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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,362 per month in Jeddah vs $947 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,108 per month in Jeddah vs $1,411 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,855 per month in Jeddah vs $1,874 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Jeddah costs about 44% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Jeddah and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Jeddah 1% lower, Chiang Mai 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.69 SAR 25.13

$2.08 ฿68.6

221.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.1 SAR 199

$19.64 ฿646

170.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.16 SAR 30.64

$5.65 ฿186

44.42%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.51 SAR 9.42

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.70 SAR 10.14

Cappuccino

$3.54 SAR 13.28

$1.81 ฿59.4

95.58%

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

$1.00 SAR 3.77

$0.71 ฿23.45

40.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.24 SAR 0.89

$0.32 ฿10.38

-25.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.24 ฿73.6

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ฿119

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 SAR 6.42

$1.96 ฿64.4

-12.76%

White Bread (500g)

$1.01 SAR 3.80

$1.50 ฿49.39

-32.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.20 SAR 8.27

$1.34 ฿43.93

64.18%

Eggs

$2.37 SAR 8.91

$2.26 ฿74.5

4.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.36 SAR 23.86

$16.26 ฿535

-60.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.30 SAR 31.17

$2.95 ฿97.1

181.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.08 SAR 49.13

$9.94 ฿327

31.59%

Apples (1kg)

$1.95 SAR 7.33

$2.57 ฿84.6

-24.12%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 SAR 6.25

$1.06 ฿34.73

56.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 SAR 5.72

$1.61 ฿53.0

-5.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.66 SAR 6.23

$1.52 ฿49.97

9.21%

Potato (1kg)

$1.16 SAR 4.37

$1.27 ฿41.77

-8.66%

Onion (1kg)

$1.29 SAR 4.83

$1.07 ฿35.06

20.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 SAR 3.98

$0.72 ฿23.68

47.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 SAR 2.02

$0.51 ฿16.72

5.88%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.20 SAR 15.78

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.82 SAR 6.84

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 SAR 9.32

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.45 SAR 24.21

$4.19 ฿138

53.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.87 ฿587

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 ฿55.7

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 ฿93.3

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.09 SAR 4.11

$0.93 ฿30.43

17.20%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.9 SAR 206

$53.9 ฿1,771

1.89%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 SAR 11.80

$1.23 ฿40.59

155.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.75 SAR 6.58

$0.58 ฿18.96

201.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.91 SAR 52.2

$2.42 ฿79.7

474.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.60 SAR 2.25

$1.41 ฿46.43

-57.45%

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

$48.0K SAR 180.1K

$21.4K ฿705.1K

123.66%

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

$21.3K SAR 80.0K

$27.3K ฿898.7K

-22.08%

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

$102 SAR 384

$63.7 ฿2,093

60.66%

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

$38.54 SAR 145

$12.85 ฿423

199.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$67.6 SAR 254

$20.22 ฿665

234.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$87.1 SAR 327

$38.74 ฿1,274

124.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$41.18 SAR 155

$3.97 ฿130

937.28%

Cinema Ticket

$11.87 SAR 44.56

$6.74 ฿222

76.11%

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

$728 SAR 2,733

$778 ฿25.6K

-6.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.3K SAR 61.1K

$14.6K ฿480.4K

11.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.9 SAR 259

$54.3 ฿1,785

26.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.8 SAR 224

$25.45 ฿837

134.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.4 SAR 362

$94.3 ฿3,102

2.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$97.4 SAR 366

$73.4 ฿2,415

32.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$773 SAR 2,904

$490 ฿16.1K

57.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$531 SAR 1,994

$289 ฿9,512

83.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,464 SAR 5,497

$894 ฿29.4K

63.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$831 SAR 3,121

$517 ฿17.0K

60.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,746 SAR 6,555

$1,955 ฿64.3K

-10.71%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,145 SAR 4,301

$1,477 ฿48.6K

-22.44%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,664 SAR 6,249

$602 ฿19.8K

176.39%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.39

5.57

-3.23%

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

Last update for Jeddah: August 31, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $773 in Jeddah 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 176% higher in Jeddah, 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 $53.0 in Jeddah versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $196 in Jeddah vs $240 in Chiang Mai – so Jeddah 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

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

Jeddah costs about 44% 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 $2,043 per month in Jeddah 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.

Kindergarten costs $728 per month in Jeddah and $778 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 Jeddah – 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 Jeddah at $1,362. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Jeddah it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $947 versus $1,362 in Jeddah. 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, Jeddah makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.