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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,457 per month in Medina vs $869 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,845 per month in Medina vs $1,362 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,232 per month in Medina vs $1,855 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Medina costs about 68% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Medina sits 8% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 35% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.46 SAR 20.50

$1.98 ฿64.3

175.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.16 SAR 121

$18.80 ฿612

71.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.89 SAR 29.60

$7.75 ฿252

1.81%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.57 SAR 5.89

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.77 SAR 6.63

Cappuccino

$2.43 SAR 9.12

$1.92 ฿62.5

26.56%

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

$0.76 SAR 2.86

$0.79 ฿25.79

-3.80%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 SAR 1.44

$0.36 ฿11.62

8.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

Milk (1 liter)

$1.63 SAR 6.13

$1.65 ฿53.8

-1.21%

White Bread (500g)

$0.91 SAR 3.40

$1.63 ฿53.2

-44.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.29 SAR 8.59

$1.19 ฿38.86

92.44%

Eggs

$2.04 SAR 7.67

$2.00 ฿65.1

2.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.52 SAR 24.45

$15.98 ฿520

-59.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.31 SAR 27.42

$3.03 ฿98.5

141.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.80 SAR 48.04

$10.86 ฿354

17.86%

Apples (1kg)

$2.41 SAR 9.05

$2.76 ฿90.0

-12.68%

Banana (1kg)

$2.14 SAR 8.05

$1.18 ฿38.42

81.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.14 SAR 8.05

$1.64 ฿53.5

30.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.64 SAR 6.17

$1.52 ฿49.51

7.89%

Potato (1kg)

$1.36 SAR 5.12

$1.38 ฿45.10

-1.45%

Onion (1kg)

$1.44 SAR 5.39

$1.19 ฿38.84

21.01%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 SAR 3.71

$0.70 ฿22.86

41.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 SAR 3.14

$0.56 ฿18.13

50.00%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.35 SAR 5.08

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 SAR 6.53

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.64 SAR 6.16

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.56 SAR 28.37

$4.58 ฿149

65.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.56 ฿539

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿59.5

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 ฿104

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.09 SAR 4.10

$0.88 ฿28.56

23.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$37.91 SAR 142

$18.72 ฿610

102.51%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 SAR 4.90

$1.36 ฿44.16

-3.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.71 SAR 6.42

$1.34 ฿43.65

27.61%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.46 SAR 20.50

$7.84 ฿256

-30.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.64 SAR 2.39

$1.23 ฿39.92

-47.97%

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

$21.2K SAR 79.4K

$21.6K ฿704.3K

-2.19%

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

$21.4K SAR 80.4K

$22.5K ฿734.3K

-5.00%

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

$201 SAR 755

$70.5 ฿2,298

185.07%

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

$32.95 SAR 124

$13.68 ฿445

140.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$102 SAR 382

$17.45 ฿568

482.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$77.5 SAR 291

$41.33 ฿1,346

87.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.95 SAR 33.59

$6.96 ฿227

28.59%

Cinema Ticket

$13.56 SAR 50.9

$5.77 ฿188

135.01%

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

$287 SAR 1,078

$307 ฿10.0K

-6.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,365 SAR 27.6K

$14.6K ฿475.9K

-49.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.93 SAR 139

$55.8 ฿1,817

-33.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.3 SAR 196

$26.21 ฿854

99.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$67.3 SAR 253

$85.8 ฿2,793

-21.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.6 SAR 362

$72.2 ฿2,353

33.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$434 SAR 1,627

$430 ฿14.0K

0.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$563 SAR 2,114

$239 ฿7,774

136.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$726 SAR 2,723

$817 ฿26.6K

-11.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$418 SAR 1,569

$511 ฿16.6K

-18.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,279 SAR 8,553

$1,983 ฿64.6K

14.93%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,336 SAR 5,013

$1,484 ฿48.3K

-9.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,321 SAR 4,957

$619 ฿20.2K

113.49%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

-40.00%

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

Last update for Medina: June 7, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $434 in Medina versus $430 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 113% higher in Medina, 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 $32.00 in Medina versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $200 in Medina vs $241 in Chiang Mai – so Medina 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

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

Medina costs about 68% 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 $2,186 per month in Medina and $1,303 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 $287 per month in Medina and $307 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 21% cheaper in Medina – 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 $869, than in Medina at $1,457. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medina it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $869 versus $1,457 in Medina. 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, Medina makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.