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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,384 in Riffa, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,351 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,059 in Riffa, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,835 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,734 in Riffa, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 37% cheaper than Riffa, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Chiang Mai sits 35% below the global median, while Riffa is 3% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ฿63.5

$6.50 BHD 2.45

-70.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 ฿609

$47.19 BHD 17.79

-60.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 ฿255

$6.09 BHD 2.30

28.41%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.8

$1.96 BHD 0.74

-0.51%

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

$0.85 ฿27.77

$0.61 BHD 0.23

39.34%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.58

$0.28 BHD 0.11

25.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.6

$8.10 BHD 3.05

-73.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

$10.69 BHD 4.03

-65.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿56.0

$1.32 BHD 0.50

29.55%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$1.29 BHD 0.49

26.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ฿37.15

$2.37 BHD 0.89

-51.90%

Eggs

$1.93 ฿63.1

$2.17 BHD 0.82

-11.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ฿530

$8.94 BHD 3.37

81.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿102

$6.94 BHD 2.62

-55.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿356

$10.06 BHD 3.79

8.35%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ฿90.0

$2.33 BHD 0.88

18.03%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.52

$1.85 BHD 0.70

-34.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.0

$1.77 BHD 0.67

-8.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$1.22 BHD 0.46

30.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿45.70

$0.94 BHD 0.35

48.94%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.17

$1.07 BHD 0.41

9.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.60

$1.44 BHD 0.54

-54.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.22

$0.51 BHD 0.19

3.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿153

$6.59 BHD 2.49

-28.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿609

$13.30 BHD 5.02

40.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.8

$3.45 BHD 1.30

-47.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$3.32 BHD 1.25

-2.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.26

$0.77 BHD 0.29

16.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

$32.41 BHD 12.22

-40.73%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.91

$4.54 BHD 1.71

-68.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.12

$4.03 BHD 1.52

-67.99%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$27.04 BHD 10.19

-71.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.58

$0.36 BHD 0.14

252.78%

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

$21.3K ฿694.9K

$26.0K BHD 9,819

-18.31%

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

$22.2K ฿725.4K

$20.6K BHD 7,776

7.70%

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

$69.1 ฿2,256

$122 BHD 46.10

-43.51%

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

$14.08 ฿460

$26.89 BHD 10.14

-47.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿588

$39.00 BHD 14.70

-53.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,341

$80.2 BHD 30.25

-48.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿193

$7.99 BHD 3.01

-25.91%

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

$299 ฿9,766

$395 BHD 149

-24.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿488.3K

$6,656 BHD 2,509

124.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,787

$39.40 BHD 14.86

38.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.77 ฿874

$63.4 BHD 23.88

-57.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 ฿2,776

$67.4 BHD 25.40

26.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,306

$39.72 BHD 14.98

77.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

$1,179 BHD 445

-63.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,752

$531 BHD 200

-55.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.2K

$2,163 BHD 815

-62.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$945 BHD 356

-45.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

$1,410 BHD 532

-56.21%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Last update for Riffa: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $428 in Chiang Mai versus $1,179 in Riffa. 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 128% higher in Riffa, 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 $47.00 in Riffa. Groceries tell a different story – $246 in Chiang Mai vs $239 in Riffa – so Riffa 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 Riffa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Riffa costs about 60% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. 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 $2,076 in Riffa. 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 $395 in Riffa. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 3% cheaper in Riffa – 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 $866, than in Riffa at $1,384. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Riffa it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $866 versus $1,384 in Riffa. 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, Riffa makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.