Cost of Living Comparison Between Amman and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between Amman and Chiang Mai

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,123 per month in Amman vs $866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,767 per month in Amman vs $1,351 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,412 per month in Amman vs $1,835 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Amman costs about 30% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Amman and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Amman 16% lower, Chiang Mai 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.93 JOD 4.90

$1.94 ฿63.5

257.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.59 JOD 35.10

$18.64 ฿609

166.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.24 JOD 5.12

$7.82 ฿255

-7.42%

Cappuccino

$4.14 JOD 2.93

$1.95 ฿63.8

112.31%

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

$0.51 JOD 0.36

$0.85 ฿27.77

-40.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.38 JOD 0.27

$0.35 ฿11.58

8.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.62 JOD 3.98

$2.13 ฿69.6

163.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.25 JOD 5.13

$3.73 ฿122

94.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.42 JOD 1.01

$1.71 ฿56.0

-16.96%

White Bread (500g)

$0.51 JOD 0.36

$1.63 ฿53.2

-68.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 JOD 1.15

$1.14 ฿37.15

42.98%

Eggs

$2.56 JOD 1.81

$1.93 ฿63.1

32.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.48 JOD 4.59

$16.21 ฿530

-60.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.68 JOD 4.73

$3.12 ฿102

114.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.66 JOD 8.25

$10.90 ฿356

6.97%

Apples (1kg)

$2.00 JOD 1.41

$2.75 ฿90.0

-27.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 JOD 1.24

$1.21 ฿39.52

44.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.40 JOD 0.99

$1.62 ฿53.0

-13.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.76 JOD 0.54

$1.59 ฿51.8

-52.20%

Potato (1kg)

$0.93 JOD 0.66

$1.40 ฿45.70

-33.57%

Onion (1kg)

$0.69 JOD 0.49

$1.17 ฿38.17

-41.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.62 JOD 0.44

$0.66 ฿21.60

-6.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 JOD 0.42

$0.53 ฿17.22

11.32%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.56 JOD 2.52

$4.69 ฿153

-24.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$21.01 JOD 14.87

$18.66 ฿609

12.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.77 JOD 3.38

$1.80 ฿58.8

165.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.28 JOD 3.74

$3.23 ฿106

63.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.77 JOD 0.54

$0.90 ฿29.26

-14.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$42.74 JOD 30.25

$19.21 ฿628

122.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.69 JOD 0.49

$1.41 ฿45.91

-51.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 JOD 0.98

$1.29 ฿42.12

7.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.89 JOD 4.88

$7.84 ฿256

-12.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 JOD 1.04

$1.27 ฿41.58

15.75%

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

$26.6K JOD 18.8K

$21.3K ฿694.9K

25.06%

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

$31.7K JOD 22.4K

$22.2K ฿725.4K

42.58%

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

$106 JOD 74.7

$69.1 ฿2,256

52.84%

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

$16.80 JOD 11.89

$14.08 ฿460

19.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.25 JOD 22.83

$18.00 ฿588

79.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.0 JOD 38.89

$41.06 ฿1,341

33.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$42.58 JOD 30.14

$6.96 ฿227

511.78%

Cinema Ticket

$11.19 JOD 7.92

$5.92 ฿193

89.02%

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

$276 JOD 195

$299 ฿9,766

-7.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,297 JOD 3,749

$15.0K ฿488.3K

-64.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.6 JOD 42.86

$54.7 ฿1,787

10.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.2 JOD 40.49

$26.77 ฿874

113.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 JOD 80.0

$85.0 ฿2,776

32.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.0 JOD 55.9

$70.6 ฿2,306

11.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$469 JOD 332

$428 ฿14.0K

9.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$296 JOD 209

$237 ฿7,752

24.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$790 JOD 559

$801 ฿26.2K

-1.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$532 JOD 376

$515 ฿16.8K

3.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,660 JOD 1,175

$1,975 ฿64.5K

-15.95%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,035 JOD 733

$1,475 ฿48.2K

-29.81%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$694 JOD 491

$617 ฿20.2K

12.37%

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 Amman: May 30, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $469 in Amman versus $428 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 12% higher in Amman, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $50.0 in Amman versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $244 in Amman vs $246 in Chiang Mai – so Amman 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

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

Amman costs about 30% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,684 per month in Amman and $1,300 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 122% less in Chiang Mai. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $276 per month in Amman and $299 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $866, than in Amman at $1,123. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Amman it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $866 versus $1,123 in Amman. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Chiang Mai. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Amman makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.