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 $1,739 per month in Riyadh vs $866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,521 per month in Riyadh vs $1,351 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,304 per month in Riyadh vs $1,835 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Riyadh costs about 101% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Riyadh sits 30% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 35% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.21 SAR 30.82

$1.94 ฿63.5

323.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.0 SAR 199

$18.64 ฿609

184.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.11 SAR 30.45

$7.82 ฿255

3.71%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.71 SAR 6.41

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.23 SAR 8.37

Cappuccino

$4.09 SAR 15.34

$1.95 ฿63.8

109.74%

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

$0.71 SAR 2.66

$0.85 ฿27.77

-16.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 SAR 1.07

$0.35 ฿11.58

-17.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.6

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 SAR 6.30

$1.71 ฿56.0

-1.75%

White Bread (500g)

$1.28 SAR 4.79

$1.63 ฿53.2

-21.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.35 SAR 8.83

$1.14 ฿37.15

106.14%

Eggs

$2.73 SAR 10.24

$1.93 ฿63.1

41.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.64 SAR 32.44

$16.21 ฿530

-46.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.02 SAR 37.62

$3.12 ฿102

221.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.57 SAR 54.7

$10.90 ฿356

33.67%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 SAR 8.82

$2.75 ฿90.0

-14.55%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 SAR 6.56

$1.21 ฿39.52

44.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.85 SAR 6.93

$1.62 ฿53.0

14.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.53 SAR 5.73

$1.59 ฿51.8

-3.77%

Potato (1kg)

$1.29 SAR 4.82

$1.40 ฿45.70

-7.86%

Onion (1kg)

$1.47 SAR 5.50

$1.17 ฿38.17

25.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.45 SAR 5.44

$0.66 ฿21.60

119.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 SAR 1.99

$0.53 ฿17.22

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$8.16 SAR 30.62

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 SAR 6.42

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 SAR 8.94

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.54 SAR 28.29

$4.69 ฿153

60.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿609

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.8

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.09 SAR 4.09

$0.90 ฿29.26

21.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$36.73 SAR 138

$19.21 ฿628

91.20%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.28 SAR 12.29

$1.41 ฿45.91

132.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.85 SAR 6.95

$1.29 ฿42.12

43.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.49 SAR 50.6

$7.84 ฿256

72.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.63 SAR 2.36

$1.27 ฿41.58

-50.39%

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

$34.1K SAR 128.1K

$21.3K ฿694.9K

60.35%

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

$23.4K SAR 87.9K

$22.2K ฿725.4K

5.44%

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

$104 SAR 391

$69.1 ฿2,256

50.83%

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

$34.25 SAR 129

$14.08 ฿460

143.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$77.0 SAR 289

$18.00 ฿588

327.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$105 SAR 394

$41.06 ฿1,341

155.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$58.3 SAR 219

$6.96 ฿227

737.50%

Cinema Ticket

$16.17 SAR 60.7

$5.92 ฿193

173.14%

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

$457 SAR 1,716

$299 ฿9,766

52.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,739 SAR 36.6K

$15.0K ฿488.3K

-34.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 SAR 223

$54.7 ฿1,787

8.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$64.1 SAR 241

$26.77 ฿874

139.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$107 SAR 400

$85.0 ฿2,776

25.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$100 SAR 376

$70.6 ฿2,306

41.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,072 SAR 4,024

$428 ฿14.0K

150.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$841 SAR 3,158

$237 ฿7,752

254.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,027 SAR 7,608

$801 ฿26.2K

152.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,090 SAR 4,093

$515 ฿16.8K

111.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,075 SAR 11.5K

$1,975 ฿64.5K

55.71%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,931 SAR 7,247

$1,475 ฿48.2K

30.90%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,252 SAR 8,453

$617 ฿20.2K

264.72%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,072 in Riyadh versus $428 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 265% 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 $53.0 in Riyadh versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $226 in Riyadh vs $246 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 101% 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 $2,608 per month in Riyadh and $1,300 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 $457 per month in Riyadh and $299 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 9% 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 $866, than in Riyadh at $1,739. 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 $866 versus $1,739 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.