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 $1,203 per month in Khafji vs $852 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,853 per month in Khafji vs $1,360 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,503 per month in Khafji vs $1,867 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

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

Both Khafji and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Khafji 10% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.16 SAR 11.88

$2.04 ฿68.2

54.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.4 SAR 201

$18.71 ฿624

185.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.92 SAR 18.47

$7.86 ฿262

-37.40%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.96 SAR 3.61

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.59 SAR 5.96

Cappuccino

$2.98 SAR 11.18

$2.03 ฿67.7

46.80%

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

$0.90 SAR 3.39

$0.80 ฿26.64

12.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 SAR 1.40

$0.35 ฿11.68

5.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.5

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿122

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 SAR 6.18

$1.73 ฿57.6

-5.20%

White Bread (500g)

$1.46 SAR 5.48

$1.57 ฿52.4

-7.01%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.05 SAR 7.69

$1.20 ฿39.99

70.83%

Eggs

$2.24 SAR 8.41

$1.97 ฿65.8

13.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.15 SAR 23.09

$16.23 ฿541

-62.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.37 SAR 27.68

$3.06 ฿102

140.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.72 SAR 36.51

$10.80 ฿360

-10.00%

Apples (1kg)

$2.14 SAR 8.03

$2.77 ฿92.3

-22.74%

Banana (1kg)

$1.53 SAR 5.75

$1.17 ฿38.94

30.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.39 SAR 5.22

$1.71 ฿57.0

-18.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.68 SAR 6.29

$1.59 ฿53.2

5.66%

Potato (1kg)

$1.23 SAR 4.62

$1.39 ฿46.51

-11.51%

Onion (1kg)

$1.39 SAR 5.22

$1.16 ฿38.56

19.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.29 SAR 4.85

$0.66 ฿22.05

95.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 SAR 2.24

$0.52 ฿17.31

15.38%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.18 SAR 15.69

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.57 SAR 5.91

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.00 SAR 7.52

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.91 SAR 29.70

$4.65 ฿155

70.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.78 ฿593

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ฿59.6

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 ฿111

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.05 SAR 3.95

$0.91 ฿30.27

15.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.61 SAR 149

$18.64 ฿622

112.50%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.43 SAR 12.86

$1.41 ฿47.04

143.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.84 SAR 6.90

$1.34 ฿44.70

37.31%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.22 SAR 49.65

$8.11 ฿270

63.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.59 SAR 2.23

$1.23 ฿41.16

-52.03%

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

$23.0K SAR 86.5K

$21.4K ฿715.1K

7.45%

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

$21.1K SAR 79.1K

$21.8K ฿728.0K

-3.42%

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

$119 SAR 445

$71.3 ฿2,379

66.19%

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

$38.94 SAR 146

$14.01 ฿467

177.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$63.2 SAR 237

$17.93 ฿598

252.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$88.6 SAR 333

$40.82 ฿1,362

116.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.35 SAR 133

$6.88 ฿230

413.81%

Cinema Ticket

$15.18 SAR 57.0

$5.72 ฿191

165.38%

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

$134 SAR 503

$308 ฿10.3K

-56.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,926 SAR 14.7K

$14.7K ฿489.7K

-73.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$69.0 SAR 259

$55.8 ฿1,860

23.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$67.6 SAR 254

$26.04 ฿869

159.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.4 SAR 340

$84.8 ฿2,829

6.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.2 SAR 320

$71.0 ฿2,368

19.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$448 SAR 1,681

$423 ฿14.1K

5.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$389 SAR 1,459

$242 ฿8,088

60.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$841 SAR 3,159

$797 ฿26.6K

5.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$634 SAR 2,382

$507 ฿16.9K

25.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,918 ฿64.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,464 ฿48.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

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: July 25, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $448 in Khafji versus $423 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 $244 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 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 $1,805 per month in Khafji and $1,279 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 $134 per month in Khafji and $308 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 $1,203. 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 $1,203 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.