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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,203 per month in Umluj vs $852 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,846 per month in Umluj vs $1,360 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,489 per month in Umluj vs $1,867 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Umluj costs about 41% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Umluj and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Umluj 10% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.57 SAR 24.67

$2.04 ฿68.2

222.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.50 SAR 167

$18.71 ฿624

137.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.94 SAR 29.83

$7.86 ฿262

1.02%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 SAR 6.36

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.82 SAR 6.85

Cappuccino

$3.74 SAR 14.03

$2.03 ฿67.7

84.24%

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

$0.80 SAR 3.00

$0.80 ฿26.64

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 SAR 1.07

$0.35 ฿11.68

-17.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.5

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿122

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 SAR 6.41

$1.73 ฿57.6

-1.16%

White Bread (500g)

$0.94 SAR 3.51

$1.57 ฿52.4

-40.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.28 SAR 8.56

$1.20 ฿39.99

90.00%

Eggs

$2.44 SAR 9.16

$1.97 ฿65.8

23.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.84 SAR 25.67

$16.23 ฿541

-57.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.63 SAR 28.65

$3.06 ฿102

149.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.88 SAR 48.37

$10.80 ฿360

19.26%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 SAR 8.46

$2.77 ฿92.3

-18.77%

Banana (1kg)

$1.65 SAR 6.21

$1.17 ฿38.94

41.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.72 SAR 6.47

$1.71 ฿57.0

0.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.55 SAR 5.81

$1.59 ฿53.2

-2.52%

Potato (1kg)

$1.25 SAR 4.69

$1.39 ฿46.51

-10.07%

Onion (1kg)

$1.28 SAR 4.81

$1.16 ฿38.56

10.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 SAR 4.49

$0.66 ฿22.05

80.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 SAR 2.10

$0.52 ฿17.31

7.69%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.73 SAR 10.24

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 SAR 6.44

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.00 SAR 7.51

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.06 SAR 26.51

$4.65 ฿155

51.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.78 ฿593

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ฿59.6

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 ฿111

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.08 SAR 4.06

$0.91 ฿30.27

18.68%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.31 SAR 151

$18.64 ฿622

116.26%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.69 SAR 10.11

$1.41 ฿47.04

90.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.88 SAR 7.07

$1.34 ฿44.70

40.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.34 SAR 50.1

$8.11 ฿270

64.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.65 SAR 2.44

$1.23 ฿41.16

-47.15%

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

$26.5K SAR 99.4K

$21.4K ฿715.1K

23.53%

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

$21.9K SAR 82.4K

$21.8K ฿728.0K

0.55%

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

$107 SAR 402

$71.3 ฿2,379

49.92%

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

$34.12 SAR 128

$14.01 ฿467

143.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$71.5 SAR 269

$17.93 ฿598

298.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$87.1 SAR 327

$40.82 ฿1,362

113.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.17 SAR 136

$6.88 ฿230

425.73%

Cinema Ticket

$15.56 SAR 58.4

$5.72 ฿191

172.03%

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

$353 SAR 1,324

$308 ฿10.3K

14.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,914 SAR 26.0K

$14.7K ฿489.7K

-52.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 SAR 225

$55.8 ฿1,860

7.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.7 SAR 224

$26.04 ฿869

129.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 SAR 300

$84.8 ฿2,829

-5.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$82.1 SAR 308

$71.0 ฿2,368

15.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$438 SAR 1,644

$423 ฿14.1K

3.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$380 SAR 1,428

$242 ฿8,088

56.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$836 SAR 3,139

$797 ฿26.6K

4.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$621 SAR 2,331

$507 ฿16.9K

22.48%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,392 SAR 8,983

$1,918 ฿64.0K

24.71%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,226 SAR 4,605

$1,464 ฿48.8K

-16.23%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,239 SAR 15.9K

$595 ฿19.9K

612.31%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.42

-11.60%

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

Last update for Umluj: July 25, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $438 in Umluj versus $423 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 612% higher in Umluj, 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 $44.00 in Umluj versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $196 in Umluj vs $244 in Chiang Mai – so Umluj 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

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

Umluj costs about 41% 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 $1,805 per month in Umluj and $1,279 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 $353 per month in Umluj and $308 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 24% cheaper in Umluj – 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 $852, than in Umluj at $1,203. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Umluj it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $852 versus $1,203 in Umluj. 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, Umluj makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.