Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and 'ajlun Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and 'ajlun

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $950 in Chiang Mai versus $938 in 'ajlun.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,430 in Chiang Mai versus $1,504 in 'ajlun.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,909 in Chiang Mai versus $2,069 in 'ajlun.

Living in Chiang Mai is roughly 1% more expensive than in 'ajlun, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Chiang Mai 31% lower, 'ajlun 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.10 ฿69.3

$6.89 JOD 4.87

-69.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.84 ฿656

$67.6 JOD 47.85

-70.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.79 ฿191

$7.01 JOD 4.96

-17.40%

Cappuccino

$1.83 ฿60.4

$4.39 JOD 3.11

-58.31%

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

$0.78 ฿25.61

$0.37 JOD 0.26

110.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.37

$0.43 JOD 0.31

-27.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.34 ฿77.2

$8.57 JOD 6.07

-72.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.70 ฿122

$11.07 JOD 7.83

-66.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.03 ฿67.1

$1.42 JOD 1.01

42.96%

White Bread (500g)

$1.60 ฿52.7

$0.71 JOD 0.51

125.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.42 ฿46.75

$1.58 JOD 1.12

-10.13%

Eggs

$2.18 ฿71.9

$2.47 JOD 1.75

-11.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.91 ฿526

$9.21 JOD 6.51

72.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.07 ฿102

$6.59 JOD 4.67

-53.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.87 ฿326

$12.60 JOD 8.92

-21.67%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 ฿86.8

$1.16 JOD 0.82

126.72%

Banana (1kg)

$1.10 ฿36.19

$1.10 JOD 0.78

Oranges (1kg)

$1.63 ฿53.8

$1.11 JOD 0.78

46.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿50.6

$0.83 JOD 0.59

84.34%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 ฿41.13

$0.83 JOD 0.59

49.40%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 ฿37.37

$0.68 JOD 0.48

66.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 ฿24.38

$0.61 JOD 0.43

21.31%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 ฿16.48

$0.62 JOD 0.44

-19.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.28 ฿141

$3.92 JOD 2.77

9.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.97 ฿594

$20.84 JOD 14.75

-13.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 ฿56.1

$4.99 JOD 3.53

-65.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿95.7

$5.10 JOD 3.61

-43.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.94 ฿31.13

$0.59 JOD 0.41

59.32%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.3 ฿1,827

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.23 ฿40.76

$0.64 JOD 0.45

92.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ฿17.66

$1.43 JOD 1.01

-62.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.40 ฿79.3

$7.07 JOD 5.01

-66.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 ฿47.55

$1.66 JOD 1.18

-13.25%

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

$21.2K ฿700.2K

$35.4K JOD 25.0K

-40.07%

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

$27.3K ฿902.1K

$34.2K JOD 24.2K

-20.17%

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

$64.9 ฿2,145

$49.88 JOD 35.30

30.17%

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

$13.35 ฿441

$14.18 JOD 10.03

-5.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.83 ฿688

$28.40 JOD 20.10

-26.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.42 ฿1,336

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.95 ฿131

Cinema Ticket

$6.71 ฿222

$11.42 JOD 8.08

-41.24%

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

$787 ฿26.0K

$485 JOD 343

62.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.1K ฿499.6K

$9,668 JOD 6,842

56.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.2 ฿1,858

$62.4 JOD 44.18

-9.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.95 ฿824

$81.5 JOD 57.7

-69.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.7 ฿3,063

$125 JOD 88.6

-25.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.1 ฿2,482

$87.6 JOD 62.0

-14.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$484 ฿16.0K

$288 JOD 204

68.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$287 ฿9,491

$208 JOD 147

38.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$910 ฿30.1K

$427 JOD 302

113.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$531 ฿17.5K

$287 JOD 203

85.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,980 ฿65.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,451 ฿47.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$605 ฿20.0K

$675 JOD 477

-10.28%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

6.81

-18.21%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 7, 2026

Last update for 'ajlun: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $484 in Chiang Mai and $288 in 'ajlun. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

'ajlun pays 11% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $20.00 in Chiang Mai vs $68.0 in 'ajlun for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $242 vs $247 per month, with Chiang Mai cheaper across the board.

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

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

'ajlun is cheaper overall, especially in Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 1% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 11% lower in 'ajlun. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $484 in Chiang Mai versus $288 in 'ajlun. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $787 in Chiang Mai versus $485 in 'ajlun. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in 'ajlun – a meal for two runs $68.0 versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $938 in 'ajlun versus $950 in Chiang Mai, a $1,500 budget is realistic in 'ajlun but tight or insufficient in Chiang Mai. The gap between the two cities makes 'ajlun the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, 'ajlun 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.

Safety-wise, Chiang Mai and 'ajlun are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find 'ajlun gentler on the wallet – expenses run 1% less than in Chiang Mai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.