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: $1,038 in 'ibri versus $947 in Chiang Mai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,615 in 'ibri versus $1,411 in Chiang Mai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,192 in 'ibri versus $1,874 in Chiang Mai.

Living in 'ibri is roughly 10% more expensive than in Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: 'ibri 24% lower, Chiang Mai 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.15 OMR 1.98

$2.08 ฿68.6

147.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.97 OMR 13.08

$19.64 ฿646

72.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.58 OMR 2.92

$5.65 ฿186

34.16%

Cappuccino

$4.73 OMR 1.82

$1.81 ฿59.4

161.33%

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

$0.90 OMR 0.35

$0.71 ฿23.45

26.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 OMR 0.11

$0.32 ฿10.38

-9.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$12.81 OMR 4.93

$2.24 ฿73.6

471.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$13.23 OMR 5.09

$3.63 ฿119

264.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.31 OMR 0.50

$1.96 ฿64.4

-33.16%

White Bread (500g)

$0.76 OMR 0.29

$1.50 ฿49.39

-49.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 OMR 0.51

$1.34 ฿43.93

-0.75%

Eggs

$2.11 OMR 0.81

$2.26 ฿74.5

-6.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.66 OMR 2.95

$16.26 ฿535

-52.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.08 OMR 1.95

$2.95 ฿97.1

72.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.46 OMR 4.03

$9.94 ฿327

5.23%

Apples (1kg)

$2.64 OMR 1.02

$2.57 ฿84.6

2.72%

Banana (1kg)

$1.93 OMR 0.74

$1.06 ฿34.73

82.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.60 OMR 0.62

$1.61 ฿53.0

-0.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.06 OMR 0.41

$1.52 ฿49.97

-30.26%

Potato (1kg)

$1.06 OMR 0.41

$1.27 ฿41.77

-16.54%

Onion (1kg)

$0.80 OMR 0.31

$1.07 ฿35.06

-25.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.76 OMR 0.29

$0.72 ฿23.68

5.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 OMR 0.21

$0.51 ฿16.72

5.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.34 OMR 2.44

$4.19 ฿138

51.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.31 OMR 5.89

$17.87 ฿587

-14.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$5.71 OMR 2.20

$1.69 ฿55.7

237.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.90 OMR 3.43

$2.84 ฿93.3

213.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.93 ฿30.43

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.9 ฿1,771

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.56 OMR 0.99

$1.23 ฿40.59

108.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 OMR 0.51

$0.58 ฿18.96

131.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.71 OMR 2.97

$2.42 ฿79.7

218.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.62 OMR 0.24

$1.41 ฿46.43

-56.03%

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

$25.9K OMR 9,967

$21.4K ฿705.1K

20.73%

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

$22.4K OMR 8,611

$27.3K ฿898.7K

-18.18%

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

$79.0 OMR 30.40

$63.7 ฿2,093

24.01%

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

$30.98 OMR 11.93

$12.85 ฿423

141.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.1 OMR 26.97

$20.22 ฿665

246.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$76.5 OMR 29.45

$38.74 ฿1,274

97.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.97 ฿130

Cinema Ticket

$10.33 OMR 3.98

$6.74 ฿222

53.26%

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

$290 OMR 112

$778 ฿25.6K

-62.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K OMR 4,040

$14.6K ฿480.4K

-28.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.9 OMR 21.90

$54.3 ฿1,785

4.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.50 OMR 16.75

$25.45 ฿837

70.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.2 OMR 34.34

$94.3 ฿3,102

-5.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$94.7 OMR 36.45

$73.4 ฿2,415

28.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$232 OMR 89.4

$490 ฿16.1K

-52.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$184 OMR 70.7

$289 ฿9,512

-36.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 OMR 183

$894 ฿29.4K

-46.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$372 OMR 143

$517 ฿17.0K

-28.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,955 ฿64.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,477 ฿48.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,956 OMR 1,138

$602 ฿19.8K

390.87%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.25

5.57

-5.75%

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

Last update for 'ibri: August 30, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $232 in 'ibri and $490 in Chiang Mai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

'ibri pays 391% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $34.00 in 'ibri vs $20.00 in Chiang Mai for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $242 vs $240 per month, with Chiang Mai cheaper across the board.

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 10% in total monthly costs ($1,038 vs $947 including rent). Chiang Mai is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 391% 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: $232 in 'ibri versus $490 in Chiang Mai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 1% higher in 'ibri. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,038 per month in 'ibri versus $947 in Chiang Mai – a 10% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $947 in Chiang Mai versus $1,038 in 'ibri, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Chiang Mai but tight or insufficient in 'ibri. The gap between the two cities makes Chiang Mai the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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 Chiang Mai gentler on the wallet – expenses run 10% less than in 'ibri. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.