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 $932 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,076 in Rabigh, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,399 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,745 in Rabigh, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,415 in Rabigh, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 13% cheaper than Rabigh, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Chiang Mai and Rabigh are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 32% lower, Rabigh 21% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿69.3

$6.84 SAR 25.69

-69.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.61 ฿653

$52.5 SAR 197

-62.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.67 ฿189

$8.47 SAR 31.81

-33.06%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.47 SAR 9.27

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.64 SAR 9.91

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿60.1

$3.70 SAR 13.91

-51.08%

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

$0.77 ฿25.58

$1.01 SAR 3.81

-23.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.49

$0.24 SAR 0.89

45.83%

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

$1.69 SAR 6.34

21.30%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 ฿50.4

$1.28 SAR 4.80

17.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 ฿46.57

$2.36 SAR 8.86

-40.68%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿75.2

$2.37 SAR 8.90

-4.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿539

$6.37 SAR 23.94

154.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.90 ฿96.4

$8.11 SAR 30.46

-64.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.42 ฿314

$12.89 SAR 48.42

-26.92%

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 ฿89.2

$2.09 SAR 7.84

28.23%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.28

$1.75 SAR 6.59

-37.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.8

$1.56 SAR 5.85

3.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.61

$1.68 SAR 6.32

-13.10%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.54

$1.13 SAR 4.25

13.27%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 ฿35.21

$1.28 SAR 4.82

-17.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.88

$1.11 SAR 4.18

-35.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.51

$0.53 SAR 1.99

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.26 SAR 16.00

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 SAR 6.74

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.46 SAR 9.26

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.23 ฿141

$6.75 SAR 25.36

-37.33%

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

$1.09 SAR 4.09

-19.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.8 ฿1,790

$35.79 SAR 134

50.24%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 ฿39.04

$3.27 SAR 12.27

-64.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿19.25

$1.75 SAR 6.57

-66.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.39 ฿79.4

$13.66 SAR 51.3

-82.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.28

$0.64 SAR 2.39

126.56%

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

$21.0K ฿699.5K

$47.5K SAR 178.4K

-55.75%

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

$26.4K ฿879.7K

$21.3K SAR 80.2K

23.77%

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

$63.7 ฿2,119

$101 SAR 381

-37.20%

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

$12.89 ฿429

$38.20 SAR 143

-66.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.52 ฿683

$66.7 SAR 250

-69.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.02 ฿1,299

$79.2 SAR 298

-50.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.92 ฿130

$37.44 SAR 141

-89.53%

Cinema Ticket

$6.58 ฿219

$12.03 SAR 45.20

-45.30%

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

$784 ฿26.1K

$746 SAR 2,800

5.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿488.4K

$16.2K SAR 60.8K

-9.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 ฿1,835

$69.3 SAR 260

-20.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.74 ฿824

$61.2 SAR 230

-59.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.1 ฿3,133

$97.9 SAR 368

-3.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.0 ฿2,462

$96.7 SAR 363

-23.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.3K

$331 SAR 1,244

48.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$288 ฿9,594

$235 SAR 884

22.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$891 ฿29.7K

$616 SAR 2,313

44.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$521 ฿17.3K

$431 SAR 1,618

20.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,974 ฿65.7K

$2,648 SAR 9,946

-25.46%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,444 ฿48.1K

$1,312 SAR 4,928

10.09%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿20.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

5.39

3.34%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 13, 2026

Last update for Rabigh: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $490 in Chiang Mai versus $331 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $52.0 in Rabigh. Groceries tell a different story – $241 in Chiang Mai vs $199 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 15% 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 $1,614 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 $784 per month in Chiang Mai and $746 in Rabigh. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 21% cheaper in Rabigh – 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 Rabigh at $1,076. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Rabigh it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $932 versus $1,076 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.