Cost of Living Comparison Between Al Mafraq and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between Al Mafraq and Chiang Mai

Name: Chiang Mai
Address: Chiang Mai, TH

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $593 per month in Al Mafraq vs $861 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,041 per month in Al Mafraq vs $1,350 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,490 per month in Al Mafraq vs $1,838 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Al Mafraq is about 31% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Al Mafraq and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Al Mafraq 56% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.30 JOD 3.05

$1.96 ฿65.9

119.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.66 JOD 35.15

$18.35 ฿617

170.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.25 JOD 3.01

$7.48 ฿252

-43.18%

Cappuccino

$1.38 JOD 0.98

$2.02 ฿67.8

-31.68%

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

$0.34 JOD 0.24

$0.85 ฿28.52

-60.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.34 JOD 0.24

$0.36 ฿11.97

-5.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.77 JOD 4.09

$2.14 ฿71.9

169.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.86 JOD 4.86

$3.59 ฿121

91.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.03 JOD 0.73

$1.65 ฿55.5

-37.58%

White Bread (500g)

$0.29 JOD 0.21

$1.57 ฿52.7

-81.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.10 JOD 0.78

$1.19 ฿40.05

-7.56%

Eggs

$1.26 JOD 0.89

$1.94 ฿65.1

-35.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.59 JOD 3.96

$16.19 ฿545

-65.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.47 JOD 2.46

$2.99 ฿101

16.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.80 JOD 3.40

$10.94 ฿368

-56.12%

Apples (1kg)

$0.69 JOD 0.49

$2.71 ฿91.2

-74.54%

Banana (1kg)

$0.87 JOD 0.62

$1.17 ฿39.27

-25.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.39 JOD 0.98

$1.69 ฿56.8

-17.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.33 JOD 0.24

$1.60 ฿54.0

-79.38%

Potato (1kg)

$0.89 JOD 0.63

$1.38 ฿46.56

-35.51%

Onion (1kg)

$0.55 JOD 0.39

$1.20 ฿40.47

-54.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 JOD 0.47

$0.67 ฿22.51

-1.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.41 JOD 0.29

$0.56 ฿18.74

-26.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.48 JOD 2.46

$4.64 ฿156

-25.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.98 JOD 14.85

$17.62 ฿593

19.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.72 JOD 3.34

$1.86 ฿62.6

153.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.28 JOD 3.74

$3.30 ฿111

60.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 JOD 0.24

$0.88 ฿29.70

-61.36%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ฿651

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.73 JOD 0.52

$1.36 ฿45.92

-46.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.43 JOD 1.01

$1.34 ฿45.00

6.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.01 JOD 4.96

$8.21 ฿276

-14.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.42 JOD 1.00

$1.22 ฿41.20

16.39%

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

$27.0K JOD 19.1K

$21.4K ฿718.5K

26.32%

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

$32.3K JOD 22.8K

$22.5K ฿758.1K

43.16%

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

$105 JOD 74.5

$70.7 ฿2,378

48.90%

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

$16.89 JOD 11.95

$14.04 ฿472

20.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.44 JOD 20.13

$17.49 ฿589

62.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$28.12 JOD 19.90

$42.15 ฿1,418

-33.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

Cinema Ticket

$11.35 JOD 8.03

$5.92 ฿199

91.72%

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

$70.9 JOD 50.1

$309 ฿10.4K

-77.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,480 JOD 3,879

$14.9K ฿500.7K

-63.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.85 JOD 19.71

$55.8 ฿1,876

-50.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.79 JOD 35.24

$26.11 ฿879

90.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 JOD 81.6

$83.0 ฿2,793

38.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$41.86 JOD 29.63

$70.5 ฿2,371

-40.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$69.3 JOD 49.02

$432 ฿14.5K

-83.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿8,040

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$283 JOD 200

$822 ฿27.7K

-65.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$144 JOD 102

$512 ฿17.2K

-71.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,915 ฿64.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 ฿49.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,070 JOD 757

$579 ฿19.5K

84.62%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.27

45.40%

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

Last update for Al Mafraq: July 12, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $69.3 in Al Mafraq versus $432 in Chiang Mai. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 85% higher in Al Mafraq, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $50.0 in Al Mafraq versus $18.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $175 in Al Mafraq vs $243 in Chiang Mai – so Al Mafraq 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 Mafraq vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Chiang Mai is pricier by about 45%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $890 per month in Al Mafraq and $1,292 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Al Mafraq, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $50.0 in Al Mafraq and $18.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 39% more in Chiang Mai, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $593 in Al Mafraq and $861 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Al Mafraq – 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 Mafraq. 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.