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 $861 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,191 in Sakakah, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,350 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,635 in Sakakah, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,838 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,079 in Sakakah, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 28% cheaper than Sakakah, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Chiang Mai and Sakakah are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Sakakah 11% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿65.9

$5.89 SAR 22.10

-66.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.35 ฿617

$44.60 SAR 167

-58.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.48 ฿252

$7.75 SAR 29.12

-3.48%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.10 SAR 7.90

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.62 SAR 6.08

Cappuccino

$2.02 ฿67.8

$3.66 SAR 13.75

-44.81%

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

$0.85 ฿28.52

$0.65 SAR 2.44

30.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.97

$0.34 SAR 1.28

5.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.9

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 ฿121

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿55.5

$1.63 SAR 6.13

1.23%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.7

$0.98 SAR 3.69

60.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿40.05

$2.30 SAR 8.65

-48.26%

Eggs

$1.94 ฿65.1

$2.48 SAR 9.33

-21.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿545

$7.07 SAR 26.56

129.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.99 ฿101

$7.62 SAR 28.60

-60.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿368

$12.82 SAR 48.15

-14.66%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 ฿91.2

$2.19 SAR 8.24

23.74%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿39.27

$1.65 SAR 6.19

-29.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 ฿56.8

$1.70 SAR 6.37

-0.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 ฿54.0

$1.57 SAR 5.89

1.91%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.56

$1.22 SAR 4.60

13.11%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.47

$1.27 SAR 4.76

-5.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿22.51

$1.23 SAR 4.62

-45.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.74

$0.54 SAR 2.04

3.70%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.49 SAR 9.36

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 SAR 6.39

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 SAR 7.61

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.64 ฿156

$7.19 SAR 26.99

-35.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.62 ฿593

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.6

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 ฿111

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.70

$1.04 SAR 3.92

-15.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ฿651

$40.73 SAR 153

-52.52%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿45.92

$2.70 SAR 10.14

-49.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿45.00

$1.89 SAR 7.08

-29.10%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.21 ฿276

$13.30 SAR 49.93

-38.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ฿41.20

$0.63 SAR 2.36

93.65%

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

$21.4K ฿718.5K

$27.0K SAR 101.5K

-21.00%

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

$22.5K ฿758.1K

$22.6K SAR 84.7K

-0.11%

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

$70.7 ฿2,378

$107 SAR 401

-33.82%

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

$14.04 ฿472

$34.33 SAR 129

-59.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.49 ฿589

$72.9 SAR 274

-76.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.15 ฿1,418

$59.6 SAR 224

-29.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

$35.80 SAR 134

-80.78%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿199

$15.68 SAR 58.9

-62.24%

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

$309 ฿10.4K

$356 SAR 1,336

-13.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K ฿500.7K

$7,006 SAR 26.3K

112.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,876

$58.3 SAR 219

-4.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.11 ฿879

$60.0 SAR 225

-56.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.0 ฿2,793

$78.0 SAR 293

6.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 ฿2,371

$81.8 SAR 307

-13.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$432 ฿14.5K

$225 SAR 844

92.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿8,040

$374 SAR 1,403

-36.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$822 ฿27.7K

$347 SAR 1,304

136.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$512 ฿17.2K

$309 SAR 1,161

65.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,915 ฿64.4K

$2,043 SAR 7,670

-6.27%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 ฿49.4K

$1,506 SAR 5,654

-2.55%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$579 ฿19.5K

$923 SAR 3,467

-37.25%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Sakakah: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $432 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 59% 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 $18.00 in Chiang Mai versus $45.00 in Sakakah. Groceries tell a different story – $243 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 38% 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 $1,292 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,787 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 $309 per month in Chiang Mai and $356 in Sakakah. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 24% 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 $861 in Chiang Mai and $1,191 in Sakakah, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $861 versus $1,191 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.