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 $907 per month in Aqaba vs $866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,450 per month in Aqaba vs $1,351 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,992 per month in Aqaba vs $1,835 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Aqaba costs about 5% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Aqaba and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Aqaba 32% lower, Chiang Mai 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.79 JOD 1.97

$1.94 ฿63.5

43.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.04 JOD 34.71

$18.64 ฿609

163.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.19 JOD 2.96

$7.82 ฿255

-46.42%

Cappuccino

$4.19 JOD 2.97

$1.95 ฿63.8

114.87%

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

$0.52 JOD 0.37

$0.85 ฿27.77

-38.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 JOD 0.24

$0.35 ฿11.58

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.57 JOD 3.94

$2.13 ฿69.6

161.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.23 JOD 5.12

$3.73 ฿122

93.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 JOD 1.01

$1.71 ฿56.0

-16.37%

White Bread (500g)

$0.50 JOD 0.36

$1.63 ฿53.2

-69.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.68 JOD 1.19

$1.14 ฿37.15

47.37%

Eggs

$1.65 JOD 1.17

$1.93 ฿63.1

-14.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.74 JOD 4.06

$16.21 ฿530

-64.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.27 JOD 3.02

$3.12 ฿102

36.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.68 JOD 6.85

$10.90 ฿356

-11.19%

Apples (1kg)

$1.38 JOD 0.98

$2.75 ฿90.0

-49.82%

Banana (1kg)

$1.39 JOD 0.99

$1.21 ฿39.52

14.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.08 JOD 0.77

$1.62 ฿53.0

-33.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.74 JOD 0.52

$1.59 ฿51.8

-53.46%

Potato (1kg)

$0.73 JOD 0.52

$1.40 ฿45.70

-47.86%

Onion (1kg)

$0.69 JOD 0.49

$1.17 ฿38.17

-41.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.65 JOD 0.46

$0.66 ฿21.60

-1.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 JOD 0.41

$0.53 ฿17.22

9.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.49 JOD 2.47

$4.69 ฿153

-25.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.21 JOD 12.18

$18.66 ฿609

-7.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.80 JOD 1.98

$1.80 ฿58.8

55.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 JOD 1.77

$3.23 ฿106

-22.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.26

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.50 JOD 0.36

$1.41 ฿45.91

-64.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.40 JOD 0.99

$1.29 ฿42.12

8.53%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.89 JOD 4.88

$7.84 ฿256

-12.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 JOD 1.00

$1.27 ฿41.58

11.02%

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

$27.0K JOD 19.1K

$21.3K ฿694.9K

26.74%

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

$30.9K JOD 21.9K

$22.2K ฿725.4K

39.08%

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

$107 JOD 75.6

$69.1 ฿2,256

54.68%

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

$17.13 JOD 12.12

$14.08 ฿460

21.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.90 JOD 22.57

$18.00 ฿588

77.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$70.1 JOD 49.58

$41.06 ฿1,341

70.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

Cinema Ticket

$11.45 JOD 8.10

$5.92 ฿193

93.41%

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

$279 JOD 197

$299 ฿9,766

-6.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,770 JOD 1,960

$15.0K ฿488.3K

-81.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.76 JOD 19.65

$54.7 ฿1,787

-49.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.12 JOD 30.52

$26.77 ฿874

61.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$41.60 JOD 29.44

$85.0 ฿2,776

-51.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 JOD 49.96

$70.6 ฿2,306

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$315 JOD 223

$428 ฿14.0K

-26.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$255 JOD 181

$237 ฿7,752

7.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$728 JOD 515

$801 ฿26.2K

-9.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$496 JOD 351

$515 ฿16.8K

-3.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,133 JOD 802

$1,975 ฿64.5K

-42.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$553 JOD 391

$1,475 ฿48.2K

-62.50%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$556 JOD 394

$617 ฿20.2K

-9.90%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $315 in Aqaba 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 11% 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $190 in Aqaba vs $246 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 5%, 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 $1,361 per month in Aqaba 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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $907 in Aqaba and $866 in Chiang Mai. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $279 per month in Aqaba and $299 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 $907 in Aqaba and $866 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.