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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,041 per month in Mecca vs $861 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,881 per month in Mecca vs $1,350 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,721 per month in Mecca vs $1,838 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Mecca costs about 21% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Mecca and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Mecca 22% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.88 SAR 18.32

$1.96 ฿65.9

148.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.07 SAR 150

$18.35 ฿617

118.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.21 SAR 34.60

$7.48 ฿252

23.13%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.59 SAR 5.95

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 SAR 5.95

Cappuccino

$3.19 SAR 11.98

$2.02 ฿67.8

57.92%

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

$0.91 SAR 3.41

$0.85 ฿28.52

7.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 SAR 1.08

$0.36 ฿11.97

-19.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.9

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 ฿121

Milk (1 liter)

$1.67 SAR 6.25

$1.65 ฿55.5

1.21%

White Bread (500g)

$0.89 SAR 3.34

$1.57 ฿52.7

-43.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.26 SAR 8.49

$1.19 ฿40.05

89.92%

Eggs

$2.97 SAR 11.17

$1.94 ฿65.1

53.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.92 SAR 26.00

$16.19 ฿545

-57.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.58 SAR 32.23

$2.99 ฿101

186.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.57 SAR 51.0

$10.94 ฿368

24.04%

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 SAR 8.67

$2.71 ฿91.2

-14.76%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 SAR 5.88

$1.17 ฿39.27

34.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 SAR 7.02

$1.69 ฿56.8

10.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 SAR 7.63

$1.60 ฿54.0

26.87%

Potato (1kg)

$1.20 SAR 4.49

$1.38 ฿46.56

-13.04%

Onion (1kg)

$1.22 SAR 4.57

$1.20 ฿40.47

1.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.05 SAR 3.94

$0.67 ฿22.51

56.72%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 SAR 2.46

$0.56 ฿18.74

17.86%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.25 SAR 15.95

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.00 SAR 7.52

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.16 SAR 8.13

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.94 SAR 29.82

$4.64 ฿156

71.12%

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)

$1.37 SAR 5.14

$0.88 ฿29.70

55.68%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.83 SAR 150

$19.34 ฿651

105.95%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.35 SAR 8.83

$1.36 ฿45.92

72.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.83 SAR 6.88

$1.34 ฿45.00

36.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.56 SAR 39.65

$8.21 ฿276

28.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.59 SAR 2.22

$1.22 ฿41.20

-51.64%

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

$26.3K SAR 98.8K

$21.4K ฿718.5K

23.21%

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

$20.9K SAR 78.6K

$22.5K ฿758.1K

-7.13%

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

$77.1 SAR 289

$70.7 ฿2,378

9.04%

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

$35.21 SAR 132

$14.04 ฿472

150.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$67.3 SAR 253

$17.49 ฿589

284.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$84.8 SAR 318

$42.15 ฿1,418

101.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.89 SAR 131

$6.88 ฿231

407.12%

Cinema Ticket

$18.68 SAR 70.1

$5.92 ฿199

215.54%

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

$399 SAR 1,500

$309 ฿10.4K

29.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,631 SAR 17.4K

$14.9K ฿500.7K

-68.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$22.32 SAR 83.8

$55.8 ฿1,876

-59.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$63.5 SAR 239

$26.11 ฿879

143.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$59.2 SAR 222

$83.0 ฿2,793

-28.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$51.3 SAR 192

$70.5 ฿2,371

-27.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$226 SAR 849

$432 ฿14.5K

-47.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$290 SAR 1,090

$239 ฿8,040

21.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$686 SAR 2,576

$822 ฿27.7K

-16.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,041 SAR 3,909

$512 ฿17.2K

103.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,389 SAR 24.0K

$1,915 ฿64.4K

233.71%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,305 SAR 8,656

$1,467 ฿49.4K

57.12%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,089 SAR 4,088

$579 ฿19.5K

87.91%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.5

10.00%

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

Last update for Mecca: July 14, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $226 in Mecca 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 88% higher in Mecca, 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 Mecca versus $18.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $208 in Mecca vs $243 in Chiang Mai – so Mecca 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

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

Mecca costs about 21% 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 $1,561 per month in Mecca 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 $399 per month in Mecca 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 17% cheaper in Mecca – 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 $1,041 in Mecca and $861 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $861 versus $1,041 in Mecca. 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, Mecca makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.