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 $1,215 per month in Dammam vs $845 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,840 per month in Dammam vs $1,323 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,465 per month in Dammam vs $1,802 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Dammam costs about 44% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Dammam and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Dammam 9% lower, Chiang Mai 37% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.68 SAR 25.04

$1.95 ฿62.8

242.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.64 SAR 149

$18.43 ฿594

115.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.01 SAR 30.05

$7.50 ฿241

6.80%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.78 SAR 6.68

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.85 SAR 6.93

Cappuccino

$3.56 SAR 13.36

$1.93 ฿62.3

84.46%

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

$0.81 SAR 3.03

$0.78 ฿25.08

3.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 SAR 1.14

$0.32 ฿10.42

-6.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.15 ฿69.2

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.71 ฿120

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 SAR 6.40

$1.71 ฿55.2

White Bread (500g)

$1.00 SAR 3.76

$1.56 ฿50.3

-35.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.37 SAR 8.89

$1.18 ฿38.06

100.85%

Eggs

$2.51 SAR 9.41

$1.98 ฿63.9

26.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.73 SAR 25.24

$16.04 ฿517

-58.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.53 SAR 28.26

$3.17 ฿102

137.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.78 SAR 47.94

$10.94 ฿353

16.82%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 SAR 8.54

$2.63 ฿84.7

-13.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 SAR 6.23

$1.17 ฿37.61

41.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.59 SAR 5.95

$1.65 ฿53.0

-3.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.56 SAR 5.84

$1.54 ฿49.51

1.30%

Potato (1kg)

$1.23 SAR 4.60

$1.38 ฿44.34

-10.87%

Onion (1kg)

$1.32 SAR 4.96

$1.17 ฿37.54

12.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.30 SAR 4.87

$0.66 ฿21.25

96.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.63 SAR 2.35

$0.51 ฿16.55

23.53%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.90 SAR 10.89

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 SAR 6.71

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.01 SAR 7.52

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.13 SAR 26.75

$4.52 ฿146

57.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.32 ฿590

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿57.9

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 ฿102

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.10 SAR 4.11

$0.90 ฿28.97

22.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.58 SAR 148

$19.00 ฿612

108.32%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.73 SAR 10.23

$1.41 ฿45.50

93.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 SAR 7.21

$1.31 ฿42.15

46.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.42 SAR 50.3

$8.09 ฿261

65.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.64 SAR 2.40

$1.28 ฿41.08

-50.00%

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

$26.2K SAR 98.2K

$21.3K ฿686.1K

22.98%

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

$23.1K SAR 86.7K

$21.7K ฿699.3K

6.55%

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

$106 SAR 397

$69.2 ฿2,230

52.93%

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

$33.23 SAR 125

$13.97 ฿450

137.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.5 SAR 264

$17.95 ฿578

292.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$96.3 SAR 361

$42.31 ฿1,363

127.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.28 SAR 136

$6.66 ฿214

444.74%

Cinema Ticket

$14.86 SAR 55.7

$5.92 ฿191

151.01%

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

$346 SAR 1,298

$299 ฿9,640

15.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,416 SAR 27.8K

$14.8K ฿478.4K

-50.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.4 SAR 212

$56.2 ฿1,810

0.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$63.9 SAR 240

$26.94 ฿868

137.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.5 SAR 317

$84.9 ฿2,735

-0.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$81.8 SAR 307

$71.8 ฿2,314

13.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 SAR 1,606

$435 ฿14.0K

-1.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$382 SAR 1,434

$240 ฿7,727

59.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$877 SAR 3,288

$798 ฿25.7K

9.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$633 SAR 2,374

$498 ฿16.1K

27.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,776 SAR 6,661

$1,995 ฿64.3K

-10.98%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,107 SAR 4,150

$1,532 ฿49.4K

-27.75%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$628 ฿20.2K

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: April 22, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $428 in Dammam versus $435 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 in Dammam versus $18 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $197 in Dammam vs $244 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 44% 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.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,823 per month in Dammam and $1,267 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 $346 per month in Dammam and $299 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 24% 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 $845, than in Dammam at $1,215. 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 $845 versus $1,215 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.