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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $904 per month in Aqaba vs $947 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,489 per month in Aqaba vs $1,411 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,074 per month in Aqaba vs $1,874 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Aqaba is about 5% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Aqaba and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Aqaba 34% lower, Chiang Mai 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.79 JOD 1.97

$2.08 ฿69.2

34.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$66.1 JOD 46.76

$19.64 ฿651

236.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.13 JOD 2.92

$5.65 ฿188

-26.90%

Cappuccino

$4.43 JOD 3.14

$1.81 ฿59.9

144.75%

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

$0.66 JOD 0.46

$0.71 ฿23.66

-7.04%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.59 JOD 0.42

$0.32 ฿10.48

84.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.45 JOD 5.98

$2.24 ฿74.2

277.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.86 JOD 7.69

$3.63 ฿121

199.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 JOD 1.02

$1.96 ฿65.0

-26.53%

White Bread (500g)

$0.50 JOD 0.35

$1.50 ฿49.83

-66.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.59 JOD 1.13

$1.34 ฿44.32

18.66%

Eggs

$1.70 JOD 1.20

$2.26 ฿75.1

-24.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.62 JOD 3.98

$16.26 ฿539

-65.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.25 JOD 3.00

$2.95 ฿98.0

44.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.88 JOD 7.00

$9.94 ฿330

-0.60%

Apples (1kg)

$1.37 JOD 0.97

$2.57 ฿85.3

-46.69%

Banana (1kg)

$1.38 JOD 0.98

$1.06 ฿35.04

30.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.03 JOD 0.73

$1.61 ฿53.5

-36.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.69 JOD 0.49

$1.52 ฿50.4

-54.61%

Potato (1kg)

$0.74 JOD 0.52

$1.27 ฿42.14

-41.73%

Onion (1kg)

$0.69 JOD 0.49

$1.07 ฿35.37

-35.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 JOD 0.47

$0.72 ฿23.89

-8.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 JOD 0.38

$0.51 ฿16.87

5.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.86 JOD 2.74

$4.19 ฿139

-7.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.14 JOD 12.13

$17.87 ฿593

-4.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.74 JOD 1.94

$1.69 ฿56.2

62.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.54 JOD 1.79

$2.84 ฿94.1

-10.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.93 ฿30.70

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.9 ฿1,787

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.50 JOD 0.36

$1.23 ฿40.95

-59.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.42 JOD 1.01

$0.58 ฿19.13

144.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.88 JOD 4.87

$2.42 ฿80.4

184.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.42 JOD 1.00

$1.41 ฿46.84

0.71%

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

$31.1K JOD 22.0K

$21.4K ฿711.3K

45.00%

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

$30.8K JOD 21.8K

$27.3K ฿906.7K

12.59%

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

$127 JOD 89.8

$63.7 ฿2,112

99.34%

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

$15.95 JOD 11.29

$12.85 ฿426

24.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.64 JOD 22.39

$20.22 ฿671

56.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$64.0 JOD 45.26

$38.74 ฿1,285

65.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.97 ฿132

Cinema Ticket

$11.26 JOD 7.97

$6.74 ฿223

67.06%

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

$479 JOD 339

$778 ฿25.8K

-38.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,861 JOD 2,025

$14.6K ฿484.6K

-80.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.65 JOD 19.57

$54.3 ฿1,801

-49.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.62 JOD 30.16

$25.45 ฿844

67.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$42.27 JOD 29.92

$94.3 ฿3,129

-55.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 JOD 49.90

$73.4 ฿2,436

-3.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$281 JOD 199

$490 ฿16.2K

-42.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$211 JOD 149

$289 ฿9,596

-27.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$683 JOD 483

$894 ฿29.6K

-23.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$453 JOD 321

$517 ฿17.1K

-12.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,120 JOD 792

$1,955 ฿64.9K

-42.73%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$553 JOD 391

$1,477 ฿49.0K

-62.55%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$555 JOD 393

$602 ฿20.0K

-7.75%

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 Aqaba: August 31, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $281 in Aqaba versus $490 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 8% higher in Chiang Mai, 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 $66.0 in Aqaba versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $189 in Aqaba vs $240 in Chiang Mai – so Aqaba 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

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

Yes – Chiang Mai is pricier by about 5%, 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 $1,355 per month in Aqaba and $1,421 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $904 in Aqaba and $947 in Chiang Mai. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $479 per month in Aqaba and $778 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Aqaba, where all-in costs run around $904, than in Chiang Mai at $947. In Aqaba it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiang Mai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Aqaba – 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 Aqaba. 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.