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 $1,237 per month in Umluj vs $852 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,848 per month in Umluj vs $1,354 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,460 per month in Umluj vs $1,857 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Umluj costs about 45% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Umluj and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Umluj 8% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.58 SAR 24.68

$1.96 ฿63.6

235.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.36 SAR 170

$18.81 ฿611

141.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.21 SAR 30.78

$7.92 ฿258

3.66%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.76 SAR 6.60

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.79 SAR 6.71

Cappuccino

$3.75 SAR 14.08

$1.91 ฿62.2

96.34%

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

$0.80 SAR 2.99

$0.84 ฿27.25

-4.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 SAR 1.18

$0.35 ฿11.44

-11.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿71.7

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 ฿124

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 SAR 6.37

$1.64 ฿53.2

3.66%

White Bread (500g)

$0.95 SAR 3.55

$1.62 ฿52.8

-41.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.36 SAR 8.86

$1.18 ฿38.40

100.00%

Eggs

$2.48 SAR 9.31

$2.01 ฿65.4

23.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.76 SAR 25.35

$15.89 ฿517

-57.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.32 SAR 27.44

$3.01 ฿98.0

143.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.24 SAR 49.64

$10.77 ฿350

22.93%

Apples (1kg)

$2.27 SAR 8.51

$2.61 ฿85.0

-13.03%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 SAR 6.08

$1.22 ฿39.65

32.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.67 SAR 6.28

$1.70 ฿55.4

-1.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.61 SAR 6.03

$1.58 ฿51.2

1.90%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 SAR 4.81

$1.32 ฿42.89

-3.03%

Onion (1kg)

$1.28 SAR 4.81

$1.17 ฿38.01

9.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 SAR 4.40

$0.67 ฿21.85

74.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 SAR 2.07

$0.56 ฿18.21

-1.79%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.22 SAR 12.07

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 SAR 6.36

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.10 SAR 7.87

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.13 SAR 26.75

$4.53 ฿147

57.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.20 ฿592

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿59.6

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿105

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.06 SAR 3.97

$0.89 ฿28.83

19.10%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.24 SAR 147

$19.38 ฿630

102.48%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.69 SAR 10.10

$1.35 ฿43.95

99.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 SAR 7.13

$1.35 ฿43.79

40.74%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.40 SAR 50.3

$8.25 ฿268

62.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.60 SAR 2.24

$1.27 ฿41.40

-52.76%

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

$26.3K SAR 98.7K

$21.2K ฿687.8K

24.35%

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

$22.7K SAR 85.1K

$22.5K ฿731.0K

0.93%

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

$106 SAR 398

$70.2 ฿2,281

51.42%

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

$33.78 SAR 127

$13.77 ฿448

145.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$72.8 SAR 273

$17.60 ฿572

313.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$88.6 SAR 332

$41.57 ฿1,352

113.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.32 SAR 136

$6.60 ฿215

450.30%

Cinema Ticket

$15.81 SAR 59.3

$5.78 ฿188

173.53%

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

$350 SAR 1,312

$306 ฿9,953

14.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,866 SAR 25.7K

$14.8K ฿482.0K

-53.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.5 SAR 219

$54.4 ฿1,768

7.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.9 SAR 225

$26.14 ฿850

129.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.6 SAR 302

$84.5 ฿2,748

-4.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$81.3 SAR 305

$69.4 ฿2,257

17.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$440 SAR 1,649

$424 ฿13.8K

3.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$388 SAR 1,456

$238 ฿7,743

63.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$861 SAR 3,229

$825 ฿26.8K

4.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$633 SAR 2,372

$515 ฿16.7K

22.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,328 SAR 8,731

$2,049 ฿66.6K

13.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,358 SAR 5,093

$1,523 ฿49.5K

-10.82%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,303 SAR 16.1K

$635 ฿20.6K

577.36%

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: April 28, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $440 in Umluj versus $424 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 577% 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 $45.00 in Umluj versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $196 in Umluj vs $243 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 45% 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 $1,855 per month in Umluj and $1,278 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 $350 per month in Umluj and $306 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 $1,237. 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 $1,237 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.