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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,059 per month in Qatif vs $869 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,673 per month in Qatif vs $1,362 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,288 per month in Qatif vs $1,855 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Qatif costs about 22% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.41 SAR 12.81

$1.98 ฿64.3

72.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.01 SAR 176

$18.80 ฿612

150.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.87 SAR 29.55

$7.75 ฿252

1.55%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.86 SAR 6.96

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.89 SAR 7.11

Cappuccino

$3.55 SAR 13.31

$1.92 ฿62.5

84.90%

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

$0.82 SAR 3.07

$0.79 ฿25.79

3.80%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.26 SAR 0.98

$0.36 ฿11.62

-27.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 SAR 6.47

$1.65 ฿53.8

4.85%

White Bread (500g)

$0.81 SAR 3.02

$1.63 ฿53.2

-50.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.01 SAR 7.53

$1.19 ฿38.86

68.91%

Eggs

$2.33 SAR 8.73

$2.00 ฿65.1

16.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.30 SAR 23.62

$15.98 ฿520

-60.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.15 SAR 26.82

$3.03 ฿98.5

135.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.02 SAR 37.61

$10.86 ฿354

-7.73%

Apples (1kg)

$2.09 SAR 7.83

$2.76 ฿90.0

-24.28%

Banana (1kg)

$1.47 SAR 5.51

$1.18 ฿38.42

24.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.40 SAR 5.27

$1.64 ฿53.5

-14.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.70 SAR 2.64

$1.52 ฿49.51

-53.95%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 SAR 4.80

$1.38 ฿45.10

-7.25%

Onion (1kg)

$1.38 SAR 5.16

$1.19 ฿38.84

15.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 SAR 4.30

$0.70 ฿22.86

64.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 SAR 1.90

$0.56 ฿18.13

-8.93%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.65 SAR 9.93

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.55 SAR 5.80

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.93 SAR 7.24

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.82 SAR 29.33

$4.58 ฿149

70.74%

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)

$1.08 SAR 4.06

$0.88 ฿28.56

22.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.34 SAR 148

$18.72 ฿610

110.15%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 SAR 12.24

$1.36 ฿44.16

139.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.61 SAR 6.06

$1.34 ฿43.65

20.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.20 SAR 49.52

$7.84 ฿256

68.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.60 SAR 2.26

$1.23 ฿39.92

-51.22%

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

$22.2K SAR 83.5K

$21.6K ฿704.3K

2.89%

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

$19.8K SAR 74.2K

$22.5K ฿734.3K

-12.35%

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

$105 SAR 396

$70.5 ฿2,298

49.45%

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

$36.22 SAR 136

$13.68 ฿445

164.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.0 SAR 229

$17.45 ฿568

249.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$95.3 SAR 358

$41.33 ฿1,346

130.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$57.3 SAR 215

$6.96 ฿227

722.56%

Cinema Ticket

$15.49 SAR 58.1

$5.77 ฿188

168.46%

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

$393 SAR 1,476

$307 ฿10.0K

28.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,396 SAR 31.5K

$14.6K ฿475.9K

-42.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.8 SAR 198

$55.8 ฿1,817

-5.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.1 SAR 192

$26.21 ฿854

94.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.3 SAR 343

$85.8 ฿2,793

6.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.2 SAR 323

$72.2 ฿2,353

19.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$361 SAR 1,355

$430 ฿14.0K

-15.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$290 SAR 1,088

$239 ฿7,774

21.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$695 SAR 2,606

$817 ฿26.6K

-15.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$483 SAR 1,811

$511 ฿16.6K

-5.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$963 SAR 3,612

$1,983 ฿64.6K

-51.46%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$780 SAR 2,927

$1,484 ฿48.3K

-47.44%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,308 SAR 8,661

$619 ฿20.2K

273.00%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.33

-13.40%

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

Last update for Qatif: June 6, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $361 in Qatif 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 273% higher in Qatif, 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 $47.00 in Qatif versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $173 in Qatif vs $241 in Chiang Mai – so Qatif 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

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

Qatif costs about 22% 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 $1,589 per month in Qatif 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 $393 per month in Qatif 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 39% cheaper in Qatif – 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 Qatif at $1,059. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Qatif it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $869 versus $1,059 in Qatif. 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, Qatif makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.