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 $986 per month in Yanbu vs $852 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,533 per month in Yanbu vs $1,354 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,081 per month in Yanbu vs $1,857 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Yanbu costs about 16% 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 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.73 SAR 25.25

$1.96 ฿64.0

243.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.95 SAR 142

$18.81 ฿615

101.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.59 SAR 24.70

$7.92 ฿259

-16.79%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.99 SAR 7.45

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.63 SAR 6.10

Cappuccino

$3.68 SAR 13.78

$1.91 ฿62.6

92.67%

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

$0.76 SAR 2.84

$0.84 ฿27.41

-9.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.23 SAR 0.86

$0.35 ฿11.51

-34.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 ฿124

Milk (1 liter)

$1.72 SAR 6.45

$1.64 ฿53.5

4.88%

White Bread (500g)

$0.92 SAR 3.44

$1.62 ฿53.1

-43.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.24 SAR 8.42

$1.18 ฿38.62

89.83%

Eggs

$2.71 SAR 10.16

$2.01 ฿65.8

34.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.87 SAR 22.03

$15.89 ฿520

-63.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.63 SAR 28.62

$3.01 ฿98.5

153.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.93 SAR 44.75

$10.77 ฿352

10.77%

Apples (1kg)

$2.17 SAR 8.13

$2.61 ฿85.5

-16.86%

Banana (1kg)

$1.65 SAR 6.18

$1.22 ฿39.88

35.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.45 SAR 5.42

$1.70 ฿55.7

-14.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.53 SAR 5.72

$1.58 ฿51.5

-3.16%

Potato (1kg)

$1.26 SAR 4.71

$1.32 ฿43.14

-4.55%

Onion (1kg)

$1.01 SAR 3.78

$1.17 ฿38.23

-13.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 SAR 3.99

$0.67 ฿21.98

58.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 SAR 1.92

$0.56 ฿18.32

-8.93%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.32 SAR 4.95

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 SAR 5.11

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.70 SAR 6.37

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.26 SAR 23.48

$4.53 ฿148

38.19%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.20 ฿595

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿60.0

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.05 SAR 3.95

$0.89 ฿29.00

17.98%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$32.80 SAR 123

$19.38 ฿634

69.25%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 SAR 11.82

$1.35 ฿44.20

133.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.84 SAR 3.14

$1.35 ฿44.05

-37.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.32 SAR 57.4

$8.25 ฿270

85.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.62 SAR 2.32

$1.27 ฿41.64

-51.18%

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

$25.6K SAR 96.1K

$21.2K ฿691.8K

21.14%

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

$21.5K SAR 80.6K

$22.5K ฿735.3K

-4.42%

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

$108 SAR 403

$70.2 ฿2,294

53.33%

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

$22.12 SAR 82.9

$13.77 ฿450

60.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.5 SAR 264

$17.60 ฿575

300.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$96.9 SAR 364

$41.57 ฿1,360

133.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.37 SAR 133

$6.60 ฿216

435.91%

Cinema Ticket

$13.13 SAR 49.25

$5.78 ฿189

127.16%

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

$322 SAR 1,209

$306 ฿10.0K

5.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,842 SAR 14.4K

$14.8K ฿484.8K

-74.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$22.59 SAR 84.7

$54.4 ฿1,778

-58.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$21.69 SAR 81.4

$26.14 ฿855

-17.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$66.6 SAR 250

$84.5 ฿2,764

-21.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$47.14 SAR 177

$69.4 ฿2,270

-32.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$307 SAR 1,153

$424 ฿13.9K

-27.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 SAR 907

$238 ฿7,788

1.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$607 SAR 2,277

$825 ฿27.0K

-26.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$405 SAR 1,517

$515 ฿16.8K

-21.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,049 ฿67.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,523 ฿49.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,459 SAR 13.0K

$635 ฿20.8K

444.55%

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: April 26, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $307 in Yanbu 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 445% 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 – $188 in Yanbu vs $243 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 16% 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 $1,478 per month in Yanbu 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 $322 per month in Yanbu 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 29% cheaper in Yanbu – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $986 in Yanbu and $852 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $852 versus $986 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.