Cost of Living Comparison Between Hafar Al Batin and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between Hafar Al Batin and Chiang Mai

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,214 per month in Hafar Al Batin vs $869 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,788 per month in Hafar Al Batin vs $1,362 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,362 per month in Hafar Al Batin vs $1,855 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Hafar Al Batin costs about 40% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Hafar Al Batin and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Hafar Al Batin 10% lower, Chiang Mai 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.27 SAR 19.76

$1.98 ฿64.6

166.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.33 SAR 98.8

$18.80 ฿615

40.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.37 SAR 23.91

$7.75 ฿253

-17.81%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.55 SAR 5.83

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.71 SAR 6.41

Cappuccino

$3.40 SAR 12.74

$1.92 ฿62.7

77.08%

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

$0.69 SAR 2.59

$0.79 ฿25.87

-12.66%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.22 SAR 0.82

$0.36 ฿11.66

-38.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.3

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿120

Milk (1 liter)

$1.96 SAR 7.35

$1.65 ฿54.0

18.79%

White Bread (500g)

$0.96 SAR 3.60

$1.63 ฿53.3

-41.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.34 SAR 8.79

$1.19 ฿38.99

96.64%

Eggs

$2.44 SAR 9.17

$2.00 ฿65.3

22.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.02 SAR 26.34

$15.98 ฿522

-56.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.28 SAR 27.31

$3.03 ฿98.9

140.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.88 SAR 48.32

$10.86 ฿355

18.60%

Apples (1kg)

$2.19 SAR 8.22

$2.76 ฿90.3

-20.65%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 SAR 5.87

$1.18 ฿38.55

32.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 SAR 6.32

$1.64 ฿53.7

3.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.61 SAR 6.06

$1.52 ฿49.68

5.92%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 SAR 4.64

$1.38 ฿45.25

-10.14%

Onion (1kg)

$1.28 SAR 4.82

$1.19 ฿38.97

7.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 SAR 4.46

$0.70 ฿22.94

70.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 SAR 2.22

$0.56 ฿18.19

5.36%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.76 SAR 10.34

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 SAR 6.36

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.01 SAR 7.55

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.14 SAR 26.79

$4.58 ฿150

55.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.56 ฿541

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿59.7

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 ฿105

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.10 SAR 4.11

$0.88 ฿28.66

25.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.08 SAR 150

$18.72 ฿612

114.10%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.60 SAR 9.75

$1.36 ฿44.31

91.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.85 SAR 6.94

$1.34 ฿43.80

38.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.08 SAR 49.10

$7.84 ฿256

66.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.65 SAR 2.46

$1.23 ฿40.06

-47.15%

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

$26.7K SAR 100.1K

$21.6K ฿706.7K

23.36%

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

$22.7K SAR 85.3K

$22.5K ฿736.8K

0.86%

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

$103 SAR 388

$70.5 ฿2,305

46.46%

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

$33.83 SAR 127

$13.68 ฿447

147.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$72.6 SAR 272

$17.45 ฿570

316.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$88.0 SAR 330

$41.33 ฿1,351

113.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.54 SAR 133

$6.96 ฿228

410.63%

Cinema Ticket

$15.68 SAR 58.9

$5.77 ฿189

171.75%

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

$347 SAR 1,302

$307 ฿10.0K

12.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,024 SAR 26.4K

$14.6K ฿477.5K

-51.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.9 SAR 221

$55.8 ฿1,823

5.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$60.4 SAR 227

$26.21 ฿856

130.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 SAR 294

$85.8 ฿2,802

-8.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$82.3 SAR 309

$72.2 ฿2,361

13.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$434 SAR 1,628

$430 ฿14.0K

0.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$380 SAR 1,426

$239 ฿7,800

59.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$866 SAR 3,248

$817 ฿26.7K

5.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$617 SAR 2,317

$511 ฿16.7K

20.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,030 SAR 7,618

$1,983 ฿64.8K

2.36%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,509 SAR 5,662

$1,484 ฿48.5K

1.67%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,379 SAR 5,175

$619 ฿20.2K

122.82%

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 Hafar Al Batin: June 9, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $434 in Hafar Al Batin versus $430 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 123% higher in Hafar Al Batin, 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 $26.00 in Hafar Al Batin versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $198 in Hafar Al Batin vs $241 in Chiang Mai – so Hafar Al Batin 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

Hafar Al Batin vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Hafar Al Batin costs about 40% 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 $1,821 per month in Hafar Al Batin and $1,303 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 Hafar Al Batin and $307 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 Hafar Al Batin – 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 $869, than in Hafar Al Batin at $1,214. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Hafar Al Batin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $869 versus $1,214 in Hafar Al Batin. 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, Hafar Al Batin makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.