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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,380 per month in Riffa vs $861 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,041 per month in Riffa vs $1,350 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,702 per month in Riffa vs $1,838 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Riffa costs about 60% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Riffa sits 3% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 36% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.45 BHD 2.43

$1.96 ฿65.9

229.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.93 BHD 17.31

$18.35 ฿617

150.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.09 BHD 2.30

$7.48 ฿252

-18.58%

Cappuccino

$2.02 BHD 0.76

$2.02 ฿67.8

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

$0.58 BHD 0.22

$0.85 ฿28.52

-31.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.26 BHD 0.10

$0.36 ฿11.97

-27.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.90 BHD 2.98

$2.14 ฿71.9

269.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.53 BHD 3.97

$3.59 ฿121

193.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.37 BHD 0.52

$1.65 ฿55.5

-16.97%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 BHD 0.49

$1.57 ฿52.7

-17.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.38 BHD 0.90

$1.19 ฿40.05

100.00%

Eggs

$2.11 BHD 0.79

$1.94 ฿65.1

8.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.65 BHD 3.26

$16.19 ฿545

-46.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.88 BHD 2.59

$2.99 ฿101

130.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.06 BHD 3.79

$10.94 ฿368

-8.04%

Apples (1kg)

$2.46 BHD 0.93

$2.71 ฿91.2

-9.23%

Banana (1kg)

$1.87 BHD 0.71

$1.17 ฿39.27

59.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.77 BHD 0.67

$1.69 ฿56.8

4.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.21 BHD 0.46

$1.60 ฿54.0

-24.38%

Potato (1kg)

$0.93 BHD 0.35

$1.38 ฿46.56

-32.61%

Onion (1kg)

$1.05 BHD 0.40

$1.20 ฿40.47

-12.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.45 BHD 0.55

$0.67 ฿22.51

116.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 BHD 0.19

$0.56 ฿18.74

-8.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.60 BHD 2.49

$4.64 ฿156

42.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.40 BHD 5.05

$17.62 ฿593

-23.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.38 BHD 1.27

$1.86 ฿62.6

81.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.27 BHD 1.23

$3.30 ฿111

-0.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.78 BHD 0.30

$0.88 ฿29.70

-11.36%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$32.12 BHD 12.11

$19.34 ฿651

66.08%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.52 BHD 1.70

$1.36 ฿45.92

232.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.09 BHD 1.54

$1.34 ฿45.00

205.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.83 BHD 10.11

$8.21 ฿276

226.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.38 BHD 0.14

$1.22 ฿41.20

-68.85%

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

$26.4K BHD 9,941

$21.4K ฿718.5K

23.52%

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

$21.2K BHD 7,986

$22.5K ฿758.1K

-5.95%

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

$120 BHD 45.11

$70.7 ฿2,378

69.35%

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

$26.98 BHD 10.17

$14.04 ฿472

92.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.52 BHD 14.52

$17.49 ฿589

120.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$80.9 BHD 30.50

$42.15 ฿1,418

92.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

Cinema Ticket

$7.93 BHD 2.99

$5.92 ฿199

33.95%

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

$391 BHD 147

$309 ฿10.4K

26.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,714 BHD 2,530

$14.9K ฿500.7K

-54.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$39.00 BHD 14.70

$55.8 ฿1,876

-30.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$63.7 BHD 24.01

$26.11 ฿879

144.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$65.6 BHD 24.72

$83.0 ฿2,793

-20.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$39.27 BHD 14.80

$70.5 ฿2,371

-44.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,173 BHD 442

$432 ฿14.5K

171.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$535 BHD 202

$239 ฿8,040

123.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,105 BHD 793

$822 ฿27.7K

156.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$921 BHD 347

$512 ฿17.2K

79.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,915 ฿64.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 ฿49.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,381 BHD 520

$579 ฿19.5K

138.32%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

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

Last update for Riffa: July 11, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,173 in Riffa versus $432 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 138% higher in Riffa, 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 $46.00 in Riffa versus $18.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $239 in Riffa vs $243 in Chiang Mai – so Riffa 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

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

Riffa costs about 60% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,070 per month in Riffa and $1,292 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 $391 per month in Riffa and $309 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 2% cheaper in Riffa – 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 $861, than in Riffa at $1,380. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Riffa it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $861 versus $1,380 in Riffa. 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, Riffa makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.