Cost of Living Comparison Between Ha'il and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between Ha'il and Chiang Mai

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,013 per month in Ha'il vs $950 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,573 per month in Ha'il vs $1,430 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,134 per month in Ha'il vs $1,909 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Ha'il costs about 7% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Ha'il and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Ha'il 27% lower, Chiang Mai 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.22 SAR 19.61

$2.10 ฿69.3

148.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.69 SAR 142

$19.84 ฿656

89.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.01 SAR 22.58

$5.79 ฿191

3.80%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.18 SAR 4.45

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.04 SAR 7.66

Cappuccino

$2.70 SAR 10.12

$1.83 ฿60.4

47.54%

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

$0.58 SAR 2.19

$0.78 ฿25.61

-25.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.23 SAR 0.87

$0.31 ฿10.37

-25.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.34 ฿77.2

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.70 ฿122

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 SAR 6.31

$2.03 ฿67.1

-17.24%

White Bread (500g)

$0.87 SAR 3.25

$1.60 ฿52.7

-45.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.83 SAR 6.89

$1.42 ฿46.75

28.87%

Eggs

$1.95 SAR 7.34

$2.18 ฿71.9

-10.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.69 SAR 25.12

$15.91 ฿526

-57.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.85 SAR 33.24

$3.07 ฿102

188.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 SAR 32.44

$9.87 ฿326

-12.46%

Apples (1kg)

$1.54 SAR 5.79

$2.63 ฿86.8

-41.44%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 SAR 5.87

$1.10 ฿36.19

41.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.28 SAR 4.80

$1.63 ฿53.8

-21.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.98 SAR 7.44

$1.53 ฿50.6

29.41%

Potato (1kg)

$1.35 SAR 5.08

$1.24 ฿41.13

8.87%

Onion (1kg)

$1.57 SAR 5.90

$1.13 ฿37.37

38.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.14 SAR 4.29

$0.74 ฿24.38

54.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 SAR 1.84

$0.50 ฿16.48

-2.00%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.21 SAR 12.04

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 SAR 6.77

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 SAR 8.58

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.66 SAR 25.01

$4.28 ฿141

55.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.97 ฿594

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 ฿56.1

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿95.7

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.19 SAR 4.48

$0.94 ฿31.13

26.60%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$32.24 SAR 121

$55.3 ฿1,827

-41.69%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.94 SAR 11.03

$1.23 ฿40.76

139.02%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.01 SAR 7.54

$0.53 ฿17.66

279.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.10 SAR 53.0

$2.40 ฿79.3

487.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.61 SAR 2.29

$1.44 ฿47.55

-57.64%

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

$49.5K SAR 186.0K

$21.2K ฿700.2K

133.63%

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

$21.5K SAR 80.7K

$27.3K ฿902.1K

-21.30%

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

$53.1 SAR 199

$64.9 ฿2,145

-18.24%

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

$21.19 SAR 79.6

$13.35 ฿441

58.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$46.98 SAR 176

$20.83 ฿688

125.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.8 SAR 255

$40.42 ฿1,336

67.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$37.35 SAR 140

$3.95 ฿131

845.57%

Cinema Ticket

$14.61 SAR 54.9

$6.71 ฿222

117.73%

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

$349 SAR 1,310

$787 ฿26.0K

-55.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,578 SAR 24.7K

$15.1K ฿499.6K

-56.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.3 SAR 193

$56.2 ฿1,858

-8.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.1 SAR 214

$24.95 ฿824

128.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.2 SAR 361

$92.7 ฿3,063

3.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$98.8 SAR 371

$75.1 ฿2,482

31.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$238 SAR 895

$484 ฿16.0K

-50.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$345 SAR 1,295

$287 ฿9,491

20.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$364 SAR 1,367

$910 ฿30.1K

-59.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$547 SAR 2,056

$531 ฿17.5K

3.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,333 SAR 8,761

$1,980 ฿65.4K

17.82%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,378 SAR 5,177

$1,451 ฿47.9K

-5.00%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,085 SAR 4,075

$605 ฿20.0K

79.29%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.47

5.57

-1.80%

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

Last update for Ha'il: September 5, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $238 in Ha'il versus $484 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 79% higher in Ha'il, 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 $38.00 in Ha'il versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $181 in Ha'il vs $242 in Chiang Mai – so Ha'il 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

Ha'il vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ha'il costs about 7% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,520 per month in Ha'il and $1,426 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 $349 per month in Ha'il and $787 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 34% cheaper in Ha'il – 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 $950, than in Ha'il at $1,013. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ha'il it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $950 versus $1,013 in Ha'il. 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, Ha'il makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.