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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,302 per month in Dhahran vs $861 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,999 per month in Dhahran vs $1,350 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,697 per month in Dhahran vs $1,838 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Dhahran costs about 51% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Dhahran and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Dhahran 3% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.30 SAR 19.91

$1.96 ฿65.9

170.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.06 SAR 150

$18.35 ฿617

118.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.35 SAR 27.59

$7.48 ฿252

-1.74%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.01 SAR 7.57

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.59 SAR 5.96

Cappuccino

$3.67 SAR 13.79

$2.02 ฿67.8

81.68%

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

$0.70 SAR 2.62

$0.85 ฿28.52

-17.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.20 SAR 0.73

$0.36 ฿11.97

-44.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.9

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 ฿121

Milk (1 liter)

$1.51 SAR 5.68

$1.65 ฿55.5

-8.48%

White Bread (500g)

$1.18 SAR 4.43

$1.57 ฿52.7

-24.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.16 SAR 8.10

$1.19 ฿40.05

81.51%

Eggs

$2.36 SAR 8.86

$1.94 ฿65.1

21.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.55 SAR 24.61

$16.19 ฿545

-59.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.74 SAR 32.83

$2.99 ฿101

192.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.55 SAR 50.9

$10.94 ฿368

23.86%

Apples (1kg)

$2.17 SAR 8.15

$2.71 ฿91.2

-19.93%

Banana (1kg)

$1.42 SAR 5.34

$1.17 ฿39.27

21.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.58 SAR 5.94

$1.69 ฿56.8

-6.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.30 SAR 4.88

$1.60 ฿54.0

-18.75%

Potato (1kg)

$1.19 SAR 4.47

$1.38 ฿46.56

-13.77%

Onion (1kg)

$0.98 SAR 3.66

$1.20 ฿40.47

-18.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 SAR 4.01

$0.67 ฿22.51

59.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 SAR 2.15

$0.56 ฿18.74

1.79%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.76 SAR 17.88

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.00 SAR 7.53

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 SAR 5.83

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.21 SAR 34.59

$4.64 ฿156

98.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.62 ฿593

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.6

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 ฿111

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.04 SAR 3.91

$0.88 ฿29.70

18.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.24 SAR 151

$19.34 ฿651

108.07%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.37 SAR 5.13

$1.36 ฿45.92

0.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.36 SAR 8.88

$1.34 ฿45.00

76.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.26 SAR 49.79

$8.21 ฿276

61.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.64 SAR 2.39

$1.22 ฿41.20

-47.54%

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

$31.8K SAR 119.4K

$21.4K ฿718.5K

48.95%

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

$24.4K SAR 91.7K

$22.5K ฿758.1K

8.44%

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

$106 SAR 397

$70.7 ฿2,378

49.54%

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

$36.75 SAR 138

$14.04 ฿472

161.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$72.3 SAR 271

$17.49 ฿589

313.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$184 SAR 689

$42.15 ฿1,418

335.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.54 SAR 133

$6.88 ฿231

416.57%

Cinema Ticket

$12.10 SAR 45.42

$5.92 ฿199

104.39%

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

$403 SAR 1,515

$309 ฿10.4K

30.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,692 SAR 36.4K

$14.9K ฿500.7K

-34.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.7 SAR 224

$55.8 ฿1,876

7.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$74.7 SAR 281

$26.11 ฿879

186.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 SAR 322

$83.0 ฿2,793

3.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.9 SAR 360

$70.5 ฿2,371

36.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$439 SAR 1,650

$432 ฿14.5K

1.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$381 SAR 1,431

$239 ฿8,040

59.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$840 SAR 3,153

$822 ฿27.7K

2.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$633 SAR 2,378

$512 ฿17.2K

23.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,109 SAR 4,165

$1,915 ฿64.4K

-42.08%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,053 SAR 3,955

$1,467 ฿49.4K

-28.21%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,884 SAR 10.8K

$579 ฿19.5K

397.80%

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 Dhahran: July 11, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $439 in Dhahran versus $432 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.

Salaries run about 398% higher in Dhahran, 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 $40.00 in Dhahran versus $18.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $198 in Dhahran vs $243 in Chiang Mai – so Dhahran 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

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

Dhahran costs about 51% 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 $1,953 per month in Dhahran and $1,292 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 $403 per month in Dhahran and $309 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 23% cheaper in Dhahran – 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 $861, than in Dhahran at $1,302. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Dhahran it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $861 versus $1,302 in Dhahran. 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, Dhahran makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.