Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Al Ghubra and Chiang Mai

For one person, living is cheaper in Al Ghubra: $90.0 a month against $938 in Chiang Mai, rent and utilities included – about $10,200 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai Living Index

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Al Ghubra

🇴🇲 Oman

$90.0

/mo nomad

Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$938

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Al Ghubra and in Chiang Mai

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Al Ghubra and in Chiang Mai actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $90.0 in Al Ghubra versus $938 in Chiang Mai.

Al Ghubra $90.0
Chiang Mai $938

Estimated couple costs with rent: $159 in Al Ghubra versus $1,426 in Chiang Mai.

Al Ghubra $159
Chiang Mai $1,426

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $229 in Al Ghubra versus $1,914 in Chiang Mai.

Al Ghubra $229
Chiang Mai $1,914

Living in Al Ghubra costs roughly 90% less than in Chiang Mai, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Al Ghubra 93% lower, Chiang Mai 30% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.26 ฿75.4

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.18 ฿641

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.59 ฿187

Cappuccino

$1.72 ฿57.6

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

$0.64 ฿21.54

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 OMR 0.10

$0.33 ฿11.18

-24.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.36 ฿78.7

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.90 ฿130

Milk (1 liter)

$2.56 OMR 0.99

$2.05 ฿68.6

24.88%

White Bread (500g)

$1.40 ฿46.70

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.89

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.3

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.94 ฿566

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.74 ฿91.6

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.36 ฿313

Apples (1kg)

$2.40 ฿80.3

Banana (1kg)

$1.01 ฿33.92

Oranges (1kg)

$1.61 ฿53.9

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿50.7

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.90

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 ฿37.22

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿24.09

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.54

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.33 ฿145

Wine (Bottle)

$17.73 ฿593

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ฿54.4

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.85 ฿95.3

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 ฿28.31

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.9 ฿1,801

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 ฿39.18

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.57 ฿19.00

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.37 ฿79.2

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.32

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

$20.5K ฿684.3K

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

$26.5K ฿886.1K

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

$62.3 ฿2,083

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

$12.27 ฿410

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.97 ฿668

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.01 OMR 17.33

$37.91 ฿1,267

18.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.68 OMR 14.12

$3.76 ฿126

875.53%

Cinema Ticket

$9.16 OMR 3.53

$6.71 ฿224

36.51%

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

$180 OMR 69.5

$797 ฿26.6K

-77.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿495.7K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.3 ฿1,780

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.05 ฿837

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.6 ฿3,062

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.5 ฿2,455

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$464 ฿15.5K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$305 ฿10.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$915 ฿30.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$552 ฿18.5K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,912 ฿63.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,438 ฿48.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,110 OMR 1,197

$595 ฿19.9K

422.45%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

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

Last update for Al Ghubra: October 11, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Al Ghubra

–

Chiang Mai

$305 32.5%

Groceries & Markets

Al Ghubra

–

Chiang Mai

$238 25.4%

Clothing & Footwear

Al Ghubra

–

Chiang Mai

$110 11.7%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Al Ghubra

–

Chiang Mai

$95 10.1%

Eating Out

Al Ghubra

–

Chiang Mai

$79 8.4%

Getting Around

Al Ghubra

–

Chiang Mai

$61 6.5%

Sport & Entertainment

Al Ghubra

–

Chiang Mai

$51 5.5%

Cost Breakdown

Al Ghubra pays 422% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Good to know

🇴🇲 Al Ghubra

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🕒 Local time

08:27 8:27 AM

11:27 11:27 AM

3 h ahead of Al Ghubra

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

797,000

127,240

💱 Currency

Omani Rial OMR ر.ع.

Thai Baht THB ฿

📈 Exchange rate

1 OMR = 2.6 USD

1 OMR = 2.31 EUR

100 THB = 2.99 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

THB, USD, EUR to OMR – Omani Rial Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇴🇲 Omani Rial (ر.ع.)

Omani Rial exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 0.385 OMR (1 OMR = 2.6 USD). 1 EUR = 0.433 OMR (1 OMR = 2.31 EUR).

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 33.42 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.57 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

USD to OMR in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Al Ghubra Chiang Mai 4,230 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight

From you

Al Ghubra
Chiang Mai

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Ghubra vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Al Ghubra and Chiang Mai differ by about 943% in total monthly costs ($90.0 vs $938 including rent). Al Ghubra is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 422% higher in Al Ghubra, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Childcare runs $180 in Al Ghubra versus $797 in Chiang Mai. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

All in, you'll spend $90.0 per month in Al Ghubra versus $938 in Chiang Mai – a 943% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $90.0 in Al Ghubra versus $938 in Chiang Mai, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Al Ghubra but tight or insufficient in Chiang Mai. The gap between the two cities makes Al Ghubra 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, Al Ghubra 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 Al Ghubra gentler on the wallet – expenses run 943% less than in Chiang Mai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.