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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $947 in Chiang Mai versus $1,038 in 'ibri.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,411 in Chiang Mai versus $1,615 in 'ibri.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,874 in Chiang Mai versus $2,192 in 'ibri.

Living in Chiang Mai costs roughly 9% less than in 'ibri, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Chiang Mai 31% lower, 'ibri 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿68.6

$5.15 OMR 1.98

-59.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.64 ฿646

$33.97 OMR 13.08

-42.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.65 ฿186

$7.58 OMR 2.92

-25.46%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿59.4

$4.73 OMR 1.82

-61.73%

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

$0.71 ฿23.45

$0.90 OMR 0.35

-21.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ฿10.38

$0.29 OMR 0.11

10.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.24 ฿73.6

$12.81 OMR 4.93

-82.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ฿119

$13.23 OMR 5.09

-72.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.96 ฿64.4

$1.31 OMR 0.50

49.62%

White Bread (500g)

$1.50 ฿49.39

$0.76 OMR 0.29

97.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 ฿43.93

$1.33 OMR 0.51

0.75%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿74.5

$2.11 OMR 0.81

7.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.26 ฿535

$7.66 OMR 2.95

112.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.95 ฿97.1

$5.08 OMR 1.95

-41.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.94 ฿327

$10.46 OMR 4.03

-4.97%

Apples (1kg)

$2.57 ฿84.6

$2.64 OMR 1.02

-2.65%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 ฿34.73

$1.93 OMR 0.74

-45.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.61 ฿53.0

$1.60 OMR 0.62

0.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.97

$1.06 OMR 0.41

43.40%

Potato (1kg)

$1.27 ฿41.77

$1.06 OMR 0.41

19.81%

Onion (1kg)

$1.07 ฿35.06

$0.80 OMR 0.31

33.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.68

$0.76 OMR 0.29

-5.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.72

$0.54 OMR 0.21

-5.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 ฿138

$6.34 OMR 2.44

-33.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.87 ฿587

$15.31 OMR 5.89

16.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 ฿55.7

$5.71 OMR 2.20

-70.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 ฿93.3

$8.90 OMR 3.43

-68.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.93 ฿30.43

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.9 ฿1,771

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.23 ฿40.59

$2.56 OMR 0.99

-51.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿18.96

$1.34 OMR 0.51

-56.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.42 ฿79.7

$7.71 OMR 2.97

-68.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 ฿46.43

$0.62 OMR 0.24

127.42%

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

$21.4K ฿705.1K

$25.9K OMR 9,967

-17.17%

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

$27.3K ฿898.7K

$22.4K OMR 8,611

22.22%

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

$63.7 ฿2,093

$79.0 OMR 30.40

-19.36%

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

$12.85 ฿423

$30.98 OMR 11.93

-58.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.22 ฿665

$70.1 OMR 26.97

-71.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.74 ฿1,274

$76.5 OMR 29.45

-49.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.97 ฿130

Cinema Ticket

$6.74 ฿222

$10.33 OMR 3.98

-34.75%

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

$778 ฿25.6K

$290 OMR 112

168.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿480.4K

$10.5K OMR 4,040

39.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.3 ฿1,785

$56.9 OMR 21.90

-4.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.45 ฿837

$43.50 OMR 16.75

-41.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.3 ฿3,102

$89.2 OMR 34.34

5.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.4 ฿2,415

$94.7 OMR 36.45

-22.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.1K

$232 OMR 89.4

110.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$289 ฿9,512

$184 OMR 70.7

57.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$894 ฿29.4K

$476 OMR 183

87.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$517 ฿17.0K

$372 OMR 143

39.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,955 ฿64.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,477 ฿48.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿19.8K

$2,956 OMR 1,138

-79.63%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

5.25

6.10%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 31, 2026

Last update for 'ibri: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $490 in Chiang Mai and $232 in 'ibri. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

'ibri pays 391% 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: $20.00 in Chiang Mai vs $34.00 in 'ibri for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $240 vs $242 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 'ibri: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai and 'ibri differ by about 10% in total monthly costs ($947 vs $1,038 including rent). Chiang Mai is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 391% lower in 'ibri. 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: $490 in Chiang Mai versus $232 in 'ibri. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 1% higher in 'ibri. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $947 per month in Chiang Mai versus $1,038 in 'ibri – a 10% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $947 in Chiang Mai versus $1,038 in 'ibri, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Chiang Mai but tight or insufficient in 'ibri. The gap between the two cities makes Chiang Mai the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Chiang Mai and 'ibri 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 10% less than in 'ibri. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.