Cost of Living · TH vs SA
🇹🇭 Chiang Mai vs 🇸🇦 Riyadh: what everyday life costs
Monthly essentials: $706 in Thailand vs $1,033 in Saudi Arabia — 46.43% more expensive.
Biggest differences
Much cheaper in Saudi Arabia
- ⛽ Petrol/gasoline, 1L: 12.5%
- 🍻 Imported beer, 330ml bottle: 13.46%
- 👟 Running shoes (brand): 13.47%
Closest to Thailand prices
- 🏢 Rent: 3-bedroom, city center: +55.64%
- 🏙️ Rent: 1-bedroom, city center: +55.64%
- 🏡 Rent: 1-bedroom, outside center: +55.63%
The full basket (32 items)
| Item | Thailand | Saudi Arabia | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Housing | |||
| 🏙️ Rent: 1-bedroom, city center | $428 | $667 (2,501 SAR) | +55.64% |
| 🏡 Rent: 1-bedroom, outside center | $343 | $533 (2,001 SAR) | +55.63% |
| 🏢 Rent: 3-bedroom, city center | $783 | $1,219 (4,573 SAR) | +55.64% |
| Food out | |||
| 🍜 Meal, inexpensive restaurant | $5.96 | $8.43 (32 SAR) | +41.44% |
| 🍽️ Dinner for two, mid-range | $24.83 | $35.14 (132 SAR) | +41.52% |
| 🍔 Fast-food combo meal | $4.03 | $5.52 (21 SAR) | +36.97% |
| Groceries | |||
| 🥛 Milk, 1L | $0.49 | $0.63 (2 SAR) | +28.57% |
| 🍞 Bread, fresh loaf 500g | $1.43 | $1.84 (7 SAR) | +28.67% |
| 🥚 Eggs, dozen | $1.52 | $1.96 (7 SAR) | +28.95% |
| 🍗 Chicken breast, 1kg | $4.47 | $5.76 (22 SAR) | +28.86% |
| 🍚 White rice, 1kg | $1.79 | $2.30 (9 SAR) | +28.49% |
| 🍎 Apples, 1kg | $2.15 | $2.77 (10 SAR) | +28.84% |
| 🧀 Local cheese, 1kg | $5.37 | $6.91 (26 SAR) | +28.68% |
| 💧 Water, 1.5L bottle | $0.89 | $1.15 (4 SAR) | +29.21% |
| Drinks | |||
| 🍺 Domestic beer, pint (draught) | $1.99 | $2.81 (11 SAR) | +41.21% |
| 🍻 Imported beer, 330ml bottle | $5.35 | $6.07 (23 SAR) | +13.46% |
| ☕ Cappuccino | $1.66 | $2.34 (9 SAR) | +40.96% |
| 🥤 Coke/Pepsi, 330ml | $1.03 | $1.33 (5 SAR) | +29.13% |
| Transport | |||
| 🚇 Public transport, monthly pass | $23.79 | $32.63 (122 SAR) | +37.16% |
| 🎫 Public transport, one-way | $1.01 | $1.38 (5 SAR) | +36.63% |
| 🚕 Taxi start (normal tariff) | $1.32 | $1.87 (7 SAR) | +41.67% |
| 🛣️ Taxi, per km | $0.60 | $0.84 (3 SAR) | +40% |
| ⛽ Petrol/gasoline, 1L | $0.64 | $0.72 (3 SAR) | +12.5% |
| Utilities & comms | |||
| 💡 Basic utilities, 85m² apartment | $73.20 | $100 (377 SAR) | +37.16% |
| 🌐 Internet, 60Mbps+ unlimited | $25.62 | $35.14 (132 SAR) | +37.16% |
| 📱 Mobile plan, 10GB+ data | $16.47 | $22.59 (85 SAR) | +37.16% |
| Lifestyle | |||
| 🏋️ Gym membership, month | $16.55 | $23.43 (88 SAR) | +41.57% |
| 🎬 Cinema seat | $4.63 | $6.56 (25 SAR) | +41.68% |
| 💈 Men's haircut | $9.93 | $14.06 (53 SAR) | +41.59% |
| 👖 Jeans (mid-range brand) | $36.79 | $41.75 (157 SAR) | +13.48% |
| 👟 Running shoes (brand) | $60.21 | $68.32 (256 SAR) | +13.47% |
| 💻 Coworking hot desk, month | $82.75 | $117 (439 SAR) | +41.56% |
Estimated from World Bank — Consumption price levels with per-item elasticity — model figures, not quotes. Compare any pair in the interactive tool.
Related
Frequently asked questions
- How much more expensive is Saudi Arabia than Thailand?
- A single person's monthly essentials run about $1,033 in Saudi Arabia versus $706 in Thailand — 46.43% more. Rents differ the most; world-priced goods like petrol and electronics the least.
- What does a beer cost in Saudi Arabia?
- A domestic draught pint is roughly $2.81 in Saudi Arabia (≈ 10.54 SAR), versus about $1.99 in Thailand.
- How much is rent in Saudi Arabia compared to Thailand?
- A 1-bedroom city-center apartment is estimated at $667/month in Saudi Arabia versus $428/month in Thailand (+55.64%). Housing is the most locally-priced item in the basket.
- How are these prices estimated?
- Curated US baseline prices scaled by each country's purchasing-power price level with per-item elasticities (housing 1.4, services 1.1, groceries 0.8, world-priced goods 0.4) — model estimates for orientation, not quotes.