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 $768 per month in Al-`awabi vs $861 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,159 per month in Al-`awabi vs $1,350 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,549 per month in Al-`awabi vs $1,838 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Al-`awabi is about 11% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Al-`awabi and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Al-`awabi 43% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.32 OMR 2.05

$1.96 ฿65.8

171.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.36 OMR 10.14

$18.35 ฿617

43.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.01 OMR 2.31

$7.48 ฿252

-19.65%

Cappuccino

$4.46 OMR 1.72

$2.02 ฿67.8

120.79%

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

$0.80 OMR 0.31

$0.85 ฿28.50

-5.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 OMR 0.10

$0.36 ฿11.96

-30.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$10.38 OMR 4.00

$2.14 ฿71.8

385.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.57 OMR 4.07

$3.59 ฿121

194.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.97 OMR 0.76

$1.65 ฿55.5

19.39%

White Bread (500g)

$1.22 OMR 0.47

$1.57 ฿52.7

-22.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 OMR 0.63

$1.19 ฿40.02

37.82%

Eggs

$2.45 OMR 0.94

$1.94 ฿65.1

26.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.75 OMR 1.44

$16.19 ฿544

-76.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.88 OMR 1.88

$2.99 ฿101

63.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.28 OMR 3.19

$10.94 ฿368

-24.31%

Apples (1kg)

$2.52 OMR 0.97

$2.71 ฿91.2

-7.01%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 OMR 0.67

$1.17 ฿39.25

47.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.78 OMR 0.69

$1.69 ฿56.7

5.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.17 OMR 0.45

$1.60 ฿54.0

-26.88%

Potato (1kg)

$1.00 OMR 0.38

$1.38 ฿46.54

-27.54%

Onion (1kg)

$0.97 OMR 0.38

$1.20 ฿40.45

-19.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.09 OMR 0.42

$0.67 ฿22.50

62.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 OMR 0.20

$0.56 ฿18.73

-5.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.19 OMR 2.38

$4.64 ฿156

33.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.63 OMR 6.01

$17.62 ฿593

-11.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.24 OMR 1.63

$1.86 ฿62.5

127.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.90 OMR 3.04

$3.30 ฿111

139.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.68

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ฿650

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.06 OMR 1.18

$1.36 ฿45.90

125.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.80 OMR 0.31

$1.34 ฿44.98

-40.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.53 OMR 4.05

$8.21 ฿276

28.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.60 OMR 0.23

$1.22 ฿41.18

-50.82%

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

$22.9K OMR 8,830

$21.4K ฿718.1K

7.46%

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

$21.3K OMR 8,195

$22.5K ฿757.7K

-5.47%

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

$108 OMR 41.44

$70.7 ฿2,376

52.38%

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

$40.67 OMR 15.65

$14.04 ฿472

189.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.8 OMR 26.85

$17.49 ฿588

298.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.15 ฿1,417

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

Cinema Ticket

$10.49 OMR 4.04

$5.92 ฿199

77.20%

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

$196 OMR 75.3

$309 ฿10.4K

-36.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.1K OMR 3,868

$14.9K ฿500.4K

-32.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.1 OMR 19.65

$55.8 ฿1,875

-8.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.03 OMR 15.40

$26.11 ฿878

53.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 OMR 30.74

$83.0 ฿2,792

-3.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.4 OMR 34.40

$70.5 ฿2,369

26.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$432 ฿14.5K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿8,035

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$822 ฿27.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$512 ฿17.2K

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)

$579 ฿19.5K

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: July 11, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $26.00 in Al-`awabi versus $18.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $229 in Al-`awabi vs $243 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 12%, 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 $1,152 per month in Al-`awabi and $1,292 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 $768 in Al-`awabi and $861 in Chiang Mai. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $196 per month in Al-`awabi and $309 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 $768 in Al-`awabi and $861 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.