿541

$5.23 SAR 19.64

210.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.06 ฿102

$4.71 SAR 17.69

-35.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.80 ฿360

$12.71 SAR 47.74

-15.03%

Apples (1kg)

$2.77 ฿92.3

$2.12 SAR 7.96

30.66%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.94

$1.62 SAR 6.09

-27.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 ฿57.0

$1.57 SAR 5.88

8.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿53.2

$1.35 SAR 5.07

17.78%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.51

$1.33 SAR 4.98

4.51%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 ฿38.56

$1.26 SAR 4.74

-7.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿22.05

$1.07 SAR 4.01

-38.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.31

$0.59 SAR 2.23

-11.86%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.13 SAR 15.49

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.96 SAR 7.37

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 SAR 9.50

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 ฿155

$2.63 SAR 9.86

76.81%

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

$1.05 SAR 3.92

-13.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.64 ฿622

$39.83 SAR 150

-53.20%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿47.04

$3.23 SAR 12.11

-56.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.70

$1.84 SAR 6.91

-27.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.11 ฿270

$15.17 SAR 57.0

-46.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿41.16

$0.63 SAR 2.35

95.24%

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

$21.4K ฿715.1K

$26.9K SAR 101.0K

-20.27%

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

$21.8K ฿728.0K

$21.4K SAR 80.4K

1.98%

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

$71.3 ฿2,379

$107 SAR 403

-33.50%

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

$14.01 ฿467

$31.87 SAR 120

-56.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.93 ฿598

$70.1 SAR 263

-74.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.82 ฿1,362

$86.6 SAR 325

-52.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿230

$35.88 SAR 135

-80.82%

Cinema Ticket

$5.72 ฿191

$13.39 SAR 50.3

-57.28%

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

$308 ฿10.3K

$402 SAR 1,509

-23.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿489.7K

$6,413 SAR 24.1K

128.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,860

$64.7 SAR 243

-13.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.04 ฿869

$57.9 SAR 217

-54.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 ฿2,829

$94.2 SAR 354

-9.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.0 ฿2,368

$85.1 SAR 319

-16.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$423 ฿14.1K

$284 SAR 1,065

49.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 ฿8,088

$387 SAR 1,453

-37.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$797 ฿26.6K

$523 SAR 1,965

52.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$507 ฿16.9K

$622 SAR 2,335

-18.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,918 ฿64.0K

$2,685 SAR 10.1K

-28.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,464 ฿48.8K

$1,488 SAR 5,586

-1.58%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Rabigh: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $423 in Chiang Mai versus $284 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 – $244 in Chiang Mai vs $163 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 31% 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 $1,279 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,681 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 $308 per month in Chiang Mai and $402 in Rabigh. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 50% 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 $852 in Chiang Mai and $1,121 in Rabigh, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $852 versus $1,121 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.