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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $916 per month in Taif vs $861 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,470 per month in Taif vs $1,350 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,023 per month in Taif vs $1,838 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Taif costs about 6% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Taif and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Taif 31% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.30 SAR 19.91

$1.96 ฿65.9

170.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.54 SAR 152

$18.35 ฿617

120.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.80 SAR 25.53

$7.48 ฿252

-9.09%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.96 SAR 7.35

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 SAR 5.95

Cappuccino

$2.94 SAR 11.04

$2.02 ฿67.8

45.54%

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

$0.77 SAR 2.91

$0.85 ฿28.52

-9.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 SAR 1.06

$0.36 ฿11.97

-22.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.9

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 ฿121

Milk (1 liter)

$1.36 SAR 5.10

$1.65 ฿55.5

-17.58%

White Bread (500g)

$0.28 SAR 1.05

$1.57 ฿52.7

-82.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.29 SAR 8.59

$1.19 ฿40.05

92.44%

Eggs

$2.58 SAR 9.70

$1.94 ฿65.1

32.99%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.26 SAR 27.28

$16.19 ฿545

-55.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.23 SAR 23.38

$2.99 ฿101

108.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.61 SAR 39.86

$10.94 ฿368

-3.02%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 SAR 8.57

$2.71 ฿91.2

-15.87%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 SAR 6.09

$1.17 ฿39.27

38.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.98 SAR 7.45

$1.69 ฿56.8

17.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.83 SAR 6.88

$1.60 ฿54.0

14.37%

Potato (1kg)

$1.44 SAR 5.40

$1.38 ฿46.56

4.35%

Onion (1kg)

$1.62 SAR 6.07

$1.20 ฿40.47

35.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.93 SAR 3.48

$0.67 ฿22.51

38.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.03 SAR 3.87

$0.56 ฿18.74

83.93%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.87 SAR 10.79

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.93 SAR 7.23

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.62 SAR 6.07

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.73 SAR 25.26

$4.64 ฿156

45.04%

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)

$1.09 SAR 4.08

$0.88 ฿29.70

23.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.58 SAR 149

$19.34 ฿651

104.65%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.62 SAR 9.85

$1.36 ฿45.92

92.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.02 SAR 7.58

$1.34 ฿45.00

50.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.06 SAR 49.03

$8.21 ฿276

59.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.63 SAR 2.37

$1.22 ฿41.20

-48.36%

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

$20.0K SAR 75.1K

$21.4K ฿718.5K

-6.40%

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

$20.6K SAR 77.2K

$22.5K ฿758.1K

-8.73%

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

$75.3 SAR 283

$70.7 ฿2,378

6.49%

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

$28.59 SAR 107

$14.04 ฿472

103.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$85.9 SAR 323

$17.49 ฿589

391.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$76.7 SAR 288

$42.15 ฿1,418

81.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$37.83 SAR 142

$6.88 ฿231

449.85%

Cinema Ticket

$17.16 SAR 64.4

$5.92 ฿199

189.86%

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

$263 SAR 986

$309 ฿10.4K

-14.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,622 SAR 21.1K

$14.9K ฿500.7K

-62.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$39.70 SAR 149

$55.8 ฿1,876

-28.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.96 SAR 158

$26.11 ฿879

60.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.7 SAR 292

$83.0 ฿2,793

-6.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$47.39 SAR 178

$70.5 ฿2,371

-32.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$215 SAR 808

$432 ฿14.5K

-50.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$172 SAR 644

$239 ฿8,040

-28.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$437 SAR 1,642

$822 ฿27.7K

-46.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$347 SAR 1,302

$512 ฿17.2K

-32.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,332 SAR 8,755

$1,915 ฿64.4K

21.78%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,352 SAR 5,076

$1,467 ฿49.4K

-7.86%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,814 SAR 6,812

$579 ฿19.5K

213.08%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.6

-8.00%

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

Last update for Taif: July 12, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $215 in Taif 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 213% higher in Taif, 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 $41.00 in Taif versus $18.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $182 in Taif vs $243 in Chiang Mai – so Taif 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

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

Taif costs about 6% 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 $1,374 per month in Taif 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 $263 per month in Taif 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 33% cheaper in Taif – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $916 in Taif and $861 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $861 versus $916 in Taif. 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, Taif makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.