Cost of Living Comparison Between Khamis Mushayt and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between Khamis Mushayt and Chiang Mai

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $952 per month in Khamis Mushayt vs $866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,562 per month in Khamis Mushayt vs $1,351 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,172 per month in Khamis Mushayt vs $1,835 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Khamis Mushayt costs about 10% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Khamis Mushayt and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Khamis Mushayt 29% lower, Chiang Mai 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.83 SAR 25.65

$1.94 ฿63.5

252.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.60 SAR 160

$18.64 ฿609

128.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.94 SAR 26.06

$7.82 ฿255

-11.25%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.76 SAR 6.60

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.78 SAR 6.70

Cappuccino

$5.35 SAR 20.09

$1.95 ฿63.8

174.36%

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

$0.75 SAR 2.82

$0.85 ฿27.77

-11.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.26 SAR 0.97

$0.35 ฿11.58

-25.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.6

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

Milk (1 liter)

$1.75 SAR 6.56

$1.71 ฿56.0

2.34%

White Bread (500g)

$0.35 SAR 1.32

$1.63 ฿53.2

-78.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.92 SAR 7.21

$1.14 ฿37.15

68.42%

Eggs

$4.37 SAR 16.39

$1.93 ฿63.1

126.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.63 SAR 24.87

$16.21 ฿530

-59.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.67 SAR 28.78

$3.12 ฿102

145.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.41 SAR 57.8

$10.90 ฿356

41.38%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 SAR 8.40

$2.75 ฿90.0

-18.55%

Banana (1kg)

$1.43 SAR 5.38

$1.21 ฿39.52

18.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.05 SAR 3.93

$1.62 ฿53.0

-35.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.97 SAR 7.40

$1.59 ฿51.8

23.90%

Potato (1kg)

$1.70 SAR 6.40

$1.40 ฿45.70

21.43%

Onion (1kg)

$1.38 SAR 5.20

$1.17 ฿38.17

17.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.25 SAR 4.67

$0.66 ฿21.60

89.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.65 SAR 2.43

$0.53 ฿17.22

22.64%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.11 SAR 11.68

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 SAR 6.35

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.10 SAR 7.87

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.83 SAR 29.37

$4.69 ฿153

66.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿609

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.8

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.10 SAR 4.13

$0.90 ฿29.26

22.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.19 SAR 151

$19.21 ฿628

109.21%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.65 SAR 9.93

$1.41 ฿45.91

87.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.02 SAR 7.59

$1.29 ฿42.12

56.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.45 SAR 50.5

$7.84 ฿256

71.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.63 SAR 2.37

$1.27 ฿41.58

-50.39%

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

$26.5K SAR 99.5K

$21.3K ฿694.9K

24.63%

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

$22.4K SAR 84.1K

$22.2K ฿725.4K

0.93%

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

$106 SAR 399

$69.1 ฿2,256

53.80%

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

$34.38 SAR 129

$14.08 ฿460

144.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$71.5 SAR 268

$18.00 ฿588

297.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$89.5 SAR 336

$41.06 ฿1,341

118.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.37 SAR 133

$6.96 ฿227

408.19%

Cinema Ticket

$15.61 SAR 58.6

$5.92 ฿193

163.68%

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

$346 SAR 1,300

$299 ฿9,766

15.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,039 SAR 26.4K

$15.0K ฿488.3K

-52.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.8 SAR 221

$54.7 ฿1,787

7.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$60.7 SAR 228

$26.77 ฿874

126.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.8 SAR 292

$85.0 ฿2,776

-8.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$82.3 SAR 309

$70.6 ฿2,306

16.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$159 SAR 597

$428 ฿14.0K

-62.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$108 SAR 404

$237 ฿7,752

-54.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$406 SAR 1,523

$801 ฿26.2K

-49.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$282 SAR 1,059

$515 ฿16.8K

-45.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,505 SAR 9,402

$1,975 ฿64.5K

26.87%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,144 SAR 4,294

$1,475 ฿48.2K

-22.44%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,619 SAR 6,078

$617 ฿20.2K

162.28%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.42

-11.60%

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

Last update for Khamis Mushayt: June 2, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $159 in Khamis Mushayt versus $428 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 162% higher in Khamis Mushayt, 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 $43.00 in Khamis Mushayt versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $205 in Khamis Mushayt vs $246 in Chiang Mai – so Khamis Mushayt 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

Khamis Mushayt vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Khamis Mushayt costs about 10% 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 $1,427 per month in Khamis Mushayt and $1,300 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 $346 per month in Khamis Mushayt and $299 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 20% cheaper in Khamis Mushayt – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $952 in Khamis Mushayt and $866 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $866 versus $952 in Khamis Mushayt. 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, Khamis Mushayt makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.