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 $974 per month in Mecca vs $947 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,454 per month in Mecca vs $1,411 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,935 per month in Mecca vs $1,874 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Mecca costs about 3% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Mecca and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Mecca 29% lower, Chiang Mai 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.63 SAR 17.38

$2.08 ฿69.2

122.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.73 SAR 100

$19.64 ฿651

36.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.72 SAR 25.23

$5.65 ฿188

18.94%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.52 SAR 5.71

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 SAR 5.72

Cappuccino

$2.62 SAR 9.83

$1.81 ฿59.9

44.75%

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

$0.67 SAR 2.53

$0.71 ฿23.66

-5.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.23 SAR 0.86

$0.32 ฿10.48

-28.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.24 ฿74.2

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ฿121

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 SAR 6.71

$1.96 ฿65.0

-8.67%

White Bread (500g)

$0.94 SAR 3.51

$1.50 ฿49.83

-37.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.19 SAR 8.22

$1.34 ฿44.32

63.43%

Eggs

$2.39 SAR 8.98

$2.26 ฿75.1

5.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.20 SAR 23.27

$16.26 ฿539

-61.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.26 SAR 31.03

$2.95 ฿98.0

180.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.60 SAR 47.31

$9.94 ฿330

26.76%

Apples (1kg)

$1.98 SAR 7.43

$2.57 ฿85.3

-22.96%

Banana (1kg)

$1.67 SAR 6.27

$1.06 ฿35.04

57.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.49 SAR 5.59

$1.61 ฿53.5

-7.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.68 SAR 6.29

$1.52 ฿50.4

10.53%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 SAR 4.32

$1.27 ฿42.14

-9.45%

Onion (1kg)

$1.36 SAR 5.10

$1.07 ฿35.37

27.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 SAR 3.86

$0.72 ฿23.89

43.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 SAR 1.89

$0.51 ฿16.87

-1.96%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.07 SAR 15.29

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 SAR 6.69

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.17 SAR 8.14

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.66 SAR 25.01

$4.19 ฿139

58.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.87 ฿593

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 ฿56.2

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 ฿94.1

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.34 SAR 5.04

$0.93 ฿30.70

44.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.9 ฿1,787

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.81 SAR 6.81

$1.23 ฿40.95

47.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.75 SAR 6.56

$0.58 ฿19.13

201.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.42 SAR 50.4

$2.42 ฿80.4

454.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.60 SAR 2.27

$1.41 ฿46.84

-57.45%

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

$47.0K SAR 176.3K

$21.4K ฿711.3K

119.02%

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

$21.4K SAR 80.3K

$27.3K ฿906.7K

-21.81%

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

$75.9 SAR 285

$63.7 ฿2,112

19.19%

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

$35.20 SAR 132

$12.85 ฿426

173.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$67.6 SAR 254

$20.22 ฿671

234.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$78.5 SAR 295

$38.74 ฿1,285

102.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.37 SAR 129

$3.97 ฿132

765.74%

Cinema Ticket

$12.08 SAR 45.37

$6.74 ฿223

79.23%

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

$391 SAR 1,467

$778 ฿25.8K

-49.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,570 SAR 17.2K

$14.6K ฿484.6K

-68.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$22.43 SAR 84.2

$54.3 ฿1,801

-58.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.6 SAR 220

$25.45 ฿844

130.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$48.48 SAR 182

$94.3 ฿3,129

-48.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$50.9 SAR 191

$73.4 ฿2,436

-30.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$576 SAR 2,161

$490 ฿16.2K

17.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$319 SAR 1,198

$289 ฿9,596

10.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,512 SAR 5,676

$894 ฿29.6K

69.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$507 SAR 1,904

$517 ฿17.1K

-1.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,435 SAR 24.2K

$1,955 ฿64.9K

229.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,299 SAR 8,632

$1,477 ฿49.0K

55.67%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,082 SAR 4,062

$602 ฿20.0K

79.66%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.25

5.57

-5.75%

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

Last update for Mecca: August 30, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $576 in Mecca versus $490 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 80% 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 $27.00 in Mecca versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $194 in Mecca vs $240 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 3% 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 $1,460 per month in Mecca and $1,421 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $27.00 in Mecca and $20.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 24% cheaper in Mecca – 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 $947, than in Mecca at $974. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mecca it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $947 versus $974 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.