Cost of Living Comparison Between Al-masna'ah and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between Al-masna'ah and Chiang Mai

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $818 per month in Al-masna'ah vs $869 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,200 per month in Al-masna'ah vs $1,362 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,582 per month in Al-masna'ah vs $1,855 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Al-masna'ah is about 6% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Al-masna'ah and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Al-masna'ah 39% lower, Chiang Mai 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.11 OMR 1.97

$1.98 ฿64.6

158.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.40 OMR 10.16

$18.80 ฿615

40.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.95 OMR 3.06

$7.75 ฿253

2.58%

Cappuccino

$4.97 OMR 1.91

$1.92 ฿62.7

158.85%

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

$1.06 OMR 0.41

$0.79 ฿25.87

34.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 OMR 0.12

$0.36 ฿11.66

-11.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$12.21 OMR 4.70

$2.21 ฿72.3

452.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$11.51 OMR 4.43

$3.66 ฿120

214.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.93 OMR 0.74

$1.65 ฿54.0

16.97%

White Bread (500g)

$1.23 OMR 0.47

$1.63 ฿53.3

-24.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 OMR 0.66

$1.19 ฿38.99

43.70%

Eggs

$2.36 OMR 0.91

$2.00 ฿65.3

18.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.75 OMR 1.44

$15.98 ฿522

-76.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.11 OMR 1.97

$3.03 ฿98.9

68.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.40 OMR 3.23

$10.86 ฿355

-22.65%

Apples (1kg)

$2.52 OMR 0.97

$2.76 ฿90.3

-8.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 OMR 0.67

$1.18 ฿38.55

47.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.79 OMR 0.69

$1.64 ฿53.7

9.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.13 OMR 0.43

$1.52 ฿49.68

-25.66%

Potato (1kg)

$0.96 OMR 0.37

$1.38 ฿45.25

-30.43%

Onion (1kg)

$0.97 OMR 0.37

$1.19 ฿38.97

-18.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 OMR 0.42

$0.70 ฿22.94

54.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 OMR 0.20

$0.56 ฿18.19

-5.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.44 OMR 2.48

$4.58 ฿150

40.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.82 OMR 6.09

$16.56 ฿541

-4.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.23 OMR 1.63

$1.83 ฿59.7

131.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.02 OMR 3.09

$3.20 ฿105

150.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿28.66

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.72 ฿612

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.04 OMR 1.17

$1.36 ฿44.31

123.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.76 OMR 0.29

$1.34 ฿43.80

-43.28%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.30 OMR 3.96

$7.84 ฿256

31.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.63 OMR 0.24

$1.23 ฿40.06

-48.78%

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

$23.3K OMR 8,949

$21.6K ฿706.7K

7.53%

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

$21.8K OMR 8,374

$22.5K ฿736.8K

-3.50%

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

$107 OMR 41.25

$70.5 ฿2,305

51.94%

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

$41.71 OMR 16.06

$13.68 ฿447

204.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.4 OMR 26.73

$17.45 ฿570

297.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.33 ฿1,351

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿228

Cinema Ticket

$10.21 OMR 3.93

$5.77 ฿189

76.95%

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

$192 OMR 74.0

$307 ฿10.0K

-37.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,766 OMR 3,759

$14.6K ฿477.5K

-33.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.8 OMR 19.57

$55.8 ฿1,823

-8.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.61 OMR 14.86

$26.21 ฿856

47.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.4 OMR 30.54

$85.8 ฿2,802

-7.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.1 OMR 34.28

$72.2 ฿2,361

23.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$430 ฿14.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿7,800

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$817 ฿26.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$511 ฿16.7K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,983 ฿64.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,484 ฿48.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,061 OMR 1,563

$619 ฿20.2K

556.28%

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-masna'ah: June 6, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 556% higher in Al-masna'ah, 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 $26.00 in Al-masna'ah versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $230 in Al-masna'ah vs $241 in Chiang Mai – so Al-masna'ah 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-masna'ah vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $818 in Al-masna'ah, $869 in Chiang Mai – roughly 6% apart. Chiang Mai costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,227 per month in Al-masna'ah and $1,303 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 $818 in Al-masna'ah and $869 in Chiang Mai. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $192 per month in Al-masna'ah and $307 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $818 in Al-masna'ah and $869 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

It depends on your priorities. Chiang Mai has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $818 in Al-masna'ah to $869 in Chiang Mai. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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-masna'ah. 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.