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 $1,172 per month in Hafar Al Batin vs $950 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,793 per month in Hafar Al Batin vs $1,430 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,414 per month in Hafar Al Batin vs $1,909 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Hafar Al Batin costs about 23% 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 15% lower, Chiang Mai 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.38 SAR 23.96

$2.10 ฿69.3

203.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.50 SAR 141

$19.84 ฿656

89.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.96 SAR 29.91

$5.79 ฿191

37.48%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.59 SAR 5.96

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.00 SAR 7.50

Cappuccino

$3.34 SAR 12.54

$1.83 ฿60.4

82.51%

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

$0.85 SAR 3.20

$0.78 ฿25.61

8.97%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 SAR 1.00

$0.31 ฿10.37

-12.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.34 ฿77.2

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.70 ฿122

Milk (1 liter)

$1.94 SAR 7.30

$2.03 ฿67.1

-4.43%

White Bread (500g)

$1.21 SAR 4.54

$1.60 ฿52.7

-24.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.15 SAR 8.06

$1.42 ฿46.75

51.41%

Eggs

$2.38 SAR 8.94

$2.18 ฿71.9

9.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.60 SAR 28.53

$15.91 ฿526

-52.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.92 SAR 29.73

$3.07 ฿102

157.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.73 SAR 47.80

$9.87 ฿326

28.98%

Apples (1kg)

$2.15 SAR 8.08

$2.63 ฿86.8

-18.25%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 SAR 6.38

$1.10 ฿36.19

54.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.56 SAR 5.87

$1.63 ฿53.8

-4.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.62 SAR 6.08

$1.53 ฿50.6

5.88%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 SAR 4.23

$1.24 ฿41.13

-8.87%

Onion (1kg)

$1.30 SAR 4.89

$1.13 ฿37.37

15.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 SAR 4.47

$0.74 ฿24.38

60.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 SAR 2.10

$0.50 ฿16.48

12.00%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.82 SAR 10.58

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 SAR 6.38

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.07 SAR 7.78

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.58 SAR 24.72

$4.28 ฿141

53.74%

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)

$0.99 SAR 3.71

$0.94 ฿31.13

5.32%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$32.25 SAR 121

$55.3 ฿1,827

-41.67%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.32 SAR 12.47

$1.23 ฿40.76

169.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.76 SAR 6.61

$0.53 ฿17.66

232.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.58 SAR 54.8

$2.40 ฿79.3

507.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.62 SAR 2.33

$1.44 ฿47.55

-56.94%

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

$50.7K SAR 190.4K

$21.2K ฿700.2K

139.27%

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

$23.1K SAR 86.6K

$27.3K ฿902.1K

-15.57%

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

$108 SAR 406

$64.9 ฿2,145

66.52%

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

$30.43 SAR 114

$13.35 ฿441

127.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$66.9 SAR 251

$20.83 ฿688

221.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$77.0 SAR 289

$40.42 ฿1,336

90.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$38.40 SAR 144

$3.95 ฿131

872.15%

Cinema Ticket

$14.13 SAR 53.1

$6.71 ฿222

110.58%

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

$392 SAR 1,471

$787 ฿26.0K

-50.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,339 SAR 23.8K

$15.1K ฿499.6K

-58.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.58 SAR 182

$56.2 ฿1,858

-13.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$63.4 SAR 238

$24.95 ฿824

153.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 SAR 397

$92.7 ฿3,063

14.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.9 SAR 323

$75.1 ฿2,482

14.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$538 SAR 2,020

$484 ฿16.0K

11.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$351 SAR 1,318

$287 ฿9,491

22.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$891 SAR 3,345

$910 ฿30.1K

-2.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$632 SAR 2,372

$531 ฿17.5K

19.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,623 SAR 9,852

$1,980 ฿65.4K

32.50%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,195 SAR 4,488

$1,451 ฿47.9K

-17.65%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,417 SAR 5,320

$605 ฿20.0K

134.04%

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 Hafar Al Batin: September 5, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $538 in Hafar Al Batin 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 134% 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 $38.00 in Hafar Al Batin versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $203 in Hafar Al Batin vs $242 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 23% 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 $1,758 per month in Hafar Al Batin 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 $392 per month in Hafar Al Batin 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 19% 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 $950, than in Hafar Al Batin at $1,172. 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 $950 versus $1,172 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.