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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $950 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,146 in Sakakah, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,430 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,748 in Sakakah, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,909 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,349 in Sakakah, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 17% cheaper than Sakakah, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Chiang Mai and Sakakah are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 31% lower, Sakakah 17% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.10 ฿69.3

$5.78 SAR 21.69

-63.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.84 ฿656

$37.81 SAR 142

-47.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.79 ฿191

$8.06 SAR 30.25

-28.16%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.15 SAR 8.06

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.62 SAR 6.08

Cappuccino

$1.83 ฿60.4

$3.68 SAR 13.83

-50.27%

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

$0.78 ฿25.61

$0.64 SAR 2.40

21.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.37

$0.34 SAR 1.29

-8.82%

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

$1.75 SAR 6.59

16.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.60 ฿52.7

$1.14 SAR 4.27

40.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.42 ฿46.75

$1.96 SAR 7.36

-27.55%

Eggs

$2.18 ฿71.9

$2.43 SAR 9.12

-10.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.91 ฿526

$8.02 SAR 30.13

98.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.07 ฿102

$8.56 SAR 32.14

-64.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.87 ฿326

$12.98 SAR 48.74

-23.96%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 ฿86.8

$2.08 SAR 7.80

26.44%

Banana (1kg)

$1.10 ฿36.19

$1.69 SAR 6.36

-34.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.63 ฿53.8

$1.54 SAR 5.80

5.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿50.6

$1.60 SAR 6.01

-4.38%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 ฿41.13

$1.15 SAR 4.33

7.83%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 ฿37.37

$1.35 SAR 5.06

-16.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 ฿24.38

$1.12 SAR 4.21

-33.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 ฿16.48

$0.55 SAR 2.06

-9.09%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.20 SAR 12.01

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.85 SAR 6.96

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.01 SAR 7.54

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.28 ฿141

$5.86 SAR 22.02

-26.96%

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

$1.00 SAR 3.77

-6.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.3 ฿1,827

$34.90 SAR 131

58.42%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.23 ฿40.76

$2.63 SAR 9.88

-53.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ฿17.66

$1.55 SAR 5.80

-65.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.40 ฿79.3

$11.90 SAR 44.71

-79.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 ฿47.55

$0.63 SAR 2.35

128.57%

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

$21.2K ฿700.2K

$39.7K SAR 148.9K

-46.55%

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

$27.3K ฿902.1K

$18.3K SAR 68.6K

49.54%

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

$64.9 ฿2,145

$107 SAR 401

-39.21%

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

$13.35 ฿441

$37.35 SAR 140

-64.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.83 ฿688

$74.7 SAR 280

-72.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.42 ฿1,336

$85.2 SAR 320

-52.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.95 ฿131

$40.33 SAR 151

-90.21%

Cinema Ticket

$6.71 ฿222

$14.02 SAR 52.7

-52.14%

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

$787 ฿26.0K

$299 SAR 1,122

163.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.1K ฿499.6K

$7,271 SAR 27.3K

107.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.2 ฿1,858

$54.7 SAR 206

2.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.95 ฿824

$65.2 SAR 245

-61.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.7 ฿3,063

$88.3 SAR 331

5.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.1 ฿2,482

$87.2 SAR 328

-13.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$484 ฿16.0K

$581 SAR 2,184

-16.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$287 ฿9,491

$343 SAR 1,289

-16.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$910 ฿30.1K

$867 SAR 3,256

4.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$531 ฿17.5K

$559 SAR 2,101

-5.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,980 ฿65.4K

$2,601 SAR 9,768

-23.88%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,451 ฿47.9K

$1,236 SAR 4,642

17.39%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$605 ฿20.0K

$949 SAR 3,564

-36.23%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

5.47

1.83%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 7, 2026

Last update for Sakakah: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $484 in Chiang Mai versus $581 in Sakakah. 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 57% higher in Sakakah, 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 $38.00 in Sakakah. Groceries tell a different story – $242 in Chiang Mai vs $204 in Sakakah – so Sakakah 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 Sakakah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Sakakah costs about 21% 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 $1,719 in Sakakah. 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 $299 in Sakakah. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 19% cheaper in Sakakah – 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 Sakakah at $1,146. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Sakakah it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $950 versus $1,146 in Sakakah. 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, Sakakah makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.