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: $866 in Chiang Mai versus $839 in 'ibri.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,351 in Chiang Mai versus $1,311 in 'ibri.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,835 in Chiang Mai versus $1,783 in 'ibri.

Living in Chiang Mai is roughly 3% more expensive than 'ibri, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities sit below the global median: Chiang Mai 35% lower, 'ibri 37% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ฿63.5

$2.66 OMR 1.02

-27.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 ฿609

$25.59 OMR 9.85

-27.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 ฿255

$6.63 OMR 2.55

17.95%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.8

$3.11 OMR 1.20

-37.30%

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

$0.85 ฿27.77

$0.67 OMR 0.26

26.87%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.58

$0.25 OMR 0.10

40.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.6

$5.32 OMR 2.05

-59.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

$11.50 OMR 4.43

-67.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿56.0

$1.15 OMR 0.44

48.70%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$0.80 OMR 0.31

103.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ฿37.15

$1.72 OMR 0.66

-33.72%

Eggs

$1.93 ฿63.1

$2.40 OMR 0.93

-19.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ฿530

$3.83 OMR 1.48

323.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿102

$3.73 OMR 1.44

-16.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿356

$8.58 OMR 3.30

27.04%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ฿90.0

$2.57 OMR 0.99

7.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.52

$1.41 OMR 0.54

-14.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.0

$1.79 OMR 0.69

-9.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$0.90 OMR 0.34

76.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿45.70

$1.00 OMR 0.39

40.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.17

$0.57 OMR 0.22

105.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.60

$0.77 OMR 0.29

-14.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.22

$0.50 OMR 0.19

6.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿153

$5.62 OMR 2.16

-16.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿609

$15.53 OMR 5.98

20.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.8

$4.26 OMR 1.64

-57.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$7.92 OMR 3.05

-59.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.26

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.91

$2.55 OMR 0.98

-44.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.12

$0.80 OMR 0.31

61.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$10.30 OMR 3.97

-23.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.58

$0.61 OMR 0.24

108.20%

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

$21.3K ฿694.9K

$23.1K OMR 8,879

-7.74%

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

$22.2K ฿725.4K

$21.6K OMR 8,302

3.00%

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

$69.1 ฿2,256

$79.2 OMR 30.50

-12.81%

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

$14.08 ฿460

$38.52 OMR 14.83

-63.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿588

$69.6 OMR 26.80

-74.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,341

$59.4 OMR 22.87

-30.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿193

$9.01 OMR 3.47

-34.30%

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

$299 ฿9,766

$193 OMR 74.1

55.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿488.3K

$9,783 OMR 3,766

52.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,787

$51.2 OMR 19.71

6.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.77 ฿874

$38.98 OMR 15.01

-31.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 ฿2,776

$77.6 OMR 29.86

9.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,306

$87.8 OMR 33.79

-19.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

$207 OMR 79.7

106.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,752

$129 OMR 49.52

84.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.2K

$491 OMR 189

63.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$343 OMR 132

50.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

$2,981 OMR 1,148

-79.28%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.15

-2.91%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Last update for 'ibri: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $428 in Chiang Mai and $207 in 'ibri. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

'ibri pays 383% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $19.00 in Chiang Mai vs $26.00 in 'ibri. Groceries flip the comparison at $246 vs $206, with 'ibri 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 'ibri: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai and 'ibri differ by about 3% in total monthly costs ($866 vs $839 including rent). 'ibri is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, 'ibri earns 383% less. 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: $428 in Chiang Mai versus $207 in 'ibri. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 19% higher in Chiang Mai. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $866 per month in Chiang Mai versus $839 in 'ibri – a 3% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though 'ibri gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

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 'ibri gentler on the wallet – expenses run 3% less than in Chiang Mai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.