Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Tabuk

For one person, living is cheaper in Chiang Mai: $938 a month against $1,234 in Tabuk, rent and utilities included – about $3,600 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

45

Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai Living Index
60

Cost of Living Index in Tabuk
Learn more

Tabuk Living Index

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Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$938

/mo nomad

Tabuk

🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia

$1,234

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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 Tabuk actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $938 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,234 in Tabuk, rent included.

Chiang Mai $938
Tabuk $1,234

A couple spends around $1,426 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,834 in Tabuk, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,426
Tabuk $1,834

A family of three spends $1,914 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,434 in Tabuk, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,914
Tabuk $2,434

Chiang Mai is about 24% cheaper than Tabuk, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in utilities.

Both Chiang Mai and Tabuk are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 30% lower, Tabuk 9% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.26 ฿75.4

$7.64 SAR 28.66

-70.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.18 ฿641

$31.43 SAR 118

-38.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.59 ฿187

$7.79 SAR 29.22

-28.24%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.35 SAR 5.07

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.56 SAR 5.87

Cappuccino

$1.72 ฿57.6

$3.21 SAR 12.05

-46.42%

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

$0.64 ฿21.54

$0.78 SAR 2.93

-17.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 ฿11.18

$0.26 SAR 0.97

26.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.36 ฿78.7

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.90 ฿130

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 ฿68.6

$2.01 SAR 7.55

1.99%

White Bread (500g)

$1.40 ฿46.70

$0.92 SAR 3.46

52.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.89

$2.74 SAR 10.28

-53.28%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.3

$2.87 SAR 10.77

-21.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.94 ฿566

$12.52 SAR 46.97

35.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.74 ฿91.6

$6.78 SAR 25.45

-59.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.36 ฿313

$12.65 SAR 47.46

-26.01%

Apples (1kg)

$2.40 ฿80.3

$1.99 SAR 7.48

20.60%

Banana (1kg)

$1.01 ฿33.92

$1.67 SAR 6.25

-39.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.61 ฿53.9

$1.76 SAR 6.60

-8.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿50.7

$2.21 SAR 8.31

-31.22%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.90

$1.69 SAR 6.35

-24.26%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 ฿37.22

$2.10 SAR 7.88

-47.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿24.09

$1.90 SAR 7.12

-62.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.54

$0.61 SAR 2.28

-14.75%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.86 SAR 10.71

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 SAR 6.76

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.07 SAR 7.76

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.33 ฿145

$6.57 SAR 24.65

-34.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.73 ฿593

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ฿54.4

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.85 ฿95.3

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 ฿28.31

$1.05 SAR 3.94

-19.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.9 ฿1,801

$36.33 SAR 136

48.36%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 ฿39.18

$2.60 SAR 9.76

-55.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.57 ฿19.00

$1.82 SAR 6.81

-68.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.37 ฿79.2

$13.43 SAR 50.4

-82.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.32

$0.66 SAR 2.46

119.70%

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

$20.5K ฿684.3K

$43.9K SAR 164.7K

-53.35%

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

$26.5K ฿886.1K

$20.8K SAR 78.1K

27.37%

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

$62.3 ฿2,083

$102 SAR 385

-39.17%

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

$12.27 ฿410

$37.35 SAR 140

-67.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.97 ฿668

$77.0 SAR 289

-74.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.91 ฿1,267

$82.2 SAR 308

-53.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.76 ฿126

Cinema Ticket

$6.71 ฿224

$13.53 SAR 50.8

-50.41%

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

$797 ฿26.6K

$424 SAR 1,592

87.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿495.7K

$8,651 SAR 32.5K

71.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.3 ฿1,780

$41.90 SAR 157

27.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.05 ฿837

$54.5 SAR 204

-53.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.6 ฿3,062

$95.3 SAR 357

-3.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.5 ฿2,455

$86.8 SAR 326

-15.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$464 ฿15.5K

$343 SAR 1,286

35.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$305 ฿10.2K

$380 SAR 1,427

-19.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$915 ฿30.6K

$638 SAR 2,396

43.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$552 ฿18.5K

$615 SAR 2,308

-10.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,912 ฿63.9K

$2,358 SAR 8,848

-18.91%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,438 ฿48.1K

$1,359 SAR 5,100

5.82%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

$1,712 SAR 6,423

-65.23%

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 13, 2026

Last update for Tabuk: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$305 32.5%

Tabuk

$380 30.8% 24.8% $76

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$238 25.4%

Tabuk

$223 18.1% 6.1% $15

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$110 11.7%

Tabuk

$125 10.2% 14.4% $16

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$95 10.1%

Tabuk

$217 17.6% 129% $122

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$79 8.4%

Tabuk

$127 10.3% 60.9% $48

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$61 6.5%

Tabuk

$52 4.2% 14.8% $9.1

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$51 5.5%

Tabuk

$109 8.9% 113% $58

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $464 in Chiang Mai versus $343 in Tabuk. 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 188% higher in Tabuk, 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 $31.00 in Tabuk. Groceries tell a different story – $238 in Chiang Mai vs $223 in Tabuk – so Tabuk wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇸🇦 Tabuk

🕒 Local time

07:15 7:15 AM

03:15 3:15 AM

4 h behind Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

512,629

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Saudi Riyal SAR ر.س

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.99 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

1 SAR = 0.266 USD

1 SAR = 0.237 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 19, 2026: 1 USD = 33.42 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.57 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

Saudi Riyal exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 3.75 SAR (1 SAR = 0.266 USD). 1 EUR = 4.22 SAR (1 SAR = 0.237 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Chiang Mai Tabuk 6,380 km ≈ 8 h nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
Tabuk

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 Tabuk: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Tabuk costs about 32% 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 $1,408 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,851 in Tabuk. 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 $797 per month in Chiang Mai and $424 in Tabuk. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 7% cheaper in Tabuk – 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 $938, than in Tabuk at $1,234. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Tabuk it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $938 versus $1,234 in Tabuk. 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, Tabuk makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.