Cost of Living Comparison Between 'ibri and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between 'ibri and Chiang Mai

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $839 in 'ibri versus $866 in Chiang Mai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,311 in 'ibri versus $1,351 in Chiang Mai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,783 in 'ibri versus $1,835 in Chiang Mai.

Living in 'ibri costs roughly 3% less than in Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities sit below the global median: 'ibri 37% lower, Chiang Mai 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.66 OMR 1.02

$1.94 ฿63.5

37.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.59 OMR 9.85

$18.64 ฿609

37.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.63 OMR 2.55

$7.82 ฿255

-15.22%

Cappuccino

$3.11 OMR 1.20

$1.95 ฿63.8

59.49%

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

$0.67 OMR 0.26

$0.85 ฿27.77

-21.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 OMR 0.10

$0.35 ฿11.58

-28.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.32 OMR 2.05

$2.13 ฿69.6

149.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$11.50 OMR 4.43

$3.73 ฿122

208.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 OMR 0.44

$1.71 ฿56.0

-32.75%

White Bread (500g)

$0.80 OMR 0.31

$1.63 ฿53.2

-50.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.72 OMR 0.66

$1.14 ฿37.15

50.88%

Eggs

$2.40 OMR 0.93

$1.93 ฿63.1

24.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.83 OMR 1.48

$16.21 ฿530

-76.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.73 OMR 1.44

$3.12 ฿102

19.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.58 OMR 3.30

$10.90 ฿356

-21.28%

Apples (1kg)

$2.57 OMR 0.99

$2.75 ฿90.0

-6.55%

Banana (1kg)

$1.41 OMR 0.54

$1.21 ฿39.52

16.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.79 OMR 0.69

$1.62 ฿53.0

10.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.90 OMR 0.34

$1.59 ฿51.8

-43.40%

Potato (1kg)

$1.00 OMR 0.39

$1.40 ฿45.70

-28.57%

Onion (1kg)

$0.57 OMR 0.22

$1.17 ฿38.17

-51.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.77 OMR 0.29

$0.66 ฿21.60

16.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 OMR 0.19

$0.53 ฿17.22

-5.66%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.62 OMR 2.16

$4.69 ฿153

19.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.53 OMR 5.98

$18.66 ฿609

-16.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.26 OMR 1.64

$1.80 ฿58.8

136.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.92 OMR 3.05

$3.23 ฿106

145.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.26

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.55 OMR 0.98

$1.41 ฿45.91

80.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.80 OMR 0.31

$1.29 ฿42.12

-37.98%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.30 OMR 3.97

$7.84 ฿256

31.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.61 OMR 0.24

$1.27 ฿41.58

-51.97%

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

$23.1K OMR 8,879

$21.3K ฿694.9K

8.39%

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

$21.6K OMR 8,302

$22.2K ฿725.4K

-2.92%

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

$79.2 OMR 30.50

$69.1 ฿2,256

14.70%

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

$38.52 OMR 14.83

$14.08 ฿460

173.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.6 OMR 26.80

$18.00 ฿588

286.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.4 OMR 22.87

$41.06 ฿1,341

44.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

Cinema Ticket

$9.01 OMR 3.47

$5.92 ฿193

52.20%

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

$193 OMR 74.1

$299 ฿9,766

-35.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,783 OMR 3,766

$15.0K ฿488.3K

-34.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.2 OMR 19.71

$54.7 ฿1,787

-6.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.98 OMR 15.01

$26.77 ฿874

45.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.6 OMR 29.86

$85.0 ฿2,776

-8.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.8 OMR 33.79

$70.6 ฿2,306

24.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$207 OMR 79.7

$428 ฿14.0K

-51.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$129 OMR 49.52

$237 ฿7,752

-45.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$491 OMR 189

$801 ฿26.2K

-38.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$343 OMR 132

$515 ฿16.8K

-33.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,981 OMR 1,148

$617 ฿20.2K

382.74%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.15

3.00%

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

Last update for 'ibri: May 31, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $207 in 'ibri and $428 in Chiang Mai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

'ibri pays 383% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $26.00 in 'ibri vs $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries flip the comparison at $206 vs $246, with 'ibri cheaper for home cooking.

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

'ibri vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

'ibri and Chiang Mai differ by about 3% in total monthly costs ($839 vs $866 including rent). 'ibri is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

'ibri pays 383% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $207 in 'ibri versus $428 in Chiang Mai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 19% higher in Chiang Mai. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $839 per month in 'ibri versus $866 in Chiang Mai – a 3% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though 'ibri gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, 'ibri and Chiang Mai are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find 'ibri gentler on the wallet – expenses run 3% less than in Chiang Mai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.