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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,163 in Unaizah, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,360 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,764 in Unaizah, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,867 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,365 in Unaizah, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 27% cheaper than Unaizah, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Chiang Mai and Unaizah are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Unaizah 13% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.04 ฿68.2

$6.68 SAR 25.10

-69.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.71 ฿624

$40.60 SAR 152

-53.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.86 ฿262

$7.15 SAR 26.86

9.93%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.57 SAR 5.89

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.31 SAR 4.90

Cappuccino

$2.03 ฿67.7

$4.18 SAR 15.70

-51.44%

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

$0.80 ฿26.64

$0.74 SAR 2.77

8.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.68

$0.28 SAR 1.06

25.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.5

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿122

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 ฿57.6

$1.54 SAR 5.80

12.34%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.4

$0.29 SAR 1.07

441.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 ฿39.99

$2.30 SAR 8.63

-47.83%

Eggs

$1.97 ฿65.8

$2.53 SAR 9.50

-22.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.23 ฿541

$6.09 SAR 22.87

166.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.06 ฿102

$4.70 SAR 17.66

-34.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.80 ฿360

$12.79 SAR 48.03

-15.56%

Apples (1kg)

$2.77 ฿92.3

$2.25 SAR 8.43

23.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.94

$1.56 SAR 5.86

-25.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 ฿57.0

$1.74 SAR 6.52

-1.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿53.2

$1.60 SAR 6.02

-0.63%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.51

$1.28 SAR 4.79

8.59%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 ฿38.56

$2.58 SAR 9.69

-55.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿22.05

$1.23 SAR 4.62

-46.34%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.31

$0.66 SAR 2.47

-21.21%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.60 SAR 9.77

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 SAR 6.46

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 SAR 7.64

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 ฿155

$6.83 SAR 25.66

-31.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.78 ฿593

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ฿59.6

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 ฿111

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿30.27

$1.05 SAR 3.93

-13.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.64 ฿622

$39.78 SAR 149

-53.14%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿47.04

$2.71 SAR 10.18

-47.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.70

$1.84 SAR 6.92

-27.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.11 ฿270

$13.08 SAR 49.10

-38.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿41.16

$0.60 SAR 2.24

105.00%

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

$21.4K ฿715.1K

$26.5K SAR 99.6K

-19.17%

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

$21.8K ฿728.0K

$21.9K SAR 82.3K

-0.48%

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

$71.3 ฿2,379

$104 SAR 392

-31.73%

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

$14.01 ฿467

$33.13 SAR 124

-57.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.93 ฿598

$72.5 SAR 272

-75.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.82 ฿1,362

$53.3 SAR 200

-23.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿230

$35.48 SAR 133

-80.61%

Cinema Ticket

$5.72 ฿191

$15.56 SAR 58.4

-63.24%

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

$308 ฿10.3K

$354 SAR 1,329

-12.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿489.7K

$6,930 SAR 26.0K

111.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,860

$59.9 SAR 225

-6.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.04 ฿869

$61.1 SAR 229

-57.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 ฿2,829

$80.7 SAR 303

5.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.0 ฿2,368

$82.3 SAR 309

-13.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$423 ฿14.1K

$448 SAR 1,681

-5.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 ฿8,088

$380 SAR 1,426

-36.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$797 ฿26.6K

$840 SAR 3,156

-5.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$507 ฿16.9K

$622 SAR 2,337

-18.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,918 ฿64.0K

$2,481 SAR 9,315

-22.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,464 ฿48.8K

$1,517 SAR 5,696

-3.48%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

$2,500 SAR 9,389

-76.20%

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 27, 2026

Last update for Unaizah: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $423 in Chiang Mai versus $448 in Unaizah. 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 320% higher in Unaizah, 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 $41.00 in Unaizah. Groceries tell a different story – $244 in Chiang Mai vs $175 in Unaizah – so Unaizah 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 Unaizah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Unaizah costs about 36% 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 $1,279 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,745 in Unaizah. 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 $308 per month in Chiang Mai and $354 in Unaizah. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 39% cheaper in Unaizah – 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 $852, than in Unaizah at $1,163. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Unaizah it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $852 versus $1,163 in Unaizah. 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, Unaizah makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.