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 $1,468 per month in Medina vs $852 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,836 per month in Medina vs $1,354 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,204 per month in Medina vs $1,857 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Medina costs about 72% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Medina sits 10% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 36% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.70 SAR 21.39

$1.96 ฿63.6

190.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.98 SAR 120

$18.81 ฿611

70.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.78 SAR 29.16

$7.92 ฿258

-1.77%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.65 SAR 6.18

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 SAR 6.54

Cappuccino

$2.44 SAR 9.14

$1.91 ฿62.2

27.75%

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

$0.82 SAR 3.06

$0.84 ฿27.25

-2.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 SAR 1.46

$0.35 ฿11.44

11.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿71.7

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 ฿124

Milk (1 liter)

$1.63 SAR 6.12

$1.64 ฿53.2

-0.61%

White Bread (500g)

$0.98 SAR 3.66

$1.62 ฿52.8

-39.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.40 SAR 9.00

$1.18 ฿38.40

103.39%

Eggs

$2.11 SAR 7.93

$2.01 ฿65.4

4.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.49 SAR 24.36

$15.89 ฿517

-59.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.90 SAR 25.88

$3.01 ฿98.0

129.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.77 SAR 47.89

$10.77 ฿350

18.57%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 SAR 8.80

$2.61 ฿85.0

-9.96%

Banana (1kg)

$2.08 SAR 7.81

$1.22 ฿39.65

70.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.17 SAR 8.15

$1.70 ฿55.4

27.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.70 SAR 6.38

$1.58 ฿51.2

7.59%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 SAR 5.18

$1.32 ฿42.89

4.55%

Onion (1kg)

$1.51 SAR 5.65

$1.17 ฿38.01

29.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 SAR 3.83

$0.67 ฿21.85

52.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.83 SAR 3.10

$0.56 ฿18.21

48.21%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.35 SAR 5.05

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 SAR 6.40

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.56 SAR 5.86

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.44 SAR 27.89

$4.53 ฿147

64.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.20 ฿592

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿59.6

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿105

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.09 SAR 4.07

$0.89 ฿28.83

22.47%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$37.59 SAR 141

$19.38 ฿630

93.96%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.35 SAR 5.05

$1.35 ฿43.95

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.64 SAR 6.14

$1.35 ฿43.79

21.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.63 SAR 21.12

$8.25 ฿268

-31.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.65 SAR 2.44

$1.27 ฿41.40

-48.82%

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

$21.4K SAR 80.2K

$21.2K ฿687.8K

1.07%

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

$21.0K SAR 78.7K

$22.5K ฿731.0K

-6.62%

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

$201 SAR 754

$70.2 ฿2,281

186.73%

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

$33.28 SAR 125

$13.77 ฿448

141.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$103 SAR 386

$17.60 ฿572

485.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$77.5 SAR 290

$41.57 ฿1,352

86.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.66 SAR 32.47

$6.60 ฿215

31.21%

Cinema Ticket

$13.29 SAR 49.83

$5.78 ฿188

129.93%

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

$291 SAR 1,092

$306 ฿9,953

-4.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,315 SAR 27.4K

$14.8K ฿482.0K

-50.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$37.64 SAR 141

$54.4 ฿1,768

-30.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.7 SAR 198

$26.14 ฿850

101.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$66.1 SAR 248

$84.5 ฿2,748

-21.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$97.1 SAR 364

$69.4 ฿2,257

39.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$421 SAR 1,578

$424 ฿13.8K

-0.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$554 SAR 2,076

$238 ฿7,743

132.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$723 SAR 2,712

$825 ฿26.8K

-12.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$417 SAR 1,563

$515 ฿16.7K

-19.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,312 SAR 8,669

$2,049 ฿66.6K

12.80%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,328 SAR 4,981

$1,523 ฿49.5K

-12.77%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,349 SAR 5,058

$635 ฿20.6K

112.35%

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: April 25, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $421 in Medina versus $424 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 112% 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 – $199 in Medina vs $243 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 72% 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 $2,203 per month in Medina and $1,278 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 $291 per month in Medina and $306 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 22% 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 $852, than in Medina at $1,468. 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 $852 versus $1,468 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.