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 $922 per month in Taif vs $866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,467 per month in Taif vs $1,351 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,011 per month in Taif vs $1,835 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 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.25 SAR 19.69

$1.94 ฿63.5

170.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.17 SAR 151

$18.64 ฿609

115.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.71 SAR 25.18

$7.82 ฿255

-14.19%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.06 SAR 7.72

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 SAR 5.94

Cappuccino

$2.92 SAR 10.96

$1.95 ฿63.8

49.74%

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

$0.72 SAR 2.70

$0.85 ฿27.77

-15.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.26 SAR 0.97

$0.35 ฿11.58

-25.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.6

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

Milk (1 liter)

$1.37 SAR 5.14

$1.71 ฿56.0

-19.88%

White Bread (500g)

$0.26 SAR 0.96

$1.63 ฿53.2

-84.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.36 SAR 8.88

$1.14 ฿37.15

107.02%

Eggs

$2.56 SAR 9.61

$1.93 ฿63.1

32.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.38 SAR 27.70

$16.21 ฿530

-54.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.99 SAR 22.49

$3.12 ฿102

91.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 SAR 40.25

$10.90 ฿356

-1.56%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 SAR 8.55

$2.75 ฿90.0

-17.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 SAR 5.96

$1.21 ฿39.52

31.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.02 SAR 7.59

$1.62 ฿53.0

24.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.92 SAR 7.19

$1.59 ฿51.8

20.75%

Potato (1kg)

$1.46 SAR 5.48

$1.40 ฿45.70

4.29%

Onion (1kg)

$1.56 SAR 5.87

$1.17 ฿38.17

33.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 SAR 3.19

$0.66 ฿21.60

28.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.97 SAR 3.65

$0.53 ฿17.22

83.02%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.88 SAR 10.81

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.92 SAR 7.20

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.63 SAR 6.14

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.55 SAR 24.56

$4.69 ฿153

39.66%

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)

$1.08 SAR 4.07

$0.90 ฿29.26

20.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.19 SAR 151

$19.21 ฿628

109.21%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.72 SAR 10.21

$1.41 ฿45.91

92.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.04 SAR 7.67

$1.29 ฿42.12

58.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.18 SAR 49.45

$7.84 ฿256

68.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.60 SAR 2.26

$1.27 ฿41.58

-52.76%

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

$19.7K SAR 74.0K

$21.3K ฿694.9K

-7.31%

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

$20.0K SAR 75.0K

$22.2K ฿725.4K

-10.02%

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

$73.2 SAR 275

$69.1 ฿2,256

5.99%

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

$28.41 SAR 107

$14.08 ฿460

101.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$88.5 SAR 332

$18.00 ฿588

391.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$76.0 SAR 285

$41.06 ฿1,341

85.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$37.04 SAR 139

$6.96 ฿227

432.18%

Cinema Ticket

$17.58 SAR 66.0

$5.92 ฿193

196.96%

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

$264 SAR 991

$299 ฿9,766

-11.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,548 SAR 20.8K

$15.0K ฿488.3K

-62.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$38.85 SAR 146

$54.7 ฿1,787

-28.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.12 SAR 158

$26.77 ฿874

57.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 SAR 300

$85.0 ฿2,776

-5.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$46.88 SAR 176

$70.6 ฿2,306

-33.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$214 SAR 804

$428 ฿14.0K

-49.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$173 SAR 649

$237 ฿7,752

-27.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$433 SAR 1,626

$801 ฿26.2K

-45.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$349 SAR 1,309

$515 ฿16.8K

-32.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,130 SAR 7,993

$1,975 ฿64.5K

7.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,248 SAR 4,685

$1,475 ฿48.2K

-15.38%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,031 SAR 7,622

$617 ฿20.2K

228.92%

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $214 in Taif 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 229% 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 $40.00 in Taif versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $181 in Taif vs $246 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 $1,383 per month in Taif 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 $264 per month in Taif 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 36% 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 $922 in Taif and $866 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $866 versus $922 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.