Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Adam Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Adam

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $852 in Chiang Mai versus $819 in Adam.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,354 in Chiang Mai versus $1,212 in Adam.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,857 in Chiang Mai versus $1,605 in Adam.

Living in Chiang Mai is roughly 4% more expensive than Adam, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Chiang Mai 36% lower, Adam 39% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿64.0

$5.07 OMR 1.95

-61.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.81 ฿615

$26.41 OMR 10.14

-28.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.92 ฿259

$7.89 OMR 3.03

0.38%

Cappuccino

$1.91 ฿62.6

$4.94 OMR 1.90

-61.34%

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

$0.84 ฿27.41

$1.01 OMR 0.39

-16.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.51

$0.31 OMR 0.12

12.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$12.39 OMR 4.76

-82.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 ฿124

$11.77 OMR 4.52

-67.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$1.92 OMR 0.74

-14.58%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 ฿53.1

$1.17 OMR 0.45

38.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.62

$1.73 OMR 0.66

-31.79%

Eggs

$2.01 ฿65.8

$2.35 OMR 0.90

-14.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.89 ฿520

$3.72 OMR 1.43

327.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.01 ฿98.5

$4.86 OMR 1.87

-38.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.77 ฿352

$8.77 OMR 3.37

22.81%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 ฿85.5

$2.57 OMR 0.99

1.56%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿39.88

$1.66 OMR 0.64

-26.51%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.7

$1.83 OMR 0.70

-7.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 ฿51.5

$1.18 OMR 0.45

33.90%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 ฿43.14

$0.93 OMR 0.36

41.94%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.23

$1.01 OMR 0.39

15.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿21.98

$1.04 OMR 0.40

-35.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.32

$0.56 OMR 0.21

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.53 ฿148

$6.44 OMR 2.47

-29.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.20 ฿595

$15.56 OMR 5.97

16.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿60.0

$4.38 OMR 1.68

-58.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$8.03 OMR 3.08

-59.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ฿29.00

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.38 ฿634

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.35 ฿44.20

$3.14 OMR 1.21

-57.01%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 ฿44.05

$0.80 OMR 0.31

68.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.25 ฿270

$10.43 OMR 4.00

-20.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.64

$0.64 OMR 0.24

98.44%

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

$21.2K ฿691.8K

$22.7K OMR 8,730

-6.95%

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

$22.5K ฿735.3K

$21.9K OMR 8,401

2.78%

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

$70.2 ฿2,294

$107 OMR 41.04

-34.35%

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

$13.77 ฿450

$40.67 OMR 15.62

-66.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.60 ฿575

$69.9 OMR 26.84

-74.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.57 ฿1,360

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.60 ฿216

Cinema Ticket

$5.78 ฿189

$10.36 OMR 3.98

-44.21%

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

$306 ฿10.0K

$193 OMR 74.0

58.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿484.8K

$10.0K OMR 3,842

48.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.4 ฿1,778

$49.69 OMR 19.08

9.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.14 ฿855

$39.32 OMR 15.10

-33.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.5 ฿2,764

$78.3 OMR 30.05

8.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.4 ฿2,270

$87.3 OMR 33.53

-20.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$424 ฿13.9K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$238 ฿7,788

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$825 ฿27.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,049 ฿67.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,523 ฿49.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$635 ฿20.8K

$2,591 OMR 995

-75.48%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Adam: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Adam pays 308% 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 Adam. Groceries flip the comparison at $243 vs $230, with Adam 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 Adam: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Adam is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 4% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Adam earns 308% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Childcare runs $306 in Chiang Mai versus $193 in Adam. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Adam – a meal for two runs $26.00 versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Adam gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

For families, Adam 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 Adam 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 Adam gentler on the wallet – expenses run 4% less than in Chiang Mai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.