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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,148 per month in Rabigh vs $869 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,667 per month in Rabigh vs $1,362 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,186 per month in Rabigh vs $1,855 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Rabigh costs about 32% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Rabigh and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Rabigh 15% lower, Chiang Mai 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.90 SAR 14.63

$1.98 ฿64.3

96.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.09 SAR 79.1

$18.80 ฿612

12.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.15 SAR 26.82

$7.75 ฿252

-7.74%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.31 SAR 4.93

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 SAR 2.87

Cappuccino

$2.42 SAR 9.06

$1.92 ฿62.5

26.04%

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

$0.64 SAR 2.39

$0.79 ฿25.79

-18.99%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.11 SAR 0.42

$0.36 ฿11.62

-69.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

Milk (1 liter)

$1.30 SAR 4.88

$1.65 ฿53.8

-21.21%

White Bread (500g)

$0.28 SAR 1.06

$1.63 ฿53.2

-82.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.34 SAR 8.77

$1.19 ฿38.86

96.64%

Eggs

$2.22 SAR 8.32

$2.00 ฿65.1

11.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.48 SAR 20.56

$15.98 ฿520

-65.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.94 SAR 18.55

$3.03 ฿98.5

63.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.57 SAR 47.16

$10.86 ฿354

15.75%

Apples (1kg)

$2.18 SAR 8.17

$2.76 ฿90.0

-21.01%

Banana (1kg)

$1.60 SAR 6.00

$1.18 ฿38.42

35.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.58 SAR 5.92

$1.64 ฿53.5

-3.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.30 SAR 4.87

$1.52 ฿49.51

-14.47%

Potato (1kg)

$1.33 SAR 4.98

$1.38 ฿45.10

-3.62%

Onion (1kg)

$1.25 SAR 4.70

$1.19 ฿38.84

5.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.09 SAR 4.10

$0.70 ฿22.86

55.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 SAR 2.09

$0.56 ฿18.13

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.14 SAR 15.53

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.87 SAR 7.00

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.52 SAR 9.45

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.72 SAR 10.21

$4.58 ฿149

-40.61%

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)

$1.05 SAR 3.93

$0.88 ฿28.56

19.32%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.05 SAR 150

$18.72 ฿610

113.94%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.29 SAR 12.36

$1.36 ฿44.16

141.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.82 SAR 6.84

$1.34 ฿43.65

35.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.02 SAR 56.4

$7.84 ฿256

91.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.59 SAR 2.23

$1.23 ฿39.92

-52.03%

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

$27.1K SAR 101.6K

$21.6K ฿704.3K

25.21%

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

$22.1K SAR 82.8K

$22.5K ฿734.3K

-2.14%

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

$107 SAR 402

$70.5 ฿2,298

51.86%

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

$32.50 SAR 122

$13.68 ฿445

137.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.0 SAR 259

$17.45 ฿568

295.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$87.0 SAR 326

$41.33 ฿1,346

110.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.38 SAR 133

$6.96 ฿227

408.33%

Cinema Ticket

$13.54 SAR 50.8

$5.77 ฿188

134.66%

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

$401 SAR 1,504

$307 ฿10.0K

30.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,411 SAR 24.1K

$14.6K ฿475.9K

-56.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.6 SAR 239

$55.8 ฿1,817

13.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.4 SAR 219

$26.21 ฿854

122.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.5 SAR 351

$85.8 ฿2,793

8.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$82.9 SAR 311

$72.2 ฿2,353

14.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$282 SAR 1,059

$430 ฿14.0K

-34.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$382 SAR 1,434

$239 ฿7,774

60.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$523 SAR 1,962

$817 ฿26.6K

-36.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$620 SAR 2,326

$511 ฿16.6K

21.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,005 SAR 7,525

$1,983 ฿64.6K

1.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,394 SAR 5,231

$1,484 ฿48.3K

-6.06%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$619 ฿20.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.5

-10.00%

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

Last update for Rabigh: June 8, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $282 in Rabigh 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $21.00 in Rabigh versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $164 in Rabigh vs $241 in Chiang Mai – so Rabigh 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

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

Rabigh costs about 32% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,722 per month in Rabigh 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 $401 per month in Rabigh 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 47% cheaper in Rabigh – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $1,148 in Rabigh and $869 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $869 versus $1,148 in Rabigh. 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, Rabigh makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.