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 $1,163 per month in Unaizah vs $852 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,764 per month in Unaizah vs $1,360 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,365 per month in Unaizah vs $1,867 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Unaizah costs about 36% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Unaizah and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Unaizah 13% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.68 SAR 25.10

$2.04 ฿68.2

227.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.60 SAR 152

$18.71 ฿624

117.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.15 SAR 26.86

$7.86 ฿262

-9.03%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.57 SAR 5.89

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.31 SAR 4.90

Cappuccino

$4.18 SAR 15.70

$2.03 ฿67.7

105.91%

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

$0.74 SAR 2.77

$0.80 ฿26.64

-7.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 SAR 1.06

$0.35 ฿11.68

-20.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.5

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿122

Milk (1 liter)

$1.54 SAR 5.80

$1.73 ฿57.6

-10.98%

White Bread (500g)

$0.29 SAR 1.07

$1.57 ฿52.4

-81.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.30 SAR 8.63

$1.20 ฿39.99

91.67%

Eggs

$2.53 SAR 9.50

$1.97 ฿65.8

28.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.09 SAR 22.87

$16.23 ฿541

-62.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.70 SAR 17.66

$3.06 ฿102

53.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.79 SAR 48.03

$10.80 ฿360

18.43%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 SAR 8.43

$2.77 ฿92.3

-18.77%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 SAR 5.86

$1.17 ฿38.94

33.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.74 SAR 6.52

$1.71 ฿57.0

1.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 SAR 6.02

$1.59 ฿53.2

0.63%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 SAR 4.79

$1.39 ฿46.51

-7.91%

Onion (1kg)

$2.58 SAR 9.69

$1.16 ฿38.56

122.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 SAR 4.62

$0.66 ฿22.05

86.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 SAR 2.47

$0.52 ฿17.31

26.92%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.60 SAR 9.77

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 SAR 6.46

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 SAR 7.64

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.83 SAR 25.66

$4.65 ฿155

46.88%

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)

$1.05 SAR 3.93

$0.91 ฿30.27

15.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.78 SAR 149

$18.64 ฿622

113.41%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.71 SAR 10.18

$1.41 ฿47.04

92.20%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.84 SAR 6.92

$1.34 ฿44.70

37.31%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.08 SAR 49.10

$8.11 ฿270

61.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.60 SAR 2.24

$1.23 ฿41.16

-51.22%

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

$26.5K SAR 99.6K

$21.4K ฿715.1K

23.71%

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

$21.9K SAR 82.3K

$21.8K ฿728.0K

0.48%

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

$104 SAR 392

$71.3 ฿2,379

46.47%

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

$33.13 SAR 124

$14.01 ฿467

136.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$72.5 SAR 272

$17.93 ฿598

304.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.3 SAR 200

$40.82 ฿1,362

30.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.48 SAR 133

$6.88 ฿230

415.70%

Cinema Ticket

$15.56 SAR 58.4

$5.72 ฿191

172.03%

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

$354 SAR 1,329

$308 ฿10.3K

14.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,930 SAR 26.0K

$14.7K ฿489.7K

-52.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.9 SAR 225

$55.8 ฿1,860

7.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$61.1 SAR 229

$26.04 ฿869

134.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.7 SAR 303

$84.8 ฿2,829

-4.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$82.3 SAR 309

$71.0 ฿2,368

15.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$448 SAR 1,681

$423 ฿14.1K

5.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$380 SAR 1,426

$242 ฿8,088

56.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$840 SAR 3,156

$797 ฿26.6K

5.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$622 SAR 2,337

$507 ฿16.9K

22.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,481 SAR 9,315

$1,918 ฿64.0K

29.31%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,517 SAR 5,696

$1,464 ฿48.8K

3.61%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,500 SAR 9,389

$595 ฿19.9K

320.17%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $448 in Unaizah 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 320% 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 $41.00 in Unaizah versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $175 in Unaizah vs $244 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 36% 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 $1,745 per month in Unaizah 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 $354 per month in Unaizah 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 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 $1,163. 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 $1,163 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.