Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Riyadh

For one person, living is cheaper in Chiang Mai: $936 a month against $1,738 in Riyadh, rent and utilities included – about $9,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

45

Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai Living Index
83

Cost of Living Index in Riyadh
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Riyadh Living Index

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Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$936

/mo nomad

Riyadh

🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia

$1,738

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chiang Mai and in Riyadh

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Chiang Mai and in Riyadh actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $936 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,738 in Riyadh, rent included.

Chiang Mai $936
Riyadh $1,738

A couple spends around $1,457 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,587 in Riyadh, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,457
Riyadh $2,587

A family of three spends $1,979 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,437 in Riyadh, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,979
Riyadh $3,437

Chiang Mai is about 46% cheaper than Riyadh, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in utilities.

Chiang Mai sits 31% below the global median, while Riyadh is 28% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.24 ฿75.7

$8.09 SAR 30.37

-72.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.00 ฿642

$65.3 SAR 245

-70.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.55 ฿188

$8.18 SAR 30.69

-32.15%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.16 SAR 8.12

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 SAR 11.16

Cappuccino

$1.67 ฿56.6

$4.30 SAR 16.14

-61.16%

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

$0.64 ฿21.56

$0.85 SAR 3.18

-24.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.32

$0.30 SAR 1.12

3.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.36 ฿79.6

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿124

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 ฿65.8

$1.83 SAR 6.85

6.56%

White Bread (500g)

$1.44 ฿48.51

$1.31 SAR 4.93

9.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 ฿45.07

$2.37 SAR 8.88

-43.88%

Eggs

$2.28 ฿77.1

$3.04 SAR 11.41

-25.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.45 ฿556

$10.77 SAR 40.41

52.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.78 ฿94.0

$9.38 SAR 35.18

-70.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.31 ฿314

$14.98 SAR 56.2

-37.85%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 ฿79.5

$2.85 SAR 10.70

-17.54%

Banana (1kg)

$0.97 ฿32.82

$1.90 SAR 7.13

-48.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.60 ฿53.9

$2.47 SAR 9.26

-35.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.7

$1.71 SAR 6.44

-12.28%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿43.15

$1.18 SAR 4.43

8.47%

Onion (1kg)

$1.10 ฿37.22

$1.28 SAR 4.82

-14.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 ฿23.84

$1.78 SAR 6.70

-60.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.38

$0.58 SAR 2.16

-15.52%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$8.15 SAR 30.59

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.82 SAR 6.83

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 SAR 9.28

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.14 ฿140

$7.85 SAR 29.46

-47.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.52 ฿592

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.61 ฿54.5

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿94.0

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.87 ฿29.33

$1.04 SAR 3.91

-16.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.1 ฿1,827

$38.07 SAR 143

42.08%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.16 ฿39.08

$3.13 SAR 11.75

-62.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ฿17.82

$1.91 SAR 7.16

-72.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.42 ฿81.8

$13.31 SAR 49.93

-81.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.93

$0.60 SAR 2.26

141.67%

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

$21.1K ฿711.2K

$26.2K SAR 98.3K

-19.59%

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

$26.9K ฿909.8K

$22.2K SAR 83.4K

21.20%

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

$62.2 ฿2,100

$108 SAR 404

-42.19%

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

$12.17 ฿411

$29.62 SAR 111

-58.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.12 ฿680

$71.0 SAR 266

-71.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.31 ฿1,260

$83.0 SAR 312

-55.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.77 ฿127

$57.3 SAR 215

-93.42%

Cinema Ticket

$6.49 ฿219

$13.31 SAR 49.95

-51.24%

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

$736 ฿24.9K

$554 SAR 2,077

32.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿498.6K

$10.1K SAR 37.9K

46.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.4 ฿1,802

$57.7 SAR 217

-7.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.64 ฿832

$54.4 SAR 204

-54.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.5 ฿3,089

$104 SAR 391

-12.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.9 ฿2,429

$105 SAR 393

-31.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.3K

$1,149 SAR 4,312

-58.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$309 ฿10.4K

$833 SAR 3,128

-62.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 ฿34.0K

$2,166 SAR 8,127

-53.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$633 ฿21.4K

$1,276 SAR 4,787

-50.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,363 ฿79.8K

$2,779 SAR 10.4K

-14.95%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,589 ฿53.7K

$1,718 SAR 6,445

-7.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$590 ฿19.9K

$2,052 SAR 7,701

-71.27%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

5.54

0.54%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 26, 2026

Last update for Riyadh: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$309 33%

Riyadh

$833 48% 170% $525

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$234 25.1%

Riyadh

$241 13.9% 3% $7.1

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$109 11.6%

Riyadh

$144 8.3% 33% $36

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$94 10.1%

Riyadh

$208 12% 120% $114

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$78 8.3%

Riyadh

$145 8.4% 87.5% $68

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$61 6.6%

Riyadh

$55 3.2% 10.5% $6.5

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$50 5.4%

Riyadh

$110 6.3% 118% $59

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Chiang Mai versus $1,149 in Riyadh. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in Riyadh are about 3.5 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19 in Chiang Mai versus $65 in Riyadh. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $234 vs $241 – making Chiang Mai the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇸🇦 Riyadh

🕒 Local time

05:09 5:09 AM

01:09 1:09 AM

4 h behind Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

5,188,286 Capital

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Saudi Riyal SAR ر.س

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.96 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

1 SAR = 0.266 USD

1 SAR = 0.239 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

SAR, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 33.77 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.59 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

Saudi Riyal exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 3.75 SAR (1 SAR = 0.266 USD). 1 EUR = 4.18 SAR (1 SAR = 0.239 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Chiang Mai Riyadh 5,410 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
Riyadh

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Riyadh: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Riyadh costs about 86% more than Chiang Mai, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from utilities. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,403 per month in Chiang Mai and $2,606 in Riyadh. 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: a one-bedroom in the center costs $482 there versus $1,149 in Riyadh.

Kindergarten costs $736 per month in Chiang Mai and $554 in Riyadh. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 3% more in Riyadh, though the gap depends on what you buy.

$800 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $936 in Chiang Mai and $1,738 in Riyadh. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $936 versus $1,738 in Riyadh. Both appeal to remote workers, and the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.

If budget matters most, go with Chiang Mai. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Riyadh makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.