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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,233 per month in Dammam vs $847 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,851 per month in Dammam vs $1,332 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,468 per month in Dammam vs $1,816 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Dammam costs about 45% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Dammam and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Dammam 8% lower, Chiang Mai 37% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.69 SAR 25.11

$2.03 ฿68.4

229.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.71 SAR 149

$18.71 ฿630

112.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.93 SAR 29.75

$7.84 ฿264

1.15%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.76 SAR 6.62

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.76 SAR 6.60

Cappuccino

$3.76 SAR 14.12

$1.93 ฿64.9

94.82%

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

$0.81 SAR 3.06

$0.83 ฿28.00

-2.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 SAR 1.05

$0.35 ฿11.80

-20.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.22 ฿74.8

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿128

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 SAR 6.10

$1.65 ฿55.4

-1.82%

White Bread (500g)

$1.01 SAR 3.79

$1.55 ฿52.3

-34.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.27 SAR 8.52

$1.18 ฿39.79

92.37%

Eggs

$2.55 SAR 9.57

$2.01 ฿67.9

26.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.93 SAR 26.03

$16.16 ฿544

-57.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.44 SAR 27.92

$3.03 ฿102

145.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.11 SAR 49.21

$10.84 ฿365

20.94%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 SAR 8.80

$2.68 ฿90.3

-12.69%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 SAR 6.36

$1.22 ฿41.14

38.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 SAR 6.14

$1.63 ฿54.8

0.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.57 SAR 5.89

$1.53 ฿51.5

2.61%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 SAR 4.64

$1.34 ฿45.10

-7.46%

Onion (1kg)

$1.37 SAR 5.14

$1.21 ฿40.86

13.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.34 SAR 5.04

$0.70 ฿23.63

91.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.63 SAR 2.36

$0.53 ฿17.70

18.87%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.88 SAR 10.83

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 SAR 6.46

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 SAR 7.81

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.03 SAR 26.40

$4.69 ฿158

49.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.71 ฿597

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.85 ฿62.2

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.21 ฿108

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.06 SAR 3.98

$0.89 ฿30.01

19.10%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.58 SAR 152

$18.76 ฿632

116.31%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.60 SAR 9.75

$1.41 ฿47.40

84.40%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.86 SAR 6.97

$1.29 ฿43.52

44.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.17 SAR 49.44

$7.79 ฿262

69.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.63 SAR 2.37

$1.29 ฿43.59

-51.16%

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

$26.8K SAR 100.6K

$21.8K ฿733.4K

23.11%

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

$23.4K SAR 87.9K

$21.7K ฿730.7K

7.97%

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

$103 SAR 386

$70.0 ฿2,358

46.97%

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

$34.12 SAR 128

$14.19 ฿478

140.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$71.3 SAR 268

$17.42 ฿587

309.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$95.3 SAR 358

$41.64 ฿1,403

128.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.74 SAR 134

$6.89 ฿232

418.72%

Cinema Ticket

$14.63 SAR 54.9

$5.78 ฿195

153.11%

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

$347 SAR 1,304

$300 ฿10.1K

15.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,443 SAR 27.9K

$14.5K ฿489.2K

-48.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.8 SAR 206

$55.4 ฿1,865

-0.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$64.0 SAR 240

$26.31 ฿886

143.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.8 SAR 314

$84.8 ฿2,858

-1.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.8 SAR 303

$70.5 ฿2,375

14.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$445 SAR 1,670

$425 ฿14.3K

4.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$380 SAR 1,428

$235 ฿7,919

61.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$881 SAR 3,305

$802 ฿27.0K

9.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$617 SAR 2,314

$516 ฿17.4K

19.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,773 SAR 6,657

$1,926 ฿64.9K

-7.93%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,092 SAR 4,100

$1,451 ฿48.9K

-24.72%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$586 ฿19.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.42

-11.60%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Dammam: July 20, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $445 in Dammam versus $425 in Chiang Mai. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $40.00 in Dammam versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $199 in Dammam vs $242 in Chiang Mai – so Dammam 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

Dammam vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Dammam costs about 45% 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 $1,849 per month in Dammam and $1,271 in Chiang Mai. 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 $347 per month in Dammam and $300 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 22% cheaper in Dammam – 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 $847, than in Dammam at $1,233. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Dammam it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $847 versus $1,233 in Dammam. 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, Dammam makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.