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 $1,218 per month in Jeddah vs $861 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,846 per month in Jeddah vs $1,350 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,474 per month in Jeddah vs $1,838 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Jeddah costs about 41% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Jeddah and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Jeddah 9% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.51 SAR 24.46

$1.96 ฿65.9

232.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.65 SAR 149

$18.35 ฿617

116.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.80 SAR 29.29

$7.48 ฿252

4.28%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.16 SAR 8.10

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.10 SAR 7.90

Cappuccino

$3.78 SAR 14.20

$2.02 ฿67.8

87.13%

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

$0.70 SAR 2.64

$0.85 ฿28.52

-17.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 SAR 0.94

$0.36 ฿11.97

-30.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.9

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 ฿121

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 SAR 6.32

$1.65 ฿55.5

1.82%

White Bread (500g)

$0.94 SAR 3.53

$1.57 ฿52.7

-40.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.23 SAR 8.38

$1.19 ฿40.05

87.39%

Eggs

$2.63 SAR 9.88

$1.94 ฿65.1

35.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.42 SAR 27.86

$16.19 ฿545

-54.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.77 SAR 29.19

$2.99 ฿101

159.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.38 SAR 46.51

$10.94 ฿368

13.16%

Apples (1kg)

$2.18 SAR 8.19

$2.71 ฿91.2

-19.56%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 SAR 5.89

$1.17 ฿39.27

34.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.54 SAR 5.80

$1.69 ฿56.8

-8.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 SAR 5.94

$1.60 ฿54.0

-1.25%

Potato (1kg)

$1.33 SAR 4.98

$1.38 ฿46.56

-3.62%

Onion (1kg)

$1.25 SAR 4.68

$1.20 ฿40.47

4.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 SAR 4.15

$0.67 ฿22.51

64.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 SAR 2.07

$0.56 ฿18.74

-1.79%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.21 SAR 15.79

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.89 SAR 7.11

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 SAR 9.36

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.79 SAR 25.51

$4.64 ฿156

46.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.62 ฿593

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.6

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 ฿111

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.30 SAR 4.87

$0.88 ฿29.70

47.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.89 SAR 150

$19.34 ฿651

106.26%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 SAR 11.90

$1.36 ฿45.92

133.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.85 SAR 6.94

$1.34 ฿45.00

38.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.04 SAR 56.5

$8.21 ฿276

83.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.60 SAR 2.24

$1.22 ฿41.20

-50.82%

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

$26.4K SAR 99.2K

$21.4K ฿718.5K

23.75%

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

$21.3K SAR 80.0K

$22.5K ฿758.1K

-5.42%

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

$108 SAR 406

$70.7 ฿2,378

52.95%

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

$32.30 SAR 121

$14.04 ฿472

130.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.6 SAR 261

$17.49 ฿589

297.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$91.1 SAR 342

$42.15 ฿1,418

116.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$45.14 SAR 170

$6.88 ฿231

556.10%

Cinema Ticket

$13.21 SAR 49.62

$5.92 ฿199

123.14%

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

$407 SAR 1,527

$309 ฿10.4K

31.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,378 SAR 24.0K

$14.9K ฿500.7K

-57.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.7 SAR 236

$55.8 ฿1,876

12.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.9 SAR 217

$26.11 ฿879

121.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.9 SAR 356

$83.0 ฿2,793

14.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.8 SAR 315

$70.5 ฿2,371

18.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$507 SAR 1,903

$432 ฿14.5K

17.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$384 SAR 1,442

$239 ฿8,040

60.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$904 SAR 3,395

$822 ฿27.7K

9.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$601 SAR 2,256

$512 ฿17.2K

17.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,646 SAR 6,179

$1,915 ฿64.4K

-14.05%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,015 SAR 3,813

$1,467 ฿49.4K

-30.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,660 SAR 6,233

$579 ฿19.5K

186.49%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.5

-10.00%

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

Last update for Jeddah: July 13, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $507 in Jeddah versus $432 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 186% 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 $40.00 in Jeddah versus $18.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $196 in Jeddah vs $243 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 41% 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 $1,827 per month in Jeddah and $1,292 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 $407 per month in Jeddah and $309 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 24% 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 $861, than in Jeddah at $1,218. 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 $861 versus $1,218 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.