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 $1,136 per month in Taif vs $947 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Taif vs $1,411 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,067 per month in Taif vs $1,874 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Taif costs about 20% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Taif and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Taif 17% lower, Chiang Mai 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.57 SAR 17.14

$2.08 ฿69.2

119.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.49 SAR 137

$19.64 ฿651

85.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.85 SAR 25.72

$5.65 ฿188

21.24%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.89 SAR 7.11

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.54 SAR 5.80

Cappuccino

$2.98 SAR 11.19

$1.81 ฿59.9

64.64%

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

$0.63 SAR 2.36

$0.71 ฿23.66

-11.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.23 SAR 0.87

$0.32 ฿10.48

-28.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.24 ฿74.2

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ฿121

Milk (1 liter)

$1.49 SAR 5.61

$1.96 ฿65.0

-23.98%

White Bread (500g)

$0.25 SAR 0.94

$1.50 ฿49.83

-83.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.28 SAR 8.55

$1.34 ฿44.32

70.15%

Eggs

$2.47 SAR 9.28

$2.26 ฿75.1

9.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.18 SAR 26.97

$16.26 ฿539

-55.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.35 SAR 23.84

$2.95 ฿98.0

115.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.65 SAR 40.01

$9.94 ฿330

7.14%

Apples (1kg)

$2.27 SAR 8.53

$2.57 ฿85.3

-11.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 SAR 6.79

$1.06 ฿35.04

70.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.75 SAR 6.57

$1.61 ฿53.5

8.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.81 SAR 6.79

$1.52 ฿50.4

19.08%

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 SAR 5.52

$1.27 ฿42.14

15.75%

Onion (1kg)

$1.72 SAR 6.46

$1.07 ฿35.37

60.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.81 SAR 3.04

$0.72 ฿23.89

12.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.95 SAR 3.55

$0.51 ฿16.87

86.27%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.70 SAR 10.14

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 SAR 6.57

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.42 SAR 5.34

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.50 SAR 24.39

$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)

$1.08 SAR 4.04

$0.93 ฿30.70

16.13%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$36.44 SAR 137

$53.9 ฿1,787

-32.34%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 SAR 4.90

$1.23 ฿40.95

6.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.73 SAR 10.24

$0.58 ฿19.13

370.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.45 SAR 50.5

$2.42 ฿80.4

455.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.59 SAR 2.21

$1.41 ฿46.84

-58.16%

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

$45.4K SAR 170.3K

$21.4K ฿711.3K

111.50%

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

$18.8K SAR 70.4K

$27.3K ฿906.7K

-31.38%

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

$110 SAR 413

$63.7 ฿2,112

72.88%

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

$27.31 SAR 103

$12.85 ฿426

112.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$87.3 SAR 328

$20.22 ฿671

331.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$118 SAR 444

$38.74 ฿1,285

205.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$30.41 SAR 114

$3.97 ฿132

665.99%

Cinema Ticket

$17.29 SAR 64.9

$6.74 ฿223

156.53%

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

$239 SAR 896

$778 ฿25.8K

-69.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,380 SAR 16.4K

$14.6K ฿484.6K

-70.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$20.72 SAR 77.8

$54.3 ฿1,801

-61.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.3 SAR 223

$25.45 ฿844

132.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.1 SAR 365

$94.3 ฿3,129

2.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$46.27 SAR 174

$73.4 ฿2,436

-37.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,205 SAR 4,525

$490 ฿16.2K

146.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$346 SAR 1,300

$289 ฿9,596

19.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$870 SAR 3,268

$894 ฿29.6K

-2.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$325 SAR 1,222

$517 ฿17.1K

-37.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,389 SAR 8,970

$1,955 ฿64.9K

22.19%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,368 SAR 5,135

$1,477 ฿49.0K

-7.40%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,768 SAR 6,638

$602 ฿20.0K

193.63%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.6

5.57

-35.37%

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

Last update for Taif: August 31, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,205 in Taif 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 194% 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 $36.00 in Taif versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $182 in Taif vs $240 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 20% 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 $1,705 per month in Taif 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 $239 per month in Taif 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 32% cheaper in Taif – 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 Taif at $1,136. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Taif it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $947 versus $1,136 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.