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 $925 per month in Aqaba vs $861 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,423 per month in Aqaba vs $1,350 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,921 per month in Aqaba vs $1,838 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Aqaba costs about 7% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Aqaba and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Aqaba 31% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.77 JOD 1.96

$1.96 ฿65.9

41.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.99 JOD 34.68

$18.35 ฿617

166.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.19 JOD 2.97

$7.48 ฿252

-43.98%

Cappuccino

$4.17 JOD 2.95

$2.02 ฿67.8

106.44%

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

$0.48 JOD 0.34

$0.85 ฿28.52

-43.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 JOD 0.26

$0.36 ฿11.97

2.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.78 JOD 4.09

$2.14 ฿71.9

170.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.02 JOD 4.97

$3.59 ฿121

95.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.39 JOD 0.99

$1.65 ฿55.5

-15.76%

White Bread (500g)

$0.51 JOD 0.36

$1.57 ฿52.7

-67.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 JOD 1.20

$1.19 ฿40.05

42.86%

Eggs

$1.72 JOD 1.22

$1.94 ฿65.1

-11.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.53 JOD 3.91

$16.19 ฿545

-65.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.19 JOD 2.97

$2.99 ฿101

40.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.72 JOD 6.88

$10.94 ฿368

-11.15%

Apples (1kg)

$1.39 JOD 0.98

$2.71 ฿91.2

-48.71%

Banana (1kg)

$1.38 JOD 0.98

$1.17 ฿39.27

17.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.03 JOD 0.73

$1.69 ฿56.8

-39.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.69 JOD 0.49

$1.60 ฿54.0

-56.88%

Potato (1kg)

$0.69 JOD 0.49

$1.38 ฿46.56

-50.00%

Onion (1kg)

$0.70 JOD 0.50

$1.20 ฿40.47

-41.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.60 JOD 0.42

$0.67 ฿22.51

-10.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 JOD 0.39

$0.56 ฿18.74

-1.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.61 JOD 2.56

$4.64 ฿156

-22.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.67 JOD 11.80

$17.62 ฿593

-5.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.78 JOD 1.97

$1.86 ฿62.6

49.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 JOD 1.79

$3.30 ฿111

-23.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.70

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ฿651

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.51 JOD 0.36

$1.36 ฿45.92

-62.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.45 JOD 1.02

$1.34 ฿45.00

8.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.16 JOD 5.07

$8.21 ฿276

-12.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.40 JOD 0.99

$1.22 ฿41.20

14.75%

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

$27.4K JOD 19.4K

$21.4K ฿718.5K

28.34%

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

$30.7K JOD 21.7K

$22.5K ฿758.1K

36.19%

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

$107 JOD 75.4

$70.7 ฿2,378

50.77%

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

$17.26 JOD 12.22

$14.04 ฿472

22.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.92 JOD 22.59

$17.49 ฿589

82.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$69.1 JOD 48.92

$42.15 ฿1,418

63.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

Cinema Ticket

$11.27 JOD 7.98

$5.92 ฿199

90.37%

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

$276 JOD 195

$309 ฿10.4K

-10.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,842 JOD 2,011

$14.9K ฿500.7K

-80.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.68 JOD 19.59

$55.8 ฿1,876

-50.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.15 JOD 29.83

$26.11 ฿879

61.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$42.60 JOD 30.15

$83.0 ฿2,793

-48.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 JOD 50.0

$70.5 ฿2,371

0.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$315 JOD 223

$432 ฿14.5K

-26.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$262 JOD 186

$239 ฿8,040

9.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$740 JOD 524

$822 ฿27.7K

-10.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$492 JOD 349

$512 ฿17.2K

-3.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,149 JOD 813

$1,915 ฿64.4K

-39.98%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$567 JOD 401

$1,467 ฿49.4K

-61.39%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$566 JOD 401

$579 ฿19.5K

-2.34%

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 Aqaba: July 12, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $315 in Aqaba 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 2% higher in Chiang Mai, 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 $49.00 in Aqaba versus $18.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $187 in Aqaba vs $243 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 – Aqaba is pricier by about 7%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,387 per month in Aqaba 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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $925 in Aqaba and $861 in Chiang Mai. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $276 per month in Aqaba and $309 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $925 in Aqaba and $861 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Chiang Mai – 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 Chiang Mai. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Aqaba makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.