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 $1,129 per month in Amman vs $861 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,798 per month in Amman vs $1,350 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,466 per month in Amman vs $1,838 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Amman costs about 31% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Amman and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Amman 15% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.19 JOD 5.09

$1.96 ฿65.8

266.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.3 JOD 35.60

$18.35 ฿617

174.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.10 JOD 5.03

$7.48 ฿252

-5.08%

Cappuccino

$4.22 JOD 2.99

$2.02 ฿67.8

108.91%

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

$0.48 JOD 0.34

$0.85 ฿28.50

-43.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 JOD 0.25

$0.36 ฿11.96

-2.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.61 JOD 3.97

$2.14 ฿71.8

162.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.96 JOD 4.93

$3.59 ฿121

93.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.48 JOD 1.05

$1.65 ฿55.5

-10.30%

White Bread (500g)

$0.51 JOD 0.36

$1.57 ฿52.7

-67.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 JOD 1.15

$1.19 ฿40.02

36.97%

Eggs

$2.52 JOD 1.79

$1.94 ฿65.1

29.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.47 JOD 4.58

$16.19 ฿544

-60.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.58 JOD 4.66

$2.99 ฿101

120.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.24 JOD 7.96

$10.94 ฿368

2.74%

Apples (1kg)

$2.00 JOD 1.42

$2.71 ฿91.2

-26.20%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 JOD 1.21

$1.17 ฿39.25

46.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.45 JOD 1.03

$1.69 ฿56.7

-14.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.74 JOD 0.53

$1.60 ฿54.0

-53.75%

Potato (1kg)

$0.88 JOD 0.63

$1.38 ฿46.54

-36.23%

Onion (1kg)

$0.73 JOD 0.52

$1.20 ฿40.45

-39.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.65 JOD 0.46

$0.67 ฿22.50

-2.99%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.62 JOD 0.44

$0.56 ฿18.73

10.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.59 JOD 2.54

$4.64 ฿156

-22.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$21.57 JOD 15.27

$17.62 ฿593

22.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.68 JOD 3.31

$1.86 ฿62.5

151.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.29 JOD 3.75

$3.30 ฿111

60.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.81 JOD 0.57

$0.88 ฿29.68

-7.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.90 JOD 29.66

$19.34 ฿650

116.65%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.74 JOD 0.52

$1.36 ฿45.90

-45.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.40 JOD 0.99

$1.34 ฿44.98

4.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.04 JOD 4.98

$8.21 ฿276

-14.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 JOD 1.03

$1.22 ฿41.18

18.85%

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

$26.6K JOD 18.9K

$21.4K ฿718.1K

24.73%

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

$32.1K JOD 22.7K

$22.5K ฿757.7K

42.48%

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

$107 JOD 75.7

$70.7 ฿2,376

51.24%

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

$17.28 JOD 12.23

$14.04 ฿472

23.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.42 JOD 22.25

$17.49 ฿588

79.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.7 JOD 38.74

$42.15 ฿1,417

29.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$43.42 JOD 30.74

$6.88 ฿231

531.10%

Cinema Ticket

$11.43 JOD 8.09

$5.92 ฿199

93.07%

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

$270 JOD 191

$309 ฿10.4K

-12.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,445 JOD 3,855

$14.9K ฿500.4K

-63.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.5 JOD 44.24

$55.8 ฿1,875

12.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.2 JOD 39.81

$26.11 ฿878

115.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 JOD 81.1

$83.0 ฿2,792

37.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.0 JOD 55.9

$70.5 ฿2,369

12.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$467 JOD 331

$432 ฿14.5K

8.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$301 JOD 213

$239 ฿8,035

26.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$781 JOD 553

$822 ฿27.7K

-5.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$538 JOD 381

$512 ฿17.2K

5.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,596 JOD 1,130

$1,915 ฿64.4K

-16.66%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,027 JOD 727

$1,467 ฿49.3K

-30.03%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$697 JOD 493

$579 ฿19.5K

20.28%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $467 in Amman 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 20% 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 $18.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $244 vs $243 – 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

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

Amman costs about 31% 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 $1,694 per month in Amman 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 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 117% less in Chiang Mai. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $270 per month in Amman and $309 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 $861, than in Amman at $1,129. 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 $861 versus $1,129 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.