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: $841 in 'ibri versus $861 in Chiang Mai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,335 in 'ibri versus $1,350 in Chiang Mai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,829 in 'ibri versus $1,838 in Chiang Mai.

Living in 'ibri costs roughly 2% less than in Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities sit below the global median: 'ibri 37% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.54 OMR 0.98

$1.96 ฿65.8

29.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.56 OMR 9.84

$18.35 ฿617

39.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.67 OMR 2.57

$7.48 ฿252

-10.83%

Cappuccino

$3.20 OMR 1.23

$2.02 ฿67.8

58.42%

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

$0.64 OMR 0.24

$0.85 ฿28.50

-24.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 OMR 0.10

$0.36 ฿11.96

-25.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.18 OMR 1.99

$2.14 ฿71.8

142.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$11.62 OMR 4.47

$3.59 ฿121

223.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.20 OMR 0.46

$1.65 ฿55.5

-27.27%

White Bread (500g)

$0.81 OMR 0.31

$1.57 ฿52.7

-48.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.73 OMR 0.67

$1.19 ฿40.02

45.38%

Eggs

$2.39 OMR 0.92

$1.94 ฿65.1

23.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.69 OMR 1.42

$16.19 ฿544

-77.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.71 OMR 1.43

$2.99 ฿101

24.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.66 OMR 3.33

$10.94 ฿368

-20.84%

Apples (1kg)

$2.52 OMR 0.97

$2.71 ฿91.2

-7.01%

Banana (1kg)

$1.40 OMR 0.54

$1.17 ฿39.25

19.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.86 OMR 0.72

$1.69 ฿56.7

10.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.87 OMR 0.34

$1.60 ฿54.0

-45.63%

Potato (1kg)

$1.03 OMR 0.39

$1.38 ฿46.54

-25.36%

Onion (1kg)

$0.62 OMR 0.24

$1.20 ฿40.45

-48.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.76 OMR 0.29

$0.67 ฿22.50

13.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 OMR 0.20

$0.56 ฿18.73

-5.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.84 OMR 2.25

$4.64 ฿156

25.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.30 OMR 5.89

$17.62 ฿593

-13.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.20 OMR 1.62

$1.86 ฿62.5

125.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.74 OMR 2.98

$3.30 ฿111

134.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.68

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ฿650

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.54 OMR 0.98

$1.36 ฿45.90

86.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.80 OMR 0.31

$1.34 ฿44.98

-40.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.49 OMR 4.04

$8.21 ฿276

27.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.62 OMR 0.24

$1.22 ฿41.18

-49.18%

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

$23.1K OMR 8,875

$21.4K ฿718.1K

8.01%

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

$22.0K OMR 8,479

$22.5K ฿757.7K

-2.20%

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

$79.1 OMR 30.44

$70.7 ฿2,376

11.96%

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

$38.92 OMR 14.97

$14.04 ฿472

177.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.4 OMR 27.07

$17.49 ฿588

302.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.0 OMR 22.31

$42.15 ฿1,417

37.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

Cinema Ticket

$8.88 OMR 3.42

$5.92 ฿199

50.00%

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

$193 OMR 74.3

$309 ฿10.4K

-37.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,723 OMR 3,741

$14.9K ฿500.4K

-34.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.7 OMR 19.52

$55.8 ฿1,875

-9.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.21 OMR 15.09

$26.11 ฿878

50.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.9 OMR 30.34

$83.0 ฿2,792

-5.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 OMR 33.51

$70.5 ฿2,369

23.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$206 OMR 79.3

$432 ฿14.5K

-52.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$128 OMR 49.15

$239 ฿8,035

-46.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$491 OMR 189

$822 ฿27.7K

-40.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$345 OMR 133

$512 ฿17.2K

-32.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,915 ฿64.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 ฿49.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,972 OMR 1,144

$579 ฿19.5K

412.97%

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: July 11, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $206 in 'ibri and $432 in Chiang Mai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

'ibri pays 413% 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 $18.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries flip the comparison at $206 vs $243, 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 2% in total monthly costs ($841 vs $861 including rent). 'ibri is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 413% higher in 'ibri, 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: $206 in 'ibri versus $432 in Chiang Mai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 18% higher in Chiang Mai. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $841 per month in 'ibri versus $861 in Chiang Mai – a 2% 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 2% less than in Chiang Mai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.