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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,758 per month in Riyadh vs $861 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,475 per month in Riyadh vs $1,350 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,192 per month in Riyadh vs $1,838 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Riyadh costs about 104% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Riyadh sits 32% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 36% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.19 SAR 30.76

$1.96 ฿65.9

317.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.9 SAR 202

$18.35 ฿617

193.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.97 SAR 29.91

$7.48 ฿252

6.55%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 SAR 6.33

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 SAR 8.68

Cappuccino

$3.98 SAR 14.94

$2.02 ฿67.8

97.03%

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

$0.77 SAR 2.88

$0.85 ฿28.52

-9.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 SAR 1.17

$0.36 ฿11.97

-13.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.9

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 ฿121

Milk (1 liter)

$1.69 SAR 6.34

$1.65 ฿55.5

2.42%

White Bread (500g)

$1.33 SAR 4.98

$1.57 ฿52.7

-15.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.36 SAR 8.85

$1.19 ฿40.05

98.32%

Eggs

$2.69 SAR 10.10

$1.94 ฿65.1

38.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.48 SAR 31.84

$16.19 ฿545

-47.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.90 SAR 37.17

$2.99 ฿101

231.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.50 SAR 54.4

$10.94 ฿368

32.54%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 SAR 8.73

$2.71 ฿91.2

-14.39%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 SAR 6.52

$1.17 ฿39.27

48.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.88 SAR 7.06

$1.69 ฿56.8

11.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 SAR 5.96

$1.60 ฿54.0

-0.63%

Potato (1kg)

$1.25 SAR 4.68

$1.38 ฿46.56

-9.42%

Onion (1kg)

$1.46 SAR 5.49

$1.20 ฿40.47

21.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.43 SAR 5.38

$0.67 ฿22.51

113.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 SAR 1.94

$0.56 ฿18.74

-7.14%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$7.87 SAR 29.54

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 SAR 6.70

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.41 SAR 9.06

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.41 SAR 27.83

$4.64 ฿156

59.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.62 ฿593

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.6

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 ฿111

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.08 SAR 4.07

$0.88 ฿29.70

22.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$36.88 SAR 138

$19.34 ฿651

90.69%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.22 SAR 12.09

$1.36 ฿45.92

136.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.84 SAR 6.93

$1.34 ฿45.00

37.31%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.19 SAR 49.53

$8.21 ฿276

60.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.64 SAR 2.39

$1.22 ฿41.20

-47.54%

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

$35.1K SAR 131.7K

$21.4K ฿718.5K

64.30%

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

$23.4K SAR 88.0K

$22.5K ฿758.1K

4.06%

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

$106 SAR 398

$70.7 ฿2,378

49.81%

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

$35.14 SAR 132

$14.04 ฿472

150.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$76.9 SAR 289

$17.49 ฿589

339.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$106 SAR 399

$42.15 ฿1,418

152.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$59.9 SAR 225

$6.88 ฿231

770.78%

Cinema Ticket

$16.22 SAR 60.9

$5.92 ฿199

173.99%

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

$465 SAR 1,747

$309 ฿10.4K

50.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,542 SAR 35.8K

$14.9K ฿500.7K

-35.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.3 SAR 219

$55.8 ฿1,876

4.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$65.1 SAR 244

$26.11 ฿879

149.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$110 SAR 413

$83.0 ฿2,793

32.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$101 SAR 378

$70.5 ฿2,371

42.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,110 SAR 4,166

$432 ฿14.5K

156.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$843 SAR 3,164

$239 ฿8,040

252.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,026 SAR 7,608

$822 ฿27.7K

146.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,127 SAR 4,233

$512 ฿17.2K

120.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,911 SAR 10.9K

$1,915 ฿64.4K

52.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,938 SAR 7,279

$1,467 ฿49.4K

32.13%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,020 SAR 7,587

$579 ฿19.5K

248.73%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.31

6.20%

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

Last update for Riyadh: July 12, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,110 in Riyadh 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 249% higher in Riyadh, 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 $54.0 in Riyadh versus $18.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $225 in Riyadh vs $243 in Chiang Mai – so Riyadh 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

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

Riyadh costs about 104% 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 $2,637 per month in Riyadh 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 $465 per month in Riyadh 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 8% cheaper in Riyadh – 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 Riyadh at $1,758. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Riyadh it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $861 versus $1,758 in Riyadh. 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, Riyadh makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.