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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,348 in Tabuk, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,351 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,016 in Tabuk, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,835 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,685 in Tabuk, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 36% cheaper than Tabuk, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Chiang Mai sits 35% below the global median, while Tabuk is 1% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ฿63.5

$8.75 SAR 32.84

-77.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 ฿609

$27.64 SAR 104

-32.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 ฿255

$7.18 SAR 26.95

8.91%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.58 SAR 5.94

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.91 SAR 7.17

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.8

$3.10 SAR 11.64

-37.10%

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

$0.85 ฿27.77

$0.76 SAR 2.83

11.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.58

$0.28 SAR 1.06

25.00%

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

$1.83 SAR 6.87

-6.56%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$0.52 SAR 1.94

213.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ฿37.15

$2.73 SAR 10.23

-58.24%

Eggs

$1.93 ฿63.1

$2.69 SAR 10.11

-28.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ฿530

$12.19 SAR 45.75

32.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿102

$6.68 SAR 25.06

-53.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿356

$12.95 SAR 48.61

-15.83%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ฿90.0

$1.98 SAR 7.45

38.89%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.52

$1.53 SAR 5.74

-20.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.0

$1.79 SAR 6.72

-9.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$2.16 SAR 8.12

-26.39%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿45.70

$1.71 SAR 6.43

-18.13%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.17

$2.01 SAR 7.54

-41.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.60

$2.00 SAR 7.50

-67.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.22

$0.57 SAR 2.13

-7.02%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.87 SAR 10.79

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 SAR 6.63

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 SAR 7.81

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿153

$7.50 SAR 28.14

-37.47%

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

$1.06 SAR 3.97

-15.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

$39.99 SAR 150

-51.96%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.91

$2.69 SAR 10.10

-47.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.12

$1.91 SAR 7.17

-32.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$13.20 SAR 49.53

-40.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.58

$0.61 SAR 2.30

108.20%

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

$21.3K ฿694.9K

$26.4K SAR 99.2K

-19.52%

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

$22.2K ฿725.4K

$22.7K SAR 85.0K

-1.97%

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

$69.1 ฿2,256

$160 SAR 602

-56.91%

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

$14.08 ฿460

$36.95 SAR 139

-61.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿588

$106 SAR 399

-83.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,341

$88.2 SAR 331

-53.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$35.71 SAR 134

-80.51%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿193

$25.73 SAR 96.6

-76.99%

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

$299 ฿9,766

$355 SAR 1,334

-15.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿488.3K

$8,448 SAR 31.7K

77.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,787

$59.5 SAR 223

-8.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.77 ฿874

$61.0 SAR 229

-56.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 ฿2,776

$79.7 SAR 299

6.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,306

$82.7 SAR 310

-14.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

$344 SAR 1,291

24.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,752

$366 SAR 1,374

-35.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.2K

$822 SAR 3,085

-2.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$731 SAR 2,743

-29.48%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

$2,677 SAR 10.0K

-26.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

$1,526 SAR 5,728

-3.35%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

$1,707 SAR 6,406

-63.82%

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 Tabuk: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $428 in Chiang Mai versus $344 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 176% 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 $28.00 in Tabuk. Groceries tell a different story – $246 in Chiang Mai vs $215 in Tabuk – so Tabuk 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 Tabuk: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Tabuk costs about 56% 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 $2,022 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 $299 per month in Chiang Mai and $355 in Tabuk. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 15% 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 $866, than in Tabuk at $1,348. 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 $866 versus $1,348 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.