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 $1,150 per month in Unaizah vs $869 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,739 per month in Unaizah vs $1,362 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,327 per month in Unaizah vs $1,855 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Unaizah costs about 32% 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 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.78 SAR 25.44

$1.98 ฿64.3

242.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.62 SAR 152

$18.80 ฿612

116.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.14 SAR 26.79

$7.75 ฿252

-7.87%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.65 SAR 6.18

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.30 SAR 4.88

Cappuccino

$4.01 SAR 15.04

$1.92 ฿62.5

108.85%

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

$0.68 SAR 2.54

$0.79 ฿25.79

-13.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.26 SAR 0.97

$0.36 ฿11.62

-27.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

Milk (1 liter)

$1.47 SAR 5.50

$1.65 ฿53.8

-10.91%

White Bread (500g)

$0.31 SAR 1.18

$1.63 ฿53.2

-80.98%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.35 SAR 8.81

$1.19 ฿38.86

97.48%

Eggs

$2.45 SAR 9.20

$2.00 ฿65.1

22.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.89 SAR 22.11

$15.98 ฿520

-63.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.73 SAR 17.76

$3.03 ฿98.5

56.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.18 SAR 49.44

$10.86 ฿354

21.36%

Apples (1kg)

$2.26 SAR 8.50

$2.76 ฿90.0

-18.12%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 SAR 6.16

$1.18 ฿38.42

38.98%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.72 SAR 6.46

$1.64 ฿53.5

4.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.55 SAR 5.82

$1.52 ฿49.51

1.97%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 SAR 4.67

$1.38 ฿45.10

-10.14%

Onion (1kg)

$2.65 SAR 9.93

$1.19 ฿38.84

122.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 SAR 4.60

$0.70 ฿22.86

75.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.70 SAR 2.63

$0.56 ฿18.13

25.00%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.59 SAR 9.72

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 SAR 6.44

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.01 SAR 7.55

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.95 SAR 26.10

$4.58 ฿149

51.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.56 ฿539

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿59.5

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 ฿104

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.08 SAR 4.05

$0.88 ฿28.56

22.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.73 SAR 149

$18.72 ฿610

112.23%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.70 SAR 10.15

$1.36 ฿44.16

98.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.84 SAR 6.89

$1.34 ฿43.65

37.31%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.57 SAR 50.9

$7.84 ฿256

73.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.64 SAR 2.40

$1.23 ฿39.92

-47.97%

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

$26.6K SAR 100.0K

$21.6K ฿704.3K

23.21%

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

$22.4K SAR 84.2K

$22.5K ฿734.3K

-0.48%

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

$106 SAR 397

$70.5 ฿2,298

49.86%

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

$33.99 SAR 128

$13.68 ฿445

148.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$73.3 SAR 275

$17.45 ฿568

319.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.0 SAR 199

$41.33 ฿1,346

28.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.24 SAR 136

$6.96 ฿227

420.69%

Cinema Ticket

$15.77 SAR 59.2

$5.77 ฿188

173.31%

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

$353 SAR 1,324

$307 ฿10.0K

14.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,938 SAR 26.0K

$14.6K ฿475.9K

-52.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 SAR 218

$55.8 ฿1,817

4.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.6 SAR 224

$26.21 ฿854

127.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.8 SAR 299

$85.8 ฿2,793

-6.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.3 SAR 301

$72.2 ฿2,353

11.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$431 SAR 1,618

$430 ฿14.0K

0.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$381 SAR 1,429

$239 ฿7,774

59.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$864 SAR 3,241

$817 ฿26.6K

5.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$629 SAR 2,361

$511 ฿16.6K

23.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,079 SAR 7,800

$1,983 ฿64.6K

4.81%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,529 SAR 5,736

$1,484 ฿48.3K

3.01%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,517 SAR 9,443

$619 ฿20.2K

306.67%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $431 in Unaizah versus $430 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 307% 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 – $176 in Unaizah vs $241 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 32% 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 $1,726 per month in Unaizah and $1,303 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 Unaizah and $307 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 37% 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 $869, than in Unaizah at $1,150. 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 $869 versus $1,150 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.