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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,221 per month in Tabuk vs $947 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,862 per month in Tabuk vs $1,411 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,503 per month in Tabuk vs $1,874 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Tabuk costs about 29% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Tabuk and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Tabuk 11% lower, Chiang Mai 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.34 SAR 27.57

$2.08 ฿69.2

252.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.86 SAR 120

$19.64 ฿651

62.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.78 SAR 29.21

$5.65 ฿188

37.70%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.29 SAR 4.85

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.64 SAR 6.16

Cappuccino

$3.14 SAR 11.81

$1.81 ฿59.9

73.48%

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

$0.74 SAR 2.77

$0.71 ฿23.66

4.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.26 SAR 0.97

$0.32 ฿10.48

-18.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.24 ฿74.2

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ฿121

Milk (1 liter)

$1.98 SAR 7.43

$1.96 ฿65.0

1.02%

White Bread (500g)

$0.86 SAR 3.22

$1.50 ฿49.83

-42.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.68 SAR 10.06

$1.34 ฿44.32

100.00%

Eggs

$2.97 SAR 11.15

$2.26 ฿75.1

31.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.18 SAR 45.73

$16.26 ฿539

-25.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.83 SAR 25.66

$2.95 ฿98.0

131.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.05 SAR 49.01

$9.94 ฿330

31.29%

Apples (1kg)

$1.98 SAR 7.45

$2.57 ฿85.3

-22.96%

Banana (1kg)

$1.65 SAR 6.20

$1.06 ฿35.04

55.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.79 SAR 6.71

$1.61 ฿53.5

11.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.22 SAR 8.32

$1.52 ฿50.4

46.05%

Potato (1kg)

$1.70 SAR 6.39

$1.27 ฿42.14

33.86%

Onion (1kg)

$2.08 SAR 7.82

$1.07 ฿35.37

94.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.98 SAR 7.42

$0.72 ฿23.89

175.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 SAR 2.11

$0.51 ฿16.87

9.80%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.88 SAR 10.81

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 SAR 6.39

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.07 SAR 7.77

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.75 SAR 25.34

$4.19 ฿139

61.10%

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)

$1.09 SAR 4.08

$0.93 ฿30.70

17.20%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$36.27 SAR 136

$53.9 ฿1,787

-32.66%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.97 SAR 11.14

$1.23 ฿40.95

141.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.82 SAR 6.84

$0.58 ฿19.13

213.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.37 SAR 50.2

$2.42 ฿80.4

452.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.61 SAR 2.30

$1.41 ฿46.84

-56.74%

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

$45.5K SAR 170.8K

$21.4K ฿711.3K

112.13%

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

$21.1K SAR 79.2K

$27.3K ฿906.7K

-22.84%

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

$99.4 SAR 373

$63.7 ฿2,112

56.13%

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

$37.39 SAR 140

$12.85 ฿426

190.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$76.3 SAR 286

$20.22 ฿671

277.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$82.9 SAR 311

$38.74 ฿1,285

113.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$37.30 SAR 140

$3.97 ฿132

839.55%

Cinema Ticket

$13.11 SAR 49.24

$6.74 ฿223

94.51%

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

$338 SAR 1,269

$778 ฿25.8K

-56.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,501 SAR 31.9K

$14.6K ฿484.6K

-41.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.8 SAR 191

$54.3 ฿1,801

-6.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$60.2 SAR 226

$25.45 ฿844

136.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.7 SAR 359

$94.3 ฿3,129

1.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.1 SAR 334

$73.4 ฿2,436

21.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$336 SAR 1,263

$490 ฿16.2K

-31.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$371 SAR 1,393

$289 ฿9,596

28.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$620 SAR 2,326

$894 ฿29.6K

-30.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$611 SAR 2,296

$517 ฿17.1K

18.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,388 SAR 8,968

$1,955 ฿64.9K

22.16%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,398 SAR 5,248

$1,477 ฿49.0K

-5.36%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,707 SAR 6,409

$602 ฿20.0K

183.50%

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 Tabuk: August 29, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $336 in Tabuk 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 183% higher in Tabuk, 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 $32.00 in Tabuk versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $223 in Tabuk vs $240 in Chiang Mai – so Tabuk 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

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

Tabuk costs about 29% 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 $1,832 per month in Tabuk 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 $338 per month in Tabuk 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 8% cheaper in Tabuk – 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 Tabuk at $1,221. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Tabuk it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $947 versus $1,221 in Tabuk. 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, Tabuk makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.