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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,146 per month in Unaizah vs $852 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,774 per month in Unaizah vs $1,354 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,402 per month in Unaizah vs $1,857 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Unaizah costs about 35% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Unaizah and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Unaizah 14% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.47 SAR 24.26

$1.96 ฿63.6

230.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.06 SAR 150

$18.81 ฿611

112.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.04 SAR 26.39

$7.92 ฿258

-11.11%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.57 SAR 5.90

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.30 SAR 4.86

Cappuccino

$4.07 SAR 15.26

$1.91 ฿62.2

113.09%

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

$0.72 SAR 2.72

$0.84 ฿27.25

-14.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 SAR 1.06

$0.35 ฿11.44

-20.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿71.7

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 ฿124

Milk (1 liter)

$1.50 SAR 5.61

$1.64 ฿53.2

-8.54%

White Bread (500g)

$0.29 SAR 1.08

$1.62 ฿52.8

-82.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.26 SAR 8.49

$1.18 ฿38.40

91.53%

Eggs

$2.42 SAR 9.06

$2.01 ฿65.4

20.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.05 SAR 22.69

$15.89 ฿517

-61.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.62 SAR 17.32

$3.01 ฿98.0

53.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.08 SAR 49.06

$10.77 ฿350

21.45%

Apples (1kg)

$2.27 SAR 8.52

$2.61 ฿85.0

-13.03%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 SAR 6.07

$1.22 ฿39.65

32.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.72 SAR 6.45

$1.70 ฿55.4

1.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.55 SAR 5.82

$1.58 ฿51.2

-1.90%

Potato (1kg)

$1.29 SAR 4.84

$1.32 ฿42.89

-2.27%

Onion (1kg)

$2.65 SAR 9.93

$1.17 ฿38.01

126.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 SAR 4.47

$0.67 ฿21.85

77.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.68 SAR 2.55

$0.56 ฿18.21

21.43%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.09 SAR 11.58

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 SAR 6.30

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 SAR 7.80

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.84 SAR 25.64

$4.53 ฿147

50.99%

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)

$1.08 SAR 4.05

$0.89 ฿28.83

21.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.65 SAR 152

$19.38 ฿630

109.75%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.60 SAR 9.75

$1.35 ฿43.95

92.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.88 SAR 7.07

$1.35 ฿43.79

39.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.53 SAR 50.7

$8.25 ฿268

64.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.61 SAR 2.28

$1.27 ฿41.40

-51.97%

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

$26.2K SAR 98.3K

$21.2K ฿687.8K

23.94%

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

$21.9K SAR 82.2K

$22.5K ฿731.0K

-2.55%

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

$104 SAR 391

$70.2 ฿2,281

48.67%

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

$33.59 SAR 126

$13.77 ฿448

143.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$71.8 SAR 269

$17.60 ฿572

308.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.9 SAR 202

$41.57 ฿1,352

29.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.68 SAR 134

$6.60 ฿215

440.61%

Cinema Ticket

$15.43 SAR 57.9

$5.78 ฿188

166.96%

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

$358 SAR 1,341

$306 ฿9,953

16.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,080 SAR 26.6K

$14.8K ฿482.0K

-52.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.1 SAR 225

$54.4 ฿1,768

10.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$60.8 SAR 228

$26.14 ฿850

132.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.6 SAR 295

$84.5 ฿2,748

-7.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.4 SAR 302

$69.4 ฿2,257

15.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$448 SAR 1,679

$424 ฿13.8K

5.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 SAR 1,404

$238 ฿7,743

57.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$847 SAR 3,175

$825 ฿26.8K

2.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$630 SAR 2,364

$515 ฿16.7K

22.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,243 SAR 8,410

$2,049 ฿66.6K

9.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,249 SAR 4,683

$1,523 ฿49.5K

-18.00%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,542 SAR 9,532

$635 ฿20.6K

300.19%

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 Unaizah: April 28, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $448 in Unaizah 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 300% higher in Unaizah, 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 Unaizah versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $175 in Unaizah vs $243 in Chiang Mai – so Unaizah 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

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

Unaizah costs about 35% 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 $1,719 per month in Unaizah 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 $358 per month in Unaizah 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 39% cheaper in Unaizah – 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 Unaizah at $1,146. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Unaizah it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $852 versus $1,146 in Unaizah. 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, Unaizah makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.