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 $1,736 per month in Riyadh vs $947 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,592 per month in Riyadh vs $1,411 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,447 per month in Riyadh vs $1,874 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Riyadh costs about 83% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Riyadh sits 26% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 31% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.72 SAR 28.99

$2.08 ฿69.2

271.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.3 SAR 241

$19.64 ฿651

227.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.39 SAR 31.49

$5.65 ฿188

48.50%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.81 SAR 6.79

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 SAR 10.67

Cappuccino

$4.38 SAR 16.44

$1.81 ฿59.9

141.99%

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

$0.86 SAR 3.23

$0.71 ฿23.66

21.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.34 SAR 1.28

$0.32 ฿10.48

6.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.24 ฿74.2

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ฿121

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 SAR 6.40

$1.96 ฿65.0

-13.27%

White Bread (500g)

$1.32 SAR 4.95

$1.50 ฿49.83

-12.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.42 SAR 9.07

$1.34 ฿44.32

80.60%

Eggs

$3.27 SAR 12.29

$2.26 ฿75.1

44.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.55 SAR 35.87

$16.26 ฿539

-41.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.80 SAR 36.81

$2.95 ฿98.0

232.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.00 SAR 56.3

$9.94 ฿330

50.91%

Apples (1kg)

$2.70 SAR 10.13

$2.57 ฿85.3

5.06%

Banana (1kg)

$1.90 SAR 7.14

$1.06 ฿35.04

79.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.32 SAR 8.72

$1.61 ฿53.5

44.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.72 SAR 6.44

$1.52 ฿50.4

13.16%

Potato (1kg)

$1.11 SAR 4.16

$1.27 ฿42.14

-12.60%

Onion (1kg)

$1.39 SAR 5.21

$1.07 ฿35.37

29.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.71 SAR 6.41

$0.72 ฿23.89

137.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 SAR 2.22

$0.51 ฿16.87

15.69%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$8.02 SAR 30.12

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 SAR 6.77

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.46 SAR 9.24

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.29 SAR 27.38

$4.19 ฿139

73.99%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.87 ฿593

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 ฿56.2

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 ฿94.1

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.05 SAR 3.94

$0.93 ฿30.70

12.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$37.11 SAR 139

$53.9 ฿1,787

-31.10%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 SAR 12.25

$1.23 ฿40.95

165.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.84 SAR 6.89

$0.58 ฿19.13

217.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.30 SAR 49.94

$2.42 ฿80.4

449.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.59 SAR 2.20

$1.41 ฿46.84

-58.16%

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

$35.4K SAR 133.0K

$21.4K ฿711.3K

65.13%

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

$22.3K SAR 83.8K

$27.3K ฿906.7K

-18.36%

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

$95.6 SAR 359

$63.7 ฿2,112

50.16%

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

$31.83 SAR 120

$12.85 ฿426

147.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.0 SAR 263

$20.22 ฿671

246.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$91.6 SAR 344

$38.74 ฿1,285

136.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$54.8 SAR 206

$3.97 ฿132

1280.60%

Cinema Ticket

$13.76 SAR 51.7

$6.74 ฿223

104.15%

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

$539 SAR 2,023

$778 ฿25.8K

-30.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.1K SAR 41.8K

$14.6K ฿484.6K

-23.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.9 SAR 225

$54.3 ฿1,801

10.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.4 SAR 219

$25.45 ฿844

129.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$111 SAR 415

$94.3 ฿3,129

17.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 SAR 391

$73.4 ฿2,436

41.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,189 SAR 4,464

$490 ฿16.2K

142.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$851 SAR 3,195

$289 ฿9,596

194.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,177 SAR 8,174

$894 ฿29.6K

143.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,274 SAR 4,782

$517 ฿17.1K

146.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,947 SAR 11.1K

$1,955 ฿64.9K

50.74%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,891 SAR 7,100

$1,477 ฿49.0K

28.04%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,104 SAR 7,902

$602 ฿20.0K

249.52%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.54

5.57

-0.54%

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

Last update for Riyadh: August 31, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,189 in Riyadh 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 250% 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 $64.0 in Riyadh versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $238 in Riyadh vs $240 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 83% 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 $2,604 per month in Riyadh and $1,421 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 $539 per month in Riyadh and $778 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 1% 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 $947, than in Riyadh at $1,736. 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 $947 versus $1,736 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.