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 $866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,165 in Sakakah, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,351 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,656 in Sakakah, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,835 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,147 in Sakakah, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 26% cheaper than Sakakah, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Chiang Mai and Sakakah are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Sakakah 13% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ฿63.5

$5.70 SAR 21.39

-65.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 ฿609

$44.82 SAR 168

-58.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 ฿255

$7.88 SAR 29.56

-0.76%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.15 SAR 8.07

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.62 SAR 6.07

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.8

$3.65 SAR 13.70

-46.58%

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

$0.85 ฿27.77

$0.70 SAR 2.64

21.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.58

$0.31 SAR 1.18

12.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.6

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿56.0

$1.64 SAR 6.16

4.27%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$0.98 SAR 3.69

66.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ฿37.15

$2.39 SAR 8.96

-52.30%

Eggs

$1.93 ฿63.1

$2.50 SAR 9.39

-22.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ฿530

$6.78 SAR 25.43

139.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿102

$7.27 SAR 27.27

-57.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿356

$13.25 SAR 49.71

-17.74%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ฿90.0

$2.16 SAR 8.11

27.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.52

$1.59 SAR 5.98

-23.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.0

$1.72 SAR 6.46

-5.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$1.60 SAR 6.02

-0.63%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿45.70

$1.27 SAR 4.78

10.24%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.17

$1.28 SAR 4.81

-8.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.60

$1.19 SAR 4.47

-44.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.22

$0.59 SAR 2.21

-10.17%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.97 SAR 11.16

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 SAR 6.32

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.04 SAR 7.65

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿153

$6.89 SAR 25.88

-31.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿609

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.8

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.26

$1.10 SAR 4.13

-18.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

$39.76 SAR 149

-51.69%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.91

$2.61 SAR 9.79

-45.98%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.12

$1.84 SAR 6.92

-29.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$13.36 SAR 50.1

-41.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.58

$0.58 SAR 2.19

118.97%

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

$21.3K ฿694.9K

$26.8K SAR 100.6K

-20.60%

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

$22.2K ฿725.4K

$21.9K SAR 82.3K

1.29%

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

$69.1 ฿2,256

$105 SAR 392

-33.90%

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

$14.08 ฿460

$33.71 SAR 127

-58.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿588

$72.8 SAR 273

-75.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,341

$60.1 SAR 226

-31.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$35.30 SAR 132

-80.28%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿193

$15.38 SAR 57.7

-61.51%

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

$299 ฿9,766

$357 SAR 1,339

-16.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿488.3K

$7,040 SAR 26.4K

112.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,787

$60.4 SAR 227

-9.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.77 ฿874

$61.0 SAR 229

-56.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 ฿2,776

$78.1 SAR 293

8.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,306

$80.7 SAR 303

-12.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

$225 SAR 846

90.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,752

$384 SAR 1,441

-38.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.2K

$344 SAR 1,291

132.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$301 SAR 1,131

71.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

$2,070 SAR 7,767

-4.59%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

$1,481 SAR 5,559

-0.42%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

$918 SAR 3,446

-32.74%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.42

13.12%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Last update for Sakakah: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $428 in Chiang Mai versus $225 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 49% 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $45.00 in Sakakah. Groceries tell a different story – $246 in Chiang Mai vs $196 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 34% 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 $1,300 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,747 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 $299 per month in Chiang Mai and $357 in Sakakah. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 26% cheaper in Sakakah – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $866 in Chiang Mai and $1,165 in Sakakah, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $866 versus $1,165 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.