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 $1,065 per month in Mecca vs $866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,917 per month in Mecca vs $1,351 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,769 per month in Mecca vs $1,835 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Mecca costs about 23% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Mecca and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Mecca 21% lower, Chiang Mai 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.89 SAR 18.34

$1.94 ฿63.5

152.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.53 SAR 148

$18.64 ฿609

112.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.39 SAR 35.23

$7.82 ฿255

20.08%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.62 SAR 6.08

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.60 SAR 6.00

Cappuccino

$3.16 SAR 11.87

$1.95 ฿63.8

62.05%

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

$0.87 SAR 3.25

$0.85 ฿27.77

2.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 SAR 1.07

$0.35 ฿11.58

-17.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.6

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 SAR 6.16

$1.71 ฿56.0

-4.09%

White Bread (500g)

$0.89 SAR 3.34

$1.63 ฿53.2

-45.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.24 SAR 8.41

$1.14 ฿37.15

96.49%

Eggs

$2.98 SAR 11.19

$1.93 ฿63.1

54.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.04 SAR 26.43

$16.21 ฿530

-56.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.39 SAR 31.48

$3.12 ฿102

168.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.38 SAR 50.2

$10.90 ฿356

22.75%

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 SAR 8.69

$2.75 ฿90.0

-16.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 SAR 6.06

$1.21 ฿39.52

33.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.77 SAR 6.65

$1.62 ฿53.0

9.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.04 SAR 7.66

$1.59 ฿51.8

28.30%

Potato (1kg)

$1.26 SAR 4.73

$1.40 ฿45.70

-10.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.24 SAR 4.67

$1.17 ฿38.17

5.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 SAR 3.96

$0.66 ฿21.60

60.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.68 SAR 2.56

$0.53 ฿17.22

28.30%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.04 SAR 15.18

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.00 SAR 7.52

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.07 SAR 7.76

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.01 SAR 30.06

$4.69 ฿153

70.79%

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)

$1.31 SAR 4.92

$0.90 ฿29.26

45.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.59 SAR 152

$19.21 ฿628

111.30%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.44 SAR 9.14

$1.41 ฿45.91

73.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.83 SAR 6.89

$1.29 ฿42.12

41.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.59 SAR 39.74

$7.84 ฿256

35.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.60 SAR 2.26

$1.27 ฿41.58

-52.76%

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

$26.8K SAR 100.4K

$21.3K ฿694.9K

25.76%

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

$21.4K SAR 80.5K

$22.2K ฿725.4K

-3.46%

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

$77.7 SAR 291

$69.1 ฿2,256

12.42%

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

$35.25 SAR 132

$14.08 ฿460

150.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$65.8 SAR 247

$18.00 ฿588

265.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$87.6 SAR 329

$41.06 ฿1,341

113.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.97 SAR 131

$6.96 ฿227

402.44%

Cinema Ticket

$18.59 SAR 69.8

$5.92 ฿193

214.02%

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

$404 SAR 1,517

$299 ฿9,766

35.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,604 SAR 17.3K

$15.0K ฿488.3K

-69.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$22.51 SAR 84.5

$54.7 ฿1,787

-58.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$62.5 SAR 235

$26.77 ฿874

133.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$58.8 SAR 221

$85.0 ฿2,776

-30.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$51.1 SAR 192

$70.6 ฿2,306

-27.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$231 SAR 867

$428 ฿14.0K

-46.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$282 SAR 1,058

$237 ฿7,752

18.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$669 SAR 2,509

$801 ฿26.2K

-16.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,026 SAR 3,851

$515 ฿16.8K

99.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,512 SAR 24.4K

$1,975 ฿64.5K

229.82%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,238 SAR 8,399

$1,475 ฿48.2K

51.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,075 SAR 4,034

$617 ฿20.2K

74.09%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $231 in Mecca 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 74% 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $207 in Mecca vs $246 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 23% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,598 per month in Mecca 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 $404 per month in Mecca 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 19% 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 $1,065 in Mecca 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 $1,065 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.