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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,068 per month in Najran vs $852 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,650 per month in Najran vs $1,360 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,231 per month in Najran vs $1,867 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Najran costs about 25% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Najran and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Najran 20% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.13 SAR 30.52

$2.04 ฿68.2

298.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.98 SAR 86.3

$18.71 ฿624

22.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 SAR 33.19

$7.86 ฿262

12.47%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.63 SAR 6.14

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.30 SAR 4.90

Cappuccino

$4.46 SAR 16.74

$2.03 ฿67.7

119.70%

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

$0.80 SAR 3.01

$0.80 ฿26.64

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.26 SAR 0.97

$0.35 ฿11.68

-25.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.5

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿122

Milk (1 liter)

$2.19 SAR 8.23

$1.73 ฿57.6

26.59%

White Bread (500g)

$1.00 SAR 3.74

$1.57 ฿52.4

-36.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.31 SAR 8.67

$1.20 ฿39.99

92.50%

Eggs

$2.19 SAR 8.23

$1.97 ฿65.8

11.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.68 SAR 25.10

$16.23 ฿541

-58.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.03 SAR 22.63

$3.06 ฿102

97.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.40 SAR 54.1

$10.80 ฿360

33.33%

Apples (1kg)

$1.78 SAR 6.68

$2.77 ฿92.3

-35.74%

Banana (1kg)

$2.03 SAR 7.62

$1.17 ฿38.94

73.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.72 SAR 6.46

$1.71 ฿57.0

0.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.61 SAR 6.03

$1.59 ฿53.2

1.26%

Potato (1kg)

$1.27 SAR 4.77

$1.39 ฿46.51

-8.63%

Onion (1kg)

$1.29 SAR 4.83

$1.16 ฿38.56

11.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.36 SAR 5.10

$0.66 ฿22.05

106.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.70 SAR 2.62

$0.52 ฿17.31

34.62%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.76 SAR 10.35

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 SAR 6.12

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.01 SAR 7.56

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.94 SAR 29.82

$4.65 ฿155

70.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.78 ฿593

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ฿59.6

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 ฿111

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.08 SAR 4.07

$0.91 ฿30.27

18.68%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.78 SAR 149

$18.64 ฿622

113.41%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.72 SAR 10.20

$1.41 ฿47.04

92.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.81 SAR 6.82

$1.34 ฿44.70

35.07%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.12 SAR 49.25

$8.11 ฿270

61.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.57 SAR 2.15

$1.23 ฿41.16

-53.66%

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

$26.2K SAR 98.4K

$21.4K ฿715.1K

22.25%

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

$22.3K SAR 83.8K

$21.8K ฿728.0K

2.26%

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

$105 SAR 394

$71.3 ฿2,379

47.02%

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

$33.80 SAR 127

$14.01 ฿467

141.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$72.5 SAR 272

$17.93 ฿598

304.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$86.6 SAR 325

$40.82 ฿1,362

112.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.99 SAR 135

$6.88 ฿230

423.11%

Cinema Ticket

$15.42 SAR 57.9

$5.72 ฿191

169.58%

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

$356 SAR 1,339

$308 ฿10.3K

15.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,072 SAR 26.6K

$14.7K ฿489.7K

-51.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 SAR 225

$55.8 ฿1,860

7.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$60.1 SAR 226

$26.04 ฿869

130.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 SAR 301

$84.8 ฿2,829

-5.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$82.7 SAR 311

$71.0 ฿2,368

16.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$334 SAR 1,255

$423 ฿14.1K

-21.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$196 SAR 738

$242 ฿8,088

-18.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$608 SAR 2,283

$797 ฿26.6K

-23.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$425 SAR 1,594

$507 ฿16.9K

-16.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,057 SAR 7,723

$1,918 ฿64.0K

7.22%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,378 SAR 5,174

$1,464 ฿48.8K

-5.88%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,745 SAR 6,554

$595 ฿19.9K

193.32%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.42

-11.60%

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

Last update for Najran: July 27, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $334 in Najran versus $423 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 193% higher in Najran, 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 $23.00 in Najran versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $199 in Najran vs $244 in Chiang Mai – so Najran 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

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

Najran costs about 25% 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 $1,601 per month in Najran and $1,279 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 $356 per month in Najran and $308 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 Najran – 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 Najran at $1,068. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Najran it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $852 versus $1,068 in Najran. 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, Najran makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.