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: $861 in Chiang Mai versus $901 in 'ajlun.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,350 in Chiang Mai versus $1,369 in 'ajlun.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,838 in Chiang Mai versus $1,838 in 'ajlun.

Living in Chiang Mai costs roughly 4% less than in 'ajlun, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Chiang Mai 36% lower, 'ajlun 33% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿65.9

$7.04 JOD 4.98

-72.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.35 ฿617

$50.4 JOD 35.63

-63.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.48 ฿252

$7.15 JOD 5.06

4.62%

Cappuccino

$2.02 ฿67.8

$4.23 JOD 2.99

-52.25%

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

$0.85 ฿28.52

$0.36 JOD 0.26

136.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.97

$0.38 JOD 0.27

-5.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.9

$5.66 JOD 4.01

-62.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 ฿121

$7.10 JOD 5.03

-49.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿55.5

$1.43 JOD 1.01

15.38%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.7

$0.55 JOD 0.39

185.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿40.05

$1.69 JOD 1.20

-29.59%

Eggs

$1.94 ฿65.1

$2.52 JOD 1.79

-23.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿545

$6.68 JOD 4.73

142.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.99 ฿101

$6.67 JOD 4.72

-55.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿368

$11.68 JOD 8.27

-6.34%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 ฿91.2

$1.11 JOD 0.79

144.14%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿39.27

$1.15 JOD 0.81

1.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 ฿56.8

$1.14 JOD 0.81

48.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 ฿54.0

$0.80 JOD 0.56

100.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.56

$0.84 JOD 0.59

64.29%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.47

$0.72 JOD 0.51

66.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿22.51

$0.65 JOD 0.46

3.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.74

$0.59 JOD 0.42

-5.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.64 ฿156

$3.49 JOD 2.47

32.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.62 ฿593

$20.84 JOD 14.75

-15.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.6

$4.64 JOD 3.28

-59.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 ฿111

$5.31 JOD 3.76

-37.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.70

$0.58 JOD 0.41

51.72%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ฿651

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿45.92

$0.69 JOD 0.49

97.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿45.00

$1.38 JOD 0.97

-2.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.21 ฿276

$7.21 JOD 5.10

13.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ฿41.20

$1.46 JOD 1.03

-16.44%

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

$21.4K ฿718.5K

$26.7K JOD 18.9K

-20.05%

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

$22.5K ฿758.1K

$31.8K JOD 22.5K

-29.09%

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

$70.7 ฿2,378

$50.3 JOD 35.58

40.58%

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

$14.04 ฿472

$14.32 JOD 10.14

-1.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.49 ฿589

$27.75 JOD 19.64

-36.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.15 ฿1,418

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿199

$11.40 JOD 8.07

-48.07%

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

$309 ฿10.4K

$276 JOD 195

11.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K ฿500.7K

$5,507 JOD 3,898

170.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,876

$60.7 JOD 42.96

-8.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.11 ฿879

$56.3 JOD 39.84

-53.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.0 ฿2,793

$112 JOD 79.4

-25.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 ฿2,371

$79.6 JOD 56.3

-11.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$432 ฿14.5K

$288 JOD 204

50.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿8,040

$215 JOD 152

11.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$822 ฿27.7K

$427 JOD 302

92.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$512 ฿17.2K

$280 JOD 198

83.13%

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)

$579 ฿19.5K

$693 JOD 491

-16.43%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.27

-31.22%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Last update for 'ajlun: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $432 in Chiang Mai and $288 in 'ajlun. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

'ajlun pays 20% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $18.00 in Chiang Mai vs $50.0 in 'ajlun. Groceries flip the comparison at $243 vs $235, with 'ajlun 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

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

Chiang Mai is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 5% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 20% 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: $432 in Chiang Mai versus $288 in 'ajlun. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $309 in Chiang Mai versus $276 in 'ajlun. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Chiang Mai – a meal for two runs $18.00 versus $50.0 in 'ajlun. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Either city works on $800 a month, though Chiang Mai gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

For families, Chiang Mai is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in 'ajlun, 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 Chiang Mai gentler on the wallet – expenses run 5% less than in 'ajlun. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.