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 $869 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,150 in Unaizah, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,362 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,739 in Unaizah, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,855 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,327 in Unaizah, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 24% cheaper than Unaizah, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Chiang Mai and Unaizah are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Unaizah 14% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.98 ฿64.3

$6.78 SAR 25.44

-70.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.80 ฿612

$40.62 SAR 152

-53.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.75 ฿252

$7.14 SAR 26.79

8.54%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.65 SAR 6.18

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.30 SAR 4.88

Cappuccino

$1.92 ฿62.5

$4.01 SAR 15.04

-52.12%

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

$0.79 ฿25.79

$0.68 SAR 2.54

16.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.62

$0.26 SAR 0.97

38.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿53.8

$1.47 SAR 5.50

12.24%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$0.31 SAR 1.18

425.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.86

$2.35 SAR 8.81

-49.36%

Eggs

$2.00 ฿65.1

$2.45 SAR 9.20

-18.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.98 ฿520

$5.89 SAR 22.11

171.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.03 ฿98.5

$4.73 SAR 17.76

-35.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 ฿354

$13.18 SAR 49.44

-17.60%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 ฿90.0

$2.26 SAR 8.50

22.12%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.42

$1.64 SAR 6.16

-28.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$1.72 SAR 6.46

-4.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.51

$1.55 SAR 5.82

-1.94%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿45.10

$1.24 SAR 4.67

11.29%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.84

$2.65 SAR 9.93

-55.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ฿22.86

$1.23 SAR 4.60

-43.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.13

$0.70 SAR 2.63

-20.00%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.59 SAR 9.72

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 SAR 6.44

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.01 SAR 7.55

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.58 ฿149

$6.95 SAR 26.10

-34.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.56 ฿539

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿59.5

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 ฿104

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿28.56

$1.08 SAR 4.05

-18.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.72 ฿610

$39.73 SAR 149

-52.88%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿44.16

$2.70 SAR 10.15

-49.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿43.65

$1.84 SAR 6.89

-27.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$13.57 SAR 50.9

-42.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿39.92

$0.64 SAR 2.40

92.19%

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

$21.6K ฿704.3K

$26.6K SAR 100.0K

-18.84%

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

$22.5K ฿734.3K

$22.4K SAR 84.2K

0.49%

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

$70.5 ฿2,298

$106 SAR 397

-33.27%

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

$13.68 ฿445

$33.99 SAR 128

-59.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.45 ฿568

$73.3 SAR 275

-76.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.33 ฿1,346

$53.0 SAR 199

-22.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$36.24 SAR 136

-80.79%

Cinema Ticket

$5.77 ฿188

$15.77 SAR 59.2

-63.41%

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

$307 ฿10.0K

$353 SAR 1,324

-12.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿475.9K

$6,938 SAR 26.0K

110.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,817

$58.1 SAR 218

-3.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.21 ฿854

$59.6 SAR 224

-55.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 ฿2,793

$79.8 SAR 299

7.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.2 ฿2,353

$80.3 SAR 301

-10.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$430 ฿14.0K

$431 SAR 1,618

-0.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿7,774

$381 SAR 1,429

-37.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$817 ฿26.6K

$864 SAR 3,241

-5.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$511 ฿16.6K

$629 SAR 2,361

-18.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,983 ฿64.6K

$2,079 SAR 7,800

-4.59%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,484 ฿48.3K

$1,529 SAR 5,736

-2.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$619 ฿20.2K

$2,517 SAR 9,443

-75.41%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Unaizah: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $430 in Chiang Mai versus $431 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 307% 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 – $241 in Chiang Mai vs $176 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 32% 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 $1,303 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,726 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 $307 per month in Chiang Mai and $353 in Unaizah. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 37% 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 $869, than in Unaizah at $1,150. 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 $869 versus $1,150 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.