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 $1,055 per month in Qatif vs $852 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,678 per month in Qatif vs $1,354 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,301 per month in Qatif vs $1,857 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Qatif costs about 24% 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 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.39 SAR 12.71

$1.96 ฿64.0

72.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.21 SAR 181

$18.81 ฿615

156.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.10 SAR 30.38

$7.92 ฿259

2.27%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.88 SAR 7.05

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.84 SAR 6.89

Cappuccino

$3.53 SAR 13.23

$1.91 ฿62.6

84.82%

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

$0.77 SAR 2.89

$0.84 ฿27.41

-8.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.26 SAR 0.97

$0.35 ฿11.51

-25.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 ฿124

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 SAR 6.18

$1.64 ฿53.5

0.61%

White Bread (500g)

$0.80 SAR 3.01

$1.62 ฿53.1

-50.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.10 SAR 7.89

$1.18 ฿38.62

77.97%

Eggs

$2.33 SAR 8.73

$2.01 ฿65.8

15.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.20 SAR 23.26

$15.89 ฿520

-60.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.16 SAR 26.83

$3.01 ฿98.5

137.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.02 SAR 37.58

$10.77 ฿352

-6.96%

Apples (1kg)

$2.14 SAR 8.01

$2.61 ฿85.5

-18.01%

Banana (1kg)

$1.54 SAR 5.76

$1.22 ฿39.88

26.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.44 SAR 5.38

$1.70 ฿55.7

-15.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.72 SAR 2.68

$1.58 ฿51.5

-54.43%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 SAR 4.78

$1.32 ฿43.14

-3.03%

Onion (1kg)

$1.33 SAR 4.99

$1.17 ฿38.23

13.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.11 SAR 4.15

$0.67 ฿21.98

65.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 SAR 1.90

$0.56 ฿18.32

-8.93%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.60 SAR 9.73

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.57 SAR 5.87

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 SAR 7.48

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.51 SAR 28.17

$4.53 ฿148

65.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.20 ฿595

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿60.0

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.09 SAR 4.08

$0.89 ฿29.00

22.47%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.91 SAR 150

$19.38 ฿634

105.93%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.12 SAR 11.71

$1.35 ฿44.20

131.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.57 SAR 5.88

$1.35 ฿44.05

16.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.41 SAR 50.3

$8.25 ฿270

62.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.63 SAR 2.37

$1.27 ฿41.64

-50.39%

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

$22.5K SAR 84.3K

$21.2K ฿691.8K

6.24%

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

$19.6K SAR 73.5K

$22.5K ฿735.3K

-12.80%

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

$103 SAR 387

$70.2 ฿2,294

47.18%

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

$37.05 SAR 139

$13.77 ฿450

169.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.9 SAR 221

$17.60 ฿575

234.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$95.3 SAR 357

$41.57 ฿1,360

129.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$57.2 SAR 214

$6.60 ฿216

766.52%

Cinema Ticket

$15.22 SAR 57.1

$5.78 ฿189

163.32%

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

$392 SAR 1,470

$306 ฿10.0K

28.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,106 SAR 30.4K

$14.8K ฿484.8K

-45.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.4 SAR 196

$54.4 ฿1,778

-3.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.8 SAR 190

$26.14 ฿855

94.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.5 SAR 343

$84.5 ฿2,764

8.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.4 SAR 320

$69.4 ฿2,270

22.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$356 SAR 1,333

$424 ฿13.9K

-16.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$282 SAR 1,058

$238 ฿7,788

18.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$710 SAR 2,661

$825 ฿27.0K

-13.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$495 SAR 1,855

$515 ฿16.8K

-3.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$943 SAR 3,537

$2,049 ฿67.0K

-53.98%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$776 SAR 2,910

$1,523 ฿49.8K

-49.03%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,869 SAR 7,009

$635 ฿20.8K

194.26%

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: April 26, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $356 in Qatif 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 194% 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 $48.00 in Qatif versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $173 in Qatif vs $243 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 24% 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 $1,583 per month in Qatif 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 $392 per month in Qatif 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 41% 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 $1,055. 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 $1,055 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.