Cost of Living Comparison Between Al-`awabi and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between Al-`awabi and Chiang Mai

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $793 per month in Al-`awabi vs $866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,166 per month in Al-`awabi vs $1,351 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,539 per month in Al-`awabi vs $1,835 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Al-`awabi is about 8% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Al-`awabi and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Al-`awabi 41% lower, Chiang Mai 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.16 OMR 1.99

$1.94 ฿63.5

165.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.81 OMR 9.94

$18.64 ฿609

38.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.80 OMR 2.23

$7.82 ฿255

-25.83%

Cappuccino

$4.51 OMR 1.74

$1.95 ฿63.8

131.28%

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

$0.82 OMR 0.32

$0.85 ฿27.77

-3.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 OMR 0.10

$0.35 ฿11.58

-22.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$10.56 OMR 4.07

$2.13 ฿69.6

395.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.20 OMR 3.93

$3.73 ฿122

173.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.96 OMR 0.76

$1.71 ฿56.0

14.62%

White Bread (500g)

$1.23 OMR 0.47

$1.63 ฿53.2

-24.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.73 OMR 0.67

$1.14 ฿37.15

51.75%

Eggs

$2.45 OMR 0.94

$1.93 ฿63.1

26.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.89 OMR 1.50

$16.21 ฿530

-76.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.13 OMR 1.97

$3.12 ฿102

64.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.75 OMR 3.37

$10.90 ฿356

-19.72%

Apples (1kg)

$2.51 OMR 0.97

$2.75 ฿90.0

-8.73%

Banana (1kg)

$1.65 OMR 0.64

$1.21 ฿39.52

36.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.83 OMR 0.70

$1.62 ฿53.0

12.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.18 OMR 0.45

$1.59 ฿51.8

-25.79%

Potato (1kg)

$0.94 OMR 0.36

$1.40 ฿45.70

-32.86%

Onion (1kg)

$0.99 OMR 0.38

$1.17 ฿38.17

-15.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.09 OMR 0.42

$0.66 ฿21.60

65.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 OMR 0.22

$0.53 ฿17.22

7.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.46 OMR 2.49

$4.69 ฿153

37.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.89 OMR 6.12

$18.66 ฿609

-14.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.21 OMR 1.62

$1.80 ฿58.8

133.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.81 OMR 3.01

$3.23 ฿106

141.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.26

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 OMR 1.19

$1.41 ฿45.91

118.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.81 OMR 0.31

$1.29 ฿42.12

-37.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.22 OMR 3.94

$7.84 ฿256

30.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.59 OMR 0.23

$1.27 ฿41.58

-53.54%

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

$23.3K OMR 8,983

$21.3K ฿694.9K

9.66%

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

$21.9K OMR 8,429

$22.2K ฿725.4K

-1.43%

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

$109 OMR 41.99

$69.1 ฿2,256

57.90%

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

$41.34 OMR 15.91

$14.08 ฿460

193.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.9 OMR 26.92

$18.00 ฿588

288.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,341

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

Cinema Ticket

$10.37 OMR 3.99

$5.92 ฿193

75.17%

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

$190 OMR 73.2

$299 ฿9,766

-36.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,996 OMR 3,849

$15.0K ฿488.3K

-33.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.36 OMR 19.00

$54.7 ฿1,787

-9.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.09 OMR 15.05

$26.77 ฿874

46.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 OMR 30.67

$85.0 ฿2,776

-6.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.2 OMR 34.74

$70.6 ฿2,306

27.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,752

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

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)

$617 ฿20.2K

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 Al-`awabi: June 1, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $26.00 in Al-`awabi versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $232 in Al-`awabi vs $246 in Chiang Mai – so Al-`awabi 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

Al-`awabi vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Chiang Mai is pricier by about 9%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,190 per month in Al-`awabi and $1,300 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $793 in Al-`awabi and $866 in Chiang Mai. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $190 per month in Al-`awabi and $299 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $793 in Al-`awabi and $866 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Al-`awabi – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Al-`awabi. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chiang Mai makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.