🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $405 in At Tafilah versus $845 in Chiang Mai.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $718 in At Tafilah versus $1,323 in Chiang Mai.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,031 in At Tafilah versus $1,802 in Chiang Mai.
🙂Living in At Tafilah costs roughly 52% less than in Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: At Tafilah70% lower, Chiang Mai37% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
At Tafilah
Chiang Mai
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.26JOD 3.02
$1.95฿62.8
118.46%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$28.07JOD 19.90
$18.43฿594
52.31%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$5.78JOD 4.10
$7.50฿241
-22.93%
Cappuccino
$3.59JOD 2.55
$1.93฿62.3
86.01%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.34JOD 0.24
$0.78฿25.08
-56.41%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.46JOD 0.32
$0.32฿10.42
43.75%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$5.73JOD 4.07
$2.15฿69.2
166.51%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$7.04JOD 4.99
$3.71฿120
89.76%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
At Tafilah
Chiang Mai
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.53JOD 1.09
$1.71฿55.2
-10.53%
White Bread(500g)
$0.74JOD 0.53
$1.56฿50.3
-52.56%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.44JOD 1.02
$1.18฿38.06
22.03%
Eggs
$1.48JOD 1.05
$1.98฿63.9
-25.25%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$7.08JOD 5.02
$16.04฿517
-55.86%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$2.88JOD 2.04
$3.17฿102
-9.15%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
-
$10.94฿353
-
Apples(1kg)
$1.78JOD 1.26
$2.63฿84.7
-32.32%
Banana(1kg)
$1.79JOD 1.27
$1.17฿37.61
52.99%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.44JOD 1.02
$1.65฿53.0
-12.73%
Tomato(1kg)
$0.69JOD 0.49
$1.54฿49.51
-55.19%
Potato(1kg)
$0.68JOD 0.48
$1.38฿44.34
-50.72%
Onion(1kg)
$0.70JOD 0.50
$1.17฿37.54
-40.17%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.74JOD 0.52
$0.66฿21.25
12.12%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.47JOD 0.33
$0.51฿16.55
-7.84%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$3.24JOD 2.30
$4.52฿146
-28.32%
Wine(Bottle)
-
$18.32฿590
-
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
-
$1.80฿57.9
-
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
-
$3.18฿102
-
🚌 Getting Around
At Tafilah
Chiang Mai
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.74JOD 0.52
$0.90฿28.97
-17.78%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
-
$19.00฿612
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$0.73JOD 0.52
$1.41฿45.50
-48.23%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.67JOD 0.48
$1.31฿42.15
-48.85%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
-
$8.09฿261
-
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.22JOD 0.86
$1.28฿41.08
-4.69%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
-
$21.3K฿686.1K
-
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
-
$21.7K฿699.3K
-
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
At Tafilah
Chiang Mai
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$67.6JOD 47.91
$69.2฿2,230
-2.36%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
-
$13.97฿450
-
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$21.01JOD 14.90
$17.95฿578
17.05%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
At Tafilah
Chiang Mai
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$21.31JOD 15.11
$42.31฿1,363
-49.63%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$6.66฿214
-
Cinema Ticket
-
$5.92฿191
-
🧸 Childcare & Education
At Tafilah
Chiang Mai
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
-
$299฿9,640
-
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
-
$14.8K฿478.4K
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
At Tafilah
Chiang Mai
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$28.22JOD 20.01
$56.2฿1,810
-49.78%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$25.84JOD 18.32
$26.94฿868
-4.08%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
-
$84.9฿2,735
-
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$27.96JOD 19.82
$71.8฿2,314
-61.07%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
At Tafilah
Chiang Mai
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
-
$435฿14.0K
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
-
$240฿7,727
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$215JOD 153
$798฿25.7K
-73.02%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$144JOD 102
$498฿16.1K
-71.16%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
-
$1,995฿64.3K
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
-
$1,532฿49.4K
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
At Tafilah
Chiang Mai
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
-
$628฿20.2K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
0
5
-
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for At Tafilah: April 22, 2026
Last update for Chiang Mai: April 20, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $0 in At Tafilah and $435 in Chiang Mai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
🛒Dining out: $28 in At Tafilah vs $18 in Chiang Mai. Groceries flip the comparison at $111 vs $244, with At Tafilah cheaper for home cooking.
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
At Tafilah vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Chiang Mai cheaper than At Tafilah?
At Tafilah is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 108% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You'd need roughly $608 in At Tafilah and $1,267 in Chiang Mai to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
How do food prices compare in At Tafilah and Chiang Mai?
Supermarket bills run roughly 120% higher in Chiang Mai. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Is eating out cheaper in At Tafilah or Chiang Mai?
Dining out is cheaper in At Tafilah – a meal for two runs $28.00 versus $18.00 in Chiang Mai. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Is $1,000 enough for either At Tafilah or Chiang Mai?
Either city works on $1,000 a month, though At Tafilah gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.
Is At Tafilah or Chiang Mai more family-friendly?
For families, At Tafilah is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Chiang Mai, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, At Tafilah or Chiang Mai?
Safety-wise, At Tafilah and Chiang Mai are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find At Tafilah gentler on the wallet – expenses run 108% less than in Chiang Mai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.
At Tafilah vs other spots: cost of living compared