Cost of Living Comparison Between Az-zarqa' and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between Az-zarqa' and Chiang Mai

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $705 per month in Az-zarqa' vs $926 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,091 per month in Az-zarqa' vs $1,381 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,476 per month in Az-zarqa' vs $1,835 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Az-zarqa' is about 24% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Az-zarqa' and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Az-zarqa' 48% lower, Chiang Mai 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.27 JOD 3.03

$2.10 ฿70.8

103.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.19 JOD 17.83

$19.22 ฿647

31.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.58 JOD 3.95

$5.47 ฿184

2.01%

Cappuccino

$0.85 JOD 0.60

$1.69 ฿56.8

-49.70%

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

$0.43 JOD 0.31

$0.65 ฿21.78

-33.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 JOD 0.23

$0.31 ฿10.36

6.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.26 JOD 3.01

$2.32 ฿78.1

83.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.87 JOD 7.69

$3.91 ฿132

178.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.37 JOD 0.97

$2.07 ฿69.6

-33.82%

White Bread (500g)

$0.43 JOD 0.31

$1.53 ฿51.6

-71.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.51 JOD 1.07

$1.25 ฿42.08

20.80%

Eggs

$1.81 JOD 1.28

$2.19 ฿73.8

-17.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.93 JOD 3.49

$15.94 ฿537

-69.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.43 JOD 3.84

$2.76 ฿93.0

96.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.24 JOD 5.83

$9.74 ฿328

-15.40%

Apples (1kg)

$1.56 JOD 1.10

$2.66 ฿89.4

-41.35%

Banana (1kg)

$1.33 JOD 0.94

$1.05 ฿35.45

26.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.21 JOD 0.86

$1.66 ฿55.8

-27.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.59 JOD 0.41

$1.48 ฿49.67

-60.14%

Potato (1kg)

$0.86 JOD 0.61

$1.21 ฿40.88

-28.93%

Onion (1kg)

$0.84 JOD 0.60

$1.10 ฿37.09

-23.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.59 JOD 0.42

$0.76 ฿25.59

-22.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 JOD 0.36

$0.50 ฿16.72

2.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.78 JOD 2.67

$4.38 ฿147

-13.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.15 JOD 5.06

$17.50 ฿589

-59.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.30 JOD 3.04

$1.66 ฿55.9

159.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.35 JOD 3.08

$2.78 ฿93.5

56.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.66 JOD 0.46

$0.86 ฿28.99

-23.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.06 JOD 14.90

$53.7 ฿1,809

-60.80%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.63 JOD 0.45

$1.22 ฿41.01

-48.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.38 JOD 0.98

$0.56 ฿18.87

146.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.88 JOD 3.45

$2.34 ฿78.9

108.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.39 JOD 0.98

$1.45 ฿48.75

-4.14%

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

$17.0K JOD 12.1K

$21.1K ฿708.9K

-19.12%

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

$22.2K JOD 15.7K

$26.3K ฿885.5K

-15.66%

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

$126 JOD 88.9

$63.6 ฿2,141

97.44%

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

$13.35 JOD 9.45

$12.56 ฿423

6.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.71 JOD 19.61

$20.04 ฿675

38.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$28.32 JOD 20.04

$38.73 ฿1,304

-26.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.18 JOD 10.04

$3.80 ฿128

273.16%

Cinema Ticket

$10.14 JOD 7.17

$6.47 ฿218

56.72%

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

$211 JOD 150

$777 ฿26.2K

-72.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,263 JOD 3,017

$14.6K ฿490.8K

-70.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$20.96 JOD 14.83

$55.2 ฿1,859

-62.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$13.94 JOD 9.87

$24.77 ฿834

-43.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$44.94 JOD 31.80

$90.3 ฿3,040

-50.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$39.93 JOD 28.26

$73.5 ฿2,476

-45.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$165 JOD 117

$466 ฿15.7K

-64.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$123 JOD 87.3

$286 ฿9,635

-56.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$302 JOD 213

$866 ฿29.2K

-65.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$244 JOD 173

$525 ฿17.7K

-53.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$567 JOD 402

$1,978 ฿66.6K

-71.31%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$349 JOD 247

$1,461 ฿49.2K

-76.11%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$498 JOD 353

$581 ฿19.6K

-14.22%

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 Az-zarqa': September 27, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $165 in Az-zarqa' versus $466 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 17% 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 $25.00 in Az-zarqa' versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $179 in Az-zarqa' vs $238 in Chiang Mai – so Az-zarqa' 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

Az-zarqa' vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $705 in Az-zarqa', $926 in Chiang Mai – roughly 31% apart. Chiang Mai costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,058 per month in Az-zarqa' and $1,388 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 155% less in Az-zarqa'. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $211 per month in Az-zarqa' and $777 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Az-zarqa', where all-in costs run around $705, than in Chiang Mai at $926. In Az-zarqa' it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiang Mai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Chiang Mai has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $705 in Az-zarqa' to $926 in Chiang Mai. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Az-zarqa'. 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.