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 $1,300 per month in Dhahran vs $947 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,659 per month in Dhahran vs $1,411 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,017 per month in Dhahran vs $1,874 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Dhahran costs about 37% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Dhahran and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Dhahran 5% lower, Chiang Mai 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.42 SAR 20.34

$2.08 ฿69.2

160.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.08 SAR 151

$19.64 ฿651

104.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.04 SAR 22.70

$5.65 ฿188

6.90%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.90 SAR 7.12

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.61 SAR 6.05

Cappuccino

$3.99 SAR 14.97

$1.81 ฿59.9

120.44%

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

$0.70 SAR 2.62

$0.71 ฿23.66

-1.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.20 SAR 0.75

$0.32 ฿10.48

-37.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.24 ฿74.2

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ฿121

Milk (1 liter)

$1.58 SAR 5.93

$1.96 ฿65.0

-19.39%

White Bread (500g)

$0.94 SAR 3.54

$1.50 ฿49.83

-37.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.00 SAR 7.50

$1.34 ฿44.32

49.25%

Eggs

$3.90 SAR 14.64

$2.26 ฿75.1

72.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.80 SAR 33.05

$16.26 ฿539

-45.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.16 SAR 41.92

$2.95 ฿98.0

278.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.73 SAR 51.6

$9.94 ฿330

38.13%

Apples (1kg)

$2.11 SAR 7.91

$2.57 ฿85.3

-17.90%

Banana (1kg)

$1.38 SAR 5.19

$1.06 ฿35.04

30.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.81 SAR 6.78

$1.61 ฿53.5

12.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.73 SAR 6.50

$1.52 ฿50.4

13.82%

Potato (1kg)

$1.52 SAR 5.71

$1.27 ฿42.14

19.69%

Onion (1kg)

$0.94 SAR 3.54

$1.07 ฿35.37

-12.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.97 SAR 7.38

$0.72 ฿23.89

173.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.92 SAR 3.46

$0.51 ฿16.87

80.39%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.81 SAR 18.05

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.64 SAR 6.14

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.39 SAR 8.97

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.64 SAR 21.17

$4.19 ฿139

34.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.87 ฿593

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 ฿56.2

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 ฿94.1

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.77 SAR 2.89

$0.93 ฿30.70

-17.20%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.9 ฿1,787

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 SAR 4.91

$1.23 ฿40.95

6.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.35 SAR 12.57

$0.58 ฿19.13

477.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.45 SAR 35.48

$2.42 ฿80.4

290.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.63 SAR 2.37

$1.41 ฿46.84

-55.32%

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

$53.4K SAR 200.5K

$21.4K ฿711.3K

149.04%

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

$20.4K SAR 76.8K

$27.3K ฿906.7K

-25.19%

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

$60.2 SAR 226

$63.7 ฿2,112

-5.43%

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

$43.47 SAR 163

$12.85 ฿426

238.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$64.8 SAR 243

$20.22 ฿671

220.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$195 SAR 731

$38.74 ฿1,285

402.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$91.4 SAR 343

$3.97 ฿132

2201.26%

Cinema Ticket

$10.61 SAR 39.82

$6.74 ฿223

57.42%

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

$65.8 SAR 247

$778 ฿25.8K

-91.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.2K SAR 49.5K

$14.6K ฿484.6K

-9.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.3 SAR 189

$54.3 ฿1,801

-7.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.32 SAR 159

$25.45 ฿844

66.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.0 SAR 285

$94.3 ฿3,129

-19.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.7 SAR 333

$73.4 ฿2,436

20.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$354 SAR 1,330

$490 ฿16.2K

-27.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$447 SAR 1,678

$289 ฿9,596

54.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$894 ฿29.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$517 ฿17.1K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,955 ฿64.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,477 ฿49.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,854 SAR 10.7K

$602 ฿20.0K

373.96%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.5

5.57

-19.21%

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

Last update for Dhahran: September 1, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $354 in Dhahran versus $490 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 374% 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $232 in Dhahran vs $240 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 37% 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 $1,950 per month in Dhahran and $1,421 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $40.00 in Dhahran and $20.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 3% 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 $947, than in Dhahran at $1,300. 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 $947 versus $1,300 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.