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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,000 per month in Yanbu vs $869 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,512 per month in Yanbu vs $1,362 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,023 per month in Yanbu vs $1,855 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Yanbu costs about 15% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Yanbu and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Yanbu 26% lower, Chiang Mai 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.59 SAR 24.73

$1.98 ฿64.3

232.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.96 SAR 142

$18.80 ฿612

101.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.49 SAR 24.34

$7.75 ฿252

-16.26%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.01 SAR 7.56

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.59 SAR 5.95

Cappuccino

$3.74 SAR 14.05

$1.92 ฿62.5

94.79%

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

$0.70 SAR 2.62

$0.79 ฿25.79

-11.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.23 SAR 0.86

$0.36 ฿11.62

-36.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

Milk (1 liter)

$1.72 SAR 6.44

$1.65 ฿53.8

4.24%

White Bread (500g)

$0.87 SAR 3.28

$1.63 ฿53.2

-46.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.20 SAR 8.24

$1.19 ฿38.86

84.87%

Eggs

$2.64 SAR 9.90

$2.00 ฿65.1

32.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.85 SAR 21.96

$15.98 ฿520

-63.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.92 SAR 29.72

$3.03 ฿98.5

161.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.20 SAR 45.78

$10.86 ฿354

12.34%

Apples (1kg)

$2.16 SAR 8.11

$2.76 ฿90.0

-21.74%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 SAR 5.87

$1.18 ฿38.42

32.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.46 SAR 5.46

$1.64 ฿53.5

-10.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.54 SAR 5.80

$1.52 ฿49.51

1.32%

Potato (1kg)

$1.26 SAR 4.71

$1.38 ฿45.10

-8.70%

Onion (1kg)

$0.97 SAR 3.62

$1.19 ฿38.84

-18.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 SAR 4.12

$0.70 ฿22.86

57.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 SAR 2.08

$0.56 ฿18.13

-1.79%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.30 SAR 4.87

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.32 SAR 4.94

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.76 SAR 6.61

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.24 SAR 23.41

$4.58 ฿149

36.24%

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)

$33.86 SAR 127

$18.72 ฿610

80.88%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 SAR 12.23

$1.36 ฿44.16

139.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.78 SAR 2.92

$1.34 ฿43.65

-41.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.35 SAR 57.6

$7.84 ฿256

95.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.57 SAR 2.14

$1.23 ฿39.92

-53.66%

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

$25.9K SAR 97.2K

$21.6K ฿704.3K

19.80%

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

$21.9K SAR 82.0K

$22.5K ฿734.3K

-3.05%

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

$106 SAR 398

$70.5 ฿2,298

50.30%

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

$22.79 SAR 85.5

$13.68 ฿445

66.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$68.7 SAR 258

$17.45 ฿568

293.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$97.5 SAR 366

$41.33 ฿1,346

136.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.04 SAR 132

$6.96 ฿227

403.45%

Cinema Ticket

$13.12 SAR 49.23

$5.77 ฿188

127.38%

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

$315 SAR 1,181

$307 ฿10.0K

2.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,765 SAR 14.1K

$14.6K ฿475.9K

-74.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$23.07 SAR 86.6

$55.8 ฿1,817

-58.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$20.91 SAR 78.5

$26.21 ฿854

-20.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$66.3 SAR 249

$85.8 ฿2,793

-22.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$48.58 SAR 182

$72.2 ฿2,353

-32.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$316 SAR 1,185

$430 ฿14.0K

-26.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$244 SAR 914

$239 ฿7,774

2.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$606 SAR 2,274

$817 ฿26.6K

-25.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$410 SAR 1,539

$511 ฿16.6K

-19.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,983 ฿64.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,484 ฿48.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,532 SAR 13.3K

$619 ฿20.2K

470.77%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.3

-34.00%

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

Last update for Yanbu: June 9, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $316 in Yanbu 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 471% higher in Yanbu, 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 $38.00 in Yanbu versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $189 in Yanbu vs $241 in Chiang Mai – so Yanbu 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

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

Yanbu costs about 15% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,500 per month in Yanbu 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 $315 per month in Yanbu 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 27% cheaper in Yanbu – 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 Yanbu at $1,000. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Yanbu it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $869 versus $1,000 in Yanbu. 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, Yanbu makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.