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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $950 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,734 in Riyadh, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,430 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,582 in Riyadh, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,909 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,429 in Riyadh, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 45% cheaper than Riyadh, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Chiang Mai sits 31% below the global median, while Riyadh is 26% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.10 ฿69.3

$7.79 SAR 29.24

-73.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.84 ฿656

$64.8 SAR 243

-69.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.79 ฿191

$8.87 SAR 33.31

-34.72%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.99 SAR 7.46

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 SAR 11.14

Cappuccino

$1.83 ฿60.4

$4.23 SAR 15.87

-56.74%

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

$0.78 ฿25.61

$0.85 SAR 3.19

-8.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.37

$0.32 SAR 1.22

-3.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.34 ฿77.2

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.70 ฿122

Milk (1 liter)

$2.03 ฿67.1

$1.68 SAR 6.32

20.83%

White Bread (500g)

$1.60 ฿52.7

$1.25 SAR 4.70

28.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.42 ฿46.75

$2.45 SAR 9.21

-42.04%

Eggs

$2.18 ฿71.9

$3.19 SAR 11.98

-31.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.91 ฿526

$9.69 SAR 36.38

64.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.07 ฿102

$9.95 SAR 37.36

-69.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.87 ฿326

$15.17 SAR 57.0

-34.94%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 ฿86.8

$2.62 SAR 9.84

0.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.10 ฿36.19

$1.95 SAR 7.31

-43.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.63 ฿53.8

$2.36 SAR 8.87

-30.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿50.6

$1.73 SAR 6.51

-11.56%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 ฿41.13

$1.20 SAR 4.50

3.33%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 ฿37.37

$1.43 SAR 5.37

-20.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 ฿24.38

$1.71 SAR 6.43

-56.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 ฿16.48

$0.59 SAR 2.21

-15.25%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$7.75 SAR 29.11

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.85 SAR 6.93

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 SAR 9.29

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.28 ฿141

$7.51 SAR 28.19

-43.01%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.97 ฿594

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 ฿56.1

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿95.7

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.94 ฿31.13

$1.09 SAR 4.08

-13.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.3 ฿1,827

$37.56 SAR 141

47.20%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.23 ฿40.76

$3.28 SAR 12.33

-62.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ฿17.66

$1.89 SAR 7.09

-71.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.40 ฿79.3

$13.13 SAR 49.32

-81.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 ฿47.55

$0.59 SAR 2.23

144.07%

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

$21.2K ฿700.2K

$35.9K SAR 134.7K

-40.93%

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

$27.3K ฿902.1K

$22.4K SAR 84.1K

21.94%

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

$64.9 ฿2,145

$97.0 SAR 364

-33.05%

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

$13.35 ฿441

$32.37 SAR 122

-58.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.83 ฿688

$68.6 SAR 258

-69.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.42 ฿1,336

$89.7 SAR 337

-54.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.95 ฿131

$54.9 SAR 206

-92.81%

Cinema Ticket

$6.71 ฿222

$13.29 SAR 49.89

-49.51%

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

$787 ฿26.0K

$533 SAR 2,000

47.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.1K ฿499.6K

$11.3K SAR 42.6K

33.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.2 ฿1,858

$58.9 SAR 221

-4.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.95 ฿824

$56.1 SAR 211

-55.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.7 ฿3,063

$106 SAR 398

-12.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.1 ฿2,482

$104 SAR 392

-28.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$484 ฿16.0K

$1,174 SAR 4,408

-58.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$287 ฿9,491

$830 SAR 3,117

-65.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$910 ฿30.1K

$2,205 SAR 8,280

-58.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$531 ฿17.5K

$1,223 SAR 4,595

-56.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,980 ฿65.4K

$2,935 SAR 11.0K

-32.54%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,451 ฿47.9K

$1,962 SAR 7,367

-26.03%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$605 ฿20.0K

$2,052 SAR 7,705

-70.50%

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: September 7, 2026

Last update for Riyadh: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $484 in Chiang Mai versus $1,174 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 run about 239% higher in Riyadh, 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $65.0 in Riyadh. Groceries tell a different story – $242 in Chiang Mai vs $240 in Riyadh – so Riyadh 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 Riyadh: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Riyadh costs about 82% 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 $1,426 per month in Chiang Mai and $2,601 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. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $787 per month in Chiang Mai and $533 in Riyadh. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 1% cheaper in Riyadh – 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 $950, than in Riyadh at $1,734. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Riyadh it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $950 versus $1,734 in Riyadh. 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, Riyadh makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.