🙂A single person spends $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $986 in Yanbu, rent included.
🙂A couple spends around $1,354 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,533 in Yanbu, rent included.
🙂A family of three spends $1,857 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,081 in Yanbu, rent included.
🙂Chiang Mai is about 14% cheaper than Yanbu, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.
📊Both Chiang Mai and Yanbu are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai36% lower, Yanbu26% lower.
Moneda
🍽 Eating Out
Chiang Mai
Yanbu
Diferencia
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$1.96฿64.0
$6.73SAR 25.25
-70.88%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$18.81฿615
$37.95SAR 142
-50.43%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$7.92฿259
$6.59SAR 24.70
20.18%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.5 liter draught)
-
$1.99SAR 7.45
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
-
$1.63SAR 6.10
-
Cappuccino
$1.91฿62.6
$3.68SAR 13.78
-48.10%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.84฿27.41
$0.76SAR 2.84
10.53%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.35฿11.51
$0.23SAR 0.86
52.17%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.21฿72.1
-
-
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.80฿124
-
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Chiang Mai
Yanbu
Diferencia
Milk(1 liter)
$1.64฿53.5
$1.72SAR 6.45
-4.65%
White Bread(500g)
$1.62฿53.1
$0.92SAR 3.44
76.09%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.18฿38.62
$2.24SAR 8.42
-47.32%
Eggs
$2.01฿65.8
$2.71SAR 10.16
-25.83%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$15.89฿520
$5.87SAR 22.03
170.70%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.01฿98.5
$7.63SAR 28.62
-60.55%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$10.77฿352
$11.93SAR 44.75
-9.72%
Apples(1kg)
$2.61฿85.5
$2.17SAR 8.13
20.28%
Banana(1kg)
$1.22฿39.88
$1.65SAR 6.18
-26.06%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.70฿55.7
$1.45SAR 5.42
17.24%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.58฿51.5
$1.53SAR 5.72
3.27%
Potato(1kg)
$1.32฿43.14
$1.26SAR 4.71
4.76%
Onion(1kg)
$1.17฿38.23
$1.01SAR 3.78
15.84%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.67฿21.98
$1.06SAR 3.99
-36.79%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.56฿18.32
$0.51SAR 1.92
9.80%
Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine(Mid-Range)
-
$1.32SAR 4.95
-
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
-
$1.36SAR 5.11
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
-
$1.70SAR 6.37
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.53฿148
$6.26SAR 23.48
-27.64%
Wine(Bottle)
$18.20฿595
-
-
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.83฿60.0
-
-
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.23฿106
-
-
🚌 Getting Around
Chiang Mai
Yanbu
Diferencia
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.89฿29.00
$1.05SAR 3.95
-15.24%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$19.38฿634
$32.80SAR 123
-40.91%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.35฿44.20
$3.15SAR 11.82
-57.14%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.35฿44.05
$0.84SAR 3.14
60.71%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$8.25฿270
$15.32SAR 57.4
-46.15%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.27฿41.64
$0.62SAR 2.32
104.84%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.2K฿691.8K
$25.6KSAR 96.1K
-17.45%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$22.5K฿735.3K
$21.5KSAR 80.6K
4.62%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Chiang Mai
Yanbu
Diferencia
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$70.2฿2,294
$108SAR 403
-34.78%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.77฿450
$22.12SAR 82.9
-37.75%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$17.60฿575
$70.5SAR 264
-75.04%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Chiang Mai
Yanbu
Diferencia
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$41.57฿1,360
$96.9SAR 364
-57.11%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$6.60฿216
$35.37SAR 133
-81.34%
Cinema Ticket
$5.78฿189
$13.13SAR 49.25
-55.98%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Chiang Mai
Yanbu
Diferencia
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$306฿10.0K
$322SAR 1,209
-5.03%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$14.8K฿484.8K
$3,842SAR 14.4K
285.90%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Chiang Mai
Yanbu
Diferencia
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$54.4฿1,778
$22.59SAR 84.7
140.68%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$26.14฿855
$21.69SAR 81.4
20.52%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$84.5฿2,764
$66.6SAR 250
26.96%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$69.4฿2,270
$47.14SAR 177
47.28%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Chiang Mai
Yanbu
Diferencia
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$424฿13.9K
$307SAR 1,153
37.81%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$238฿7,788
$242SAR 907
-1.53%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$825฿27.0K
$607SAR 2,277
35.83%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$515฿16.8K
$405SAR 1,517
27.34%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$2,049฿67.0K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,523฿49.8K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Chiang Mai
Yanbu
Diferencia
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$635฿20.8K
$3,459SAR 13.0K
-81.64%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5
3.3
51.52%
Los datos de CityCost se basan en IA y aportaciones de usuarios. Puede haber pequeñas variaciones.
Última actualización para Chiang Mai: April 27, 2026
Última actualización para Yanbu: April 26, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $424 in Chiang Mai versus $307 in Yanbu. 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 445% higher in Yanbu, 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 $38.00 in Yanbu. Groceries tell a different story – $243 in Chiang Mai vs $188 in Yanbu – so Yanbu wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.
Comparación de velocidades medias de internet por ciudad (actualizado April 2026)
El gráfico resalta el umbral de precisión para velocidades de internet móvil y fija, actualizado trimestralmente.
Índice del coste de vida para nómadas digitales
Chiang Mai vs Yanbu: Coste de vida - preguntas frecuentes
Which city is more expensive, Chiang Mai or Yanbu?
Yanbu costs about 16% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Chiang Mai vs Yanbu?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,278 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,478 in Yanbu. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Chiang Mai or Yanbu?
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.
How do childcare costs compare in Chiang Mai and Yanbu?
Kindergarten costs $306 per month in Chiang Mai and $322 in Yanbu. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Are groceries more expensive in Chiang Mai or Yanbu?
Interestingly, groceries are about 29% cheaper in Yanbu – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.
Can you live on $800/month in Chiang Mai or Yanbu?
$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $852 in Chiang Mai and $986 in Yanbu, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Chiang Mai or Yanbu?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $852 versus $986 in Yanbu. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.
How safe is Chiang Mai compared to Yanbu?
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.
Should I move to Chiang Mai or Yanbu?
If budget matters most, go with Chiang Mai. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Yanbu makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.
Chiang Mai vs otros destinos: coste de vida comparado