Cost of Living Comparison Between Ar-rustaq and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between Ar-rustaq and Chiang Mai

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $966 per month in Ar-rustaq vs $861 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,335 per month in Ar-rustaq vs $1,350 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,705 per month in Ar-rustaq vs $1,838 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Ar-rustaq costs about 12% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Ar-rustaq and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Ar-rustaq 28% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.13 OMR 1.97

$1.96 ฿65.9

161.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.59 OMR 9.85

$18.35 ฿617

39.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.95 OMR 3.06

$7.48 ฿252

6.28%

Cappuccino

$4.75 OMR 1.83

$2.02 ฿67.8

135.15%

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

$0.50 OMR 0.19

$0.85 ฿28.52

-41.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 OMR 0.10

$0.36 ฿11.97

-25.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$12.36 OMR 4.76

$2.14 ฿71.9

477.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$11.66 OMR 4.49

$3.59 ฿121

224.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.93 OMR 0.74

$1.65 ฿55.5

16.97%

White Bread (500g)

$1.22 OMR 0.47

$1.57 ฿52.7

-22.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.68 OMR 0.65

$1.19 ฿40.05

41.18%

Eggs

$1.91 OMR 0.73

$1.94 ฿65.1

-1.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.67 OMR 1.41

$16.19 ฿545

-77.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.26 OMR 1.64

$2.99 ฿101

42.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.72 OMR 2.97

$10.94 ฿368

-29.43%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 OMR 0.88

$2.71 ฿91.2

-15.87%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 OMR 0.67

$1.17 ฿39.27

49.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.84 OMR 0.71

$1.69 ฿56.8

8.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.12 OMR 0.43

$1.60 ฿54.0

-30.00%

Potato (1kg)

$0.95 OMR 0.37

$1.38 ฿46.56

-31.16%

Onion (1kg)

$0.99 OMR 0.38

$1.20 ฿40.47

-17.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 OMR 0.40

$0.67 ฿22.51

55.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 OMR 0.21

$0.56 ฿18.74

-5.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.48 OMR 2.49

$4.64 ฿156

39.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.88 OMR 6.11

$17.62 ฿593

-9.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.20 OMR 1.62

$1.86 ฿62.6

125.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.62 OMR 2.93

$3.30 ฿111

130.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.26 OMR 0.49

$0.88 ฿29.70

43.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ฿651

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.58 OMR 0.61

$1.36 ฿45.92

16.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.80 OMR 0.31

$1.34 ฿45.00

-40.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.47 OMR 4.03

$8.21 ฿276

27.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.64 OMR 0.25

$1.22 ฿41.20

-47.54%

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

$22.5K OMR 8,649

$21.4K ฿718.5K

5.23%

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

$21.5K OMR 8,261

$22.5K ฿758.1K

-4.74%

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

$106 OMR 40.84

$70.7 ฿2,378

50.15%

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

$40.86 OMR 15.73

$14.04 ฿472

191.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.3 OMR 26.69

$17.49 ฿589

296.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.15 ฿1,418

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$2.56 OMR 0.98

$6.88 ฿231

-62.79%

Cinema Ticket

$10.45 OMR 4.02

$5.92 ฿199

76.52%

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

$129 OMR 49.74

$309 ฿10.4K

-58.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,739 OMR 1,439

$14.9K ฿500.7K

-74.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$20.56 OMR 7.92

$55.8 ฿1,876

-63.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.17 OMR 10.07

$26.11 ฿879

0.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$39.16 OMR 15.07

$83.0 ฿2,793

-52.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$52.4 OMR 20.17

$70.5 ฿2,371

-25.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$154 OMR 59.2

$432 ฿14.5K

-64.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$208 OMR 80.1

$239 ฿8,040

-12.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$397 OMR 153

$822 ฿27.7K

-51.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$212 OMR 81.5

$512 ฿17.2K

-58.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,915 ฿64.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 ฿49.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,373 OMR 1,683

$579 ฿19.5K

654.78%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.15

3.00%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Ar-rustaq: July 14, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $154 in Ar-rustaq 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 655% higher in Ar-rustaq, 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 $26.00 in Ar-rustaq versus $18.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $220 in Ar-rustaq vs $243 in Chiang Mai – so Ar-rustaq 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

Ar-rustaq vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Ar-rustaq is pricier by about 12%, 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 $1,449 per month in Ar-rustaq 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 $966 in Ar-rustaq and $861 in Chiang Mai. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $129 per month in Ar-rustaq 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 $966 in Ar-rustaq 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, Ar-rustaq makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.