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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,173 per month in Sakakah vs $947 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,762 per month in Sakakah vs $1,411 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,351 per month in Sakakah vs $1,874 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Sakakah costs about 24% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Sakakah and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Sakakah 15% lower, Chiang Mai 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.96 SAR 22.38

$2.08 ฿69.2

186.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.04 SAR 139

$19.64 ฿651

88.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.83 SAR 29.39

$5.65 ฿188

38.58%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.07 SAR 7.78

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 SAR 5.95

Cappuccino

$3.52 SAR 13.23

$1.81 ฿59.9

94.48%

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

$0.68 SAR 2.55

$0.71 ฿23.66

-4.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 SAR 1.19

$0.32 ฿10.48

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.24 ฿74.2

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ฿121

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 SAR 6.17

$1.96 ฿65.0

-16.33%

White Bread (500g)

$1.03 SAR 3.87

$1.50 ฿49.83

-31.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.24 SAR 8.40

$1.34 ฿44.32

67.16%

Eggs

$2.35 SAR 8.82

$2.26 ฿75.1

3.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.52 SAR 28.22

$16.26 ฿539

-53.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.89 SAR 29.63

$2.95 ฿98.0

167.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.04 SAR 48.97

$9.94 ฿330

31.19%

Apples (1kg)

$2.04 SAR 7.67

$2.57 ฿85.3

-20.62%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 SAR 6.39

$1.06 ฿35.04

60.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.58 SAR 5.94

$1.61 ฿53.5

-1.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.65 SAR 6.21

$1.52 ฿50.4

8.55%

Potato (1kg)

$1.14 SAR 4.27

$1.27 ฿42.14

-10.24%

Onion (1kg)

$1.35 SAR 5.07

$1.07 ฿35.37

26.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 SAR 4.51

$0.72 ฿23.89

66.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 SAR 2.20

$0.51 ฿16.87

15.69%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.77 SAR 10.40

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 SAR 6.61

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.11 SAR 7.93

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.50 SAR 24.42

$4.19 ฿139

55.13%

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)

$1.03 SAR 3.88

$0.93 ฿30.70

10.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$36.52 SAR 137

$53.9 ฿1,787

-32.19%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.99 SAR 11.22

$1.23 ฿40.95

143.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.84 SAR 6.92

$0.58 ฿19.13

217.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.26 SAR 49.79

$2.42 ฿80.4

447.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.62 SAR 2.35

$1.41 ฿46.84

-56.03%

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

$45.0K SAR 168.8K

$21.4K ฿711.3K

109.67%

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

$21.1K SAR 79.4K

$27.3K ฿906.7K

-22.63%

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

$102 SAR 384

$63.7 ฿2,112

60.77%

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

$32.61 SAR 122

$12.85 ฿426

153.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$66.1 SAR 248

$20.22 ฿671

226.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$82.9 SAR 311

$38.74 ฿1,285

113.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.86 SAR 138

$3.97 ฿132

828.46%

Cinema Ticket

$13.49 SAR 50.7

$6.74 ฿223

100.15%

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

$347 SAR 1,302

$778 ฿25.8K

-55.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,508 SAR 24.4K

$14.6K ฿484.6K

-55.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.93 SAR 187

$54.3 ฿1,801

-8.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.5 SAR 223

$25.45 ฿844

133.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.0 SAR 368

$94.3 ฿3,129

3.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.5 SAR 332

$73.4 ฿2,436

20.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$571 SAR 2,144

$490 ฿16.2K

16.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$338 SAR 1,267

$289 ฿9,596

16.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$860 SAR 3,230

$894 ฿29.6K

-3.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$554 SAR 2,081

$517 ฿17.1K

7.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,316 SAR 8,698

$1,955 ฿64.9K

18.47%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,378 SAR 5,175

$1,477 ฿49.0K

-6.69%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$937 SAR 3,517

$602 ฿20.0K

55.58%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.47

5.57

-1.80%

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

Last update for Sakakah: August 29, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $571 in Sakakah 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 56% higher in Sakakah, 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 $37.00 in Sakakah versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $199 in Sakakah vs $240 in Chiang Mai – so Sakakah 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

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

Sakakah costs about 24% 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 $1,760 per month in Sakakah 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 $347 per month in Sakakah 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 21% cheaper in Sakakah – 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 Sakakah at $1,173. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Sakakah it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $947 versus $1,173 in Sakakah. 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, Sakakah makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.