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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,165 per month in Khafji vs $852 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,836 per month in Khafji vs $1,354 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,506 per month in Khafji vs $1,857 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Khafji costs about 37% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Khafji and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Khafji 13% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.26 SAR 12.21

$1.96 ฿63.6

66.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.5 SAR 201

$18.81 ฿611

184.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.21 SAR 19.53

$7.92 ฿258

-34.22%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.88 SAR 3.31

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.65 SAR 6.17

Cappuccino

$2.89 SAR 10.84

$1.91 ฿62.2

51.31%

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

$0.85 SAR 3.20

$0.84 ฿27.25

1.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.34 SAR 1.29

$0.35 ฿11.44

-2.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿71.7

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 ฿124

Milk (1 liter)

$1.69 SAR 6.35

$1.64 ฿53.2

3.05%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 SAR 5.52

$1.62 ฿52.8

-9.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.11 SAR 7.91

$1.18 ฿38.40

78.81%

Eggs

$2.30 SAR 8.61

$2.01 ฿65.4

14.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.13 SAR 23.00

$15.89 ฿517

-61.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.06 SAR 26.49

$3.01 ฿98.0

134.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.05 SAR 37.70

$10.77 ฿350

-6.69%

Apples (1kg)

$2.16 SAR 8.11

$2.61 ฿85.0

-17.24%

Banana (1kg)

$1.48 SAR 5.55

$1.22 ฿39.65

21.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.41 SAR 5.27

$1.70 ฿55.4

-17.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.65 SAR 6.19

$1.58 ฿51.2

4.43%

Potato (1kg)

$1.22 SAR 4.58

$1.32 ฿42.89

-7.58%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 SAR 5.03

$1.17 ฿38.01

14.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.35 SAR 5.08

$0.67 ฿21.85

101.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 SAR 2.03

$0.56 ฿18.21

-3.57%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.06 SAR 15.24

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.60 SAR 6.00

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 SAR 7.42

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.00 SAR 30.01

$4.53 ฿147

76.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.20 ฿592

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿59.6

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿105

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.08 SAR 4.05

$0.89 ฿28.83

21.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.02 SAR 150

$19.38 ฿630

106.50%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.37 SAR 12.64

$1.35 ฿43.95

149.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.86 SAR 6.96

$1.35 ฿43.79

37.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.57 SAR 50.9

$8.25 ฿268

64.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.64 SAR 2.39

$1.27 ฿41.40

-49.61%

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

$22.9K SAR 85.7K

$21.2K ฿687.8K

8.08%

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

$20.9K SAR 78.2K

$22.5K ฿731.0K

-7.25%

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

$115 SAR 431

$70.2 ฿2,281

64.02%

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

$38.43 SAR 144

$13.77 ฿448

179.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.6 SAR 235

$17.60 ฿572

255.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$87.6 SAR 328

$41.57 ฿1,352

110.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.99 SAR 135

$6.60 ฿215

445.30%

Cinema Ticket

$15.60 SAR 58.5

$5.78 ฿188

169.90%

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

$131 SAR 492

$306 ฿9,953

-57.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,941 SAR 14.8K

$14.8K ฿482.0K

-73.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.0 SAR 255

$54.4 ฿1,768

25.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$66.4 SAR 249

$26.14 ฿850

153.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.1 SAR 349

$84.5 ฿2,748

10.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.8 SAR 318

$69.4 ฿2,257

22.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$437 SAR 1,639

$424 ฿13.8K

3.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 SAR 1,410

$238 ฿7,743

57.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 SAR 3,169

$825 ฿26.8K

2.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$613 SAR 2,298

$515 ฿16.7K

18.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,079 SAR 7,795

$2,049 ฿66.6K

1.42%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,534 SAR 5,752

$1,523 ฿49.5K

0.73%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$635 ฿20.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.33

-13.40%

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

Last update for Khafji: April 27, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $437 in Khafji versus $424 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $53.0 in Khafji versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $185 in Khafji vs $243 in Chiang Mai – so Khafji 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

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

Khafji costs about 37% 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 $1,748 per month in Khafji and $1,278 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 $131 per month in Khafji and $306 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 32% cheaper in Khafji – 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 $852, than in Khafji at $1,165. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Khafji it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $852 versus $1,165 in Khafji. 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, Khafji makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.