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 $1,087 per month in Qatif vs $852 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,707 per month in Qatif vs $1,360 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,328 per month in Qatif vs $1,867 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Qatif costs about 27% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Qatif and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Qatif 18% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.44 SAR 12.93

$2.04 ฿68.1

68.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.42 SAR 178

$18.71 ฿624

153.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.05 SAR 30.22

$7.86 ฿262

2.42%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.86 SAR 6.97

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.82 SAR 6.83

Cappuccino

$3.66 SAR 13.72

$2.03 ฿67.6

80.30%

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

$0.77 SAR 2.91

$0.80 ฿26.63

-3.75%

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)

$1.65 SAR 6.20

$1.73 ฿57.6

-4.62%

White Bread (500g)

$0.81 SAR 3.04

$1.57 ฿52.4

-48.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.03 SAR 7.64

$1.20 ฿39.98

69.17%

Eggs

$2.32 SAR 8.73

$1.97 ฿65.8

17.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.03 SAR 22.63

$16.23 ฿541

-62.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.38 SAR 27.72

$3.06 ฿102

141.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.67 SAR 36.29

$10.80 ฿360

-10.46%

Apples (1kg)

$2.12 SAR 7.95

$2.77 ฿92.3

-23.47%

Banana (1kg)

$1.48 SAR 5.56

$1.17 ฿38.93

26.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.44 SAR 5.42

$1.71 ฿56.9

-15.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.75 SAR 2.83

$1.59 ฿53.2

-52.83%

Potato (1kg)

$1.26 SAR 4.74

$1.39 ฿46.49

-9.35%

Onion (1kg)

$1.35 SAR 5.05

$1.16 ฿38.55

16.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 SAR 4.13

$0.66 ฿22.05

66.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 SAR 2.08

$0.52 ฿17.30

5.77%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.73 SAR 10.27

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 SAR 5.93

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.02 SAR 7.57

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.68 SAR 28.83

$4.65 ฿155

65.16%

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)

$1.10 SAR 4.14

$0.91 ฿30.26

20.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.26 SAR 147

$18.64 ฿622

110.62%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.12 SAR 11.71

$1.41 ฿47.02

121.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.63 SAR 6.13

$1.34 ฿44.69

21.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.22 SAR 49.64

$8.11 ฿270

63.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.65 SAR 2.43

$1.23 ฿41.14

-47.15%

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

$22.6K SAR 84.7K

$21.4K ฿714.9K

5.29%

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

$19.7K SAR 73.8K

$21.8K ฿727.8K

-9.94%

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

$104 SAR 392

$71.3 ฿2,379

46.21%

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

$37.20 SAR 140

$14.01 ฿467

165.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$59.6 SAR 224

$17.93 ฿598

232.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$94.2 SAR 354

$40.82 ฿1,361

130.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$56.9 SAR 214

$6.88 ฿230

726.74%

Cinema Ticket

$15.36 SAR 57.7

$5.72 ฿191

168.53%

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

$405 SAR 1,521

$308 ฿10.3K

31.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,110 SAR 30.5K

$14.7K ฿489.5K

-44.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.3 SAR 192

$55.8 ฿1,860

-8.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.9 SAR 191

$26.04 ฿868

95.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.5 SAR 343

$84.8 ฿2,828

7.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.8 SAR 322

$71.0 ฿2,368

20.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$360 SAR 1,351

$423 ฿14.1K

-14.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$281 SAR 1,054

$242 ฿8,086

15.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$717 SAR 2,692

$797 ฿26.6K

-10.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$486 SAR 1,826

$507 ฿16.9K

-4.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$949 SAR 3,562

$1,918 ฿64.0K

-50.54%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$796 SAR 2,990

$1,464 ฿48.8K

-45.61%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,248 SAR 8,439

$595 ฿19.8K

277.70%

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: July 26, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $360 in Qatif 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 278% 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 $244 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 27% 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 $1,630 per month in Qatif 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 $405 per month in Qatif 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 42% 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 $852, than in Qatif at $1,087. 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 $852 versus $1,087 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.