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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $815 per month in Al Mafraq vs $932 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,378 per month in Al Mafraq vs $1,399 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,941 per month in Al Mafraq vs $1,866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Al Mafraq is about 13% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Al Mafraq and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Al Mafraq 40% lower, Chiang Mai 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.07 JOD 5.00

$2.08 ฿69.2

239.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$66.8 JOD 47.30

$19.61 ฿652

240.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.89 JOD 4.88

$5.67 ฿189

21.52%

Cappuccino

$4.39 JOD 3.11

$1.81 ฿60.0

142.54%

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

$0.65 JOD 0.46

$0.77 ฿25.55

-15.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.60 JOD 0.42

$0.35 ฿11.48

71.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.50 JOD 6.02

$2.21 ฿73.6

284.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$11.14 JOD 7.89

$3.79 ฿126

193.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 JOD 1.01

$2.05 ฿68.1

-30.24%

White Bread (500g)

$0.66 JOD 0.46

$1.51 ฿50.4

-56.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.53 JOD 1.08

$1.40 ฿46.51

9.29%

Eggs

$2.38 JOD 1.68

$2.26 ฿75.1

5.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.55 JOD 6.76

$16.19 ฿538

-41.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.60 JOD 4.67

$2.90 ฿96.3

127.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.78 JOD 9.05

$9.42 ฿313

35.67%

Apples (1kg)

$2.46 JOD 1.74

$2.68 ฿89.1

-8.21%

Banana (1kg)

$2.03 JOD 1.44

$1.09 ฿36.23

86.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.83 JOD 1.29

$1.62 ฿53.8

12.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.85 JOD 0.60

$1.46 ฿48.55

-41.78%

Potato (1kg)

$0.93 JOD 0.66

$1.28 ฿42.48

-27.34%

Onion (1kg)

$0.91 JOD 0.64

$1.06 ฿35.17

-14.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.65 JOD 0.46

$0.72 ฿23.85

-9.72%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 JOD 0.46

$0.53 ฿17.49

24.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.92 JOD 2.77

$4.23 ฿141

-7.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$21.25 JOD 15.04

$18.29 ฿608

16.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$5.01 JOD 3.54

$1.63 ฿54.2

207.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.22 JOD 3.70

$2.90 ฿96.5

80.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.20

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.8 ฿1,788

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.61 JOD 0.43

$1.17 ฿38.99

-47.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.44 JOD 1.02

$0.58 ฿19.22

148.28%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.06 JOD 5.00

$2.39 ฿79.3

195.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.65 JOD 1.17

$1.45 ฿48.22

13.79%

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

$34.7K JOD 24.6K

$21.0K ฿698.6K

65.34%

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

$34.4K JOD 24.3K

$26.4K ฿878.6K

30.10%

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

$127 JOD 89.9

$63.7 ฿2,116

99.47%

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

$15.95 JOD 11.29

$12.89 ฿429

23.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.31 JOD 22.86

$20.52 ฿682

57.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.02 ฿1,297

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.92 ฿130

Cinema Ticket

$11.23 JOD 7.95

$6.58 ฿219

70.67%

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

$489 JOD 346

$784 ฿26.1K

-37.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,400 JOD 6,652

$14.7K ฿487.9K

-35.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.8 JOD 45.16

$55.1 ฿1,833

15.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$81.7 JOD 57.8

$24.74 ฿823

230.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$124 JOD 87.9

$94.1 ฿3,130

31.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.9 JOD 61.5

$74.0 ฿2,459

17.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.3K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$288 ฿9,582

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$891 ฿29.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$521 ฿17.3K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,974 ฿65.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,444 ฿48.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,053 JOD 745

$602 ฿20.0K

75.01%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

5.57

22.26%

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

Last update for Al Mafraq: September 13, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 75% 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 $67.0 in Al Mafraq versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $266 vs $241 – making Chiang Mai the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 14%, 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 $1,223 per month in Al Mafraq and $1,398 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $67.0 in Al Mafraq and $20.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 10% cheaper in Chiang Mai – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Al Mafraq, where all-in costs run around $815, than in Chiang Mai at $932. In Al Mafraq it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiang Mai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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.