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 $1,080 per month in Qatif vs $932 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,638 per month in Qatif vs $1,399 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,196 per month in Qatif vs $1,866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Qatif costs about 16% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Qatif and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Qatif 21% lower, Chiang Mai 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.56 SAR 13.38

$2.08 ฿69.5

71.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.17 SAR 132

$19.61 ฿655

79.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.67 SAR 25.07

$5.67 ฿189

17.64%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.89 SAR 7.10

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.20 SAR 8.27

Cappuccino

$2.95 SAR 11.07

$1.81 ฿60.3

62.98%

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

$0.73 SAR 2.73

$0.77 ฿25.65

-5.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.15 SAR 0.58

$0.35 ฿11.53

-57.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿73.9

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿127

Milk (1 liter)

$1.76 SAR 6.61

$2.05 ฿68.4

-14.15%

White Bread (500g)

$0.94 SAR 3.53

$1.51 ฿50.6

-37.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.95 SAR 7.31

$1.40 ฿46.69

39.29%

Eggs

$2.11 SAR 7.93

$2.26 ฿75.4

-6.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.70 SAR 21.42

$16.19 ฿540

-64.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.80 SAR 29.31

$2.90 ฿96.7

168.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.98 SAR 48.76

$9.42 ฿314

37.79%

Apples (1kg)

$2.18 SAR 8.20

$2.68 ฿89.4

-18.66%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 SAR 6.45

$1.09 ฿36.37

57.80%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.59 SAR 5.96

$1.62 ฿54.0

-1.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.64 SAR 2.39

$1.46 ฿48.74

-56.16%

Potato (1kg)

$1.12 SAR 4.21

$1.28 ฿42.65

-12.50%

Onion (1kg)

$1.10 SAR 4.12

$1.06 ฿35.31

3.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.91 SAR 3.41

$0.72 ฿23.94

26.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 SAR 1.89

$0.53 ฿17.56

-5.66%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.63 SAR 9.87

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.49 SAR 5.61

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.17 SAR 8.14

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.62 SAR 24.85

$4.23 ฿141

56.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.29 ฿611

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ฿54.4

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿96.8

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.04 SAR 3.91

$0.88 ฿29.32

18.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$36.12 SAR 136

$53.8 ฿1,795

-32.82%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.36 SAR 8.86

$1.17 ฿39.14

101.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.51 SAR 1.92

$0.58 ฿19.30

-12.07%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.10 SAR 49.20

$2.39 ฿79.6

448.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.61 SAR 2.30

$1.45 ฿48.41

-57.93%

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

$35.8K SAR 134.6K

$21.0K ฿701.4K

70.55%

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

$20.8K SAR 78.2K

$26.4K ฿882.0K

-21.20%

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

$103 SAR 388

$63.7 ฿2,125

62.22%

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

$33.42 SAR 126

$12.89 ฿430

159.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.3 SAR 219

$20.52 ฿685

184.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$82.7 SAR 311

$39.02 ฿1,302

112.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$37.55 SAR 141

$3.92 ฿131

857.91%

Cinema Ticket

$13.21 SAR 49.60

$6.58 ฿220

100.76%

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

$270 SAR 1,015

$784 ฿26.2K

-65.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,795 SAR 29.3K

$14.7K ฿489.8K

-46.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$31.48 SAR 118

$55.1 ฿1,840

-42.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$20.90 SAR 78.5

$24.74 ฿826

-15.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.6 SAR 355

$94.1 ฿3,142

0.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.4 SAR 340

$74.0 ฿2,469

22.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$574 SAR 2,157

$490 ฿16.4K

17.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$346 SAR 1,298

$288 ฿9,620

19.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$873 SAR 3,281

$891 ฿29.8K

-2.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$547 SAR 2,055

$521 ฿17.4K

5.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$951 SAR 3,573

$1,974 ฿65.9K

-51.80%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$783 SAR 2,942

$1,444 ฿48.2K

-45.76%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,249 SAR 8,448

$602 ฿20.1K

273.88%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.5

5.57

-1.26%

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

Last update for Qatif: September 13, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $574 in Qatif versus $490 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 274% 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 $35.00 in Qatif versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $184 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 16% 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 $1,620 per month in Qatif and $1,398 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 $270 per month in Qatif and $784 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 31% 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 $932, than in Qatif at $1,080. 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 $932 versus $1,080 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.