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: $932 in Chiang Mai versus $945 in Adam.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,399 in Chiang Mai versus $1,427 in Adam.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,866 in Chiang Mai versus $1,910 in Adam.

Living in Chiang Mai costs roughly 1% less than in Adam, driven mainly by Eating Out.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿69.3

$5.33 OMR 2.05

-60.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.61 ฿653

$33.37 OMR 12.85

-41.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.67 ฿189

$7.71 OMR 2.97

-26.46%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿60.1

$4.83 OMR 1.86

-62.53%

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

$0.77 ฿25.58

$0.85 OMR 0.33

-9.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.49

$0.29 OMR 0.11

20.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿73.7

$13.07 OMR 5.03

-83.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿126

$12.97 OMR 4.99

-70.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 ฿68.2

$2.37 OMR 0.91

-13.50%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 ฿50.4

$1.29 OMR 0.50

17.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 ฿46.57

$1.88 OMR 0.72

-25.53%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿75.2

$2.87 OMR 1.10

-21.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿539

$7.67 OMR 2.95

111.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.90 ฿96.4

$6.81 OMR 2.62

-57.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.42 ฿314

$10.51 OMR 4.04

-10.37%

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 ฿89.2

$3.44 OMR 1.32

-22.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.28

$1.92 OMR 0.74

-43.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.8

$2.34 OMR 0.90

-30.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.61

$1.20 OMR 0.46

21.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.54

$1.19 OMR 0.46

7.56%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 ฿35.21

$1.24 OMR 0.48

-14.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.88

$1.78 OMR 0.68

-59.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.51

$0.66 OMR 0.26

-19.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.23 ฿141

$6.32 OMR 2.43

-33.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.29 ฿609

$15.88 OMR 6.11

15.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ฿54.3

$5.67 OMR 2.18

-71.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿96.6

$8.94 OMR 3.44

-67.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.24

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.8 ฿1,790

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 ฿39.04

$3.28 OMR 1.26

-64.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿19.25

$2.61 OMR 1.01

-77.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.39 ฿79.4

$7.61 OMR 2.93

-68.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.28

$0.60 OMR 0.23

141.67%

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

$21.0K ฿699.5K

$25.9K OMR 9,979

-18.94%

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

$26.4K ฿879.7K

$22.4K OMR 8,642

17.73%

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

$63.7 ฿2,119

$172 OMR 66.3

-63.03%

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

$12.89 ฿429

$30.89 OMR 11.89

-58.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.52 ฿683

$71.3 OMR 27.45

-71.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.02 ฿1,299

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.92 ฿130

Cinema Ticket

$6.58 ฿219

$10.43 OMR 4.01

-36.91%

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

$784 ฿26.1K

$288 OMR 111

172.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿488.4K

$10.4K OMR 4,017

40.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 ฿1,835

$55.7 OMR 21.44

-1.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.74 ฿824

$43.50 OMR 16.75

-43.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.1 ฿3,133

$89.2 OMR 34.33

5.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.0 ฿2,462

$96.6 OMR 37.18

-23.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.3K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$288 ฿9,594

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$891 ฿29.7K

$258 OMR 99.4

245.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$521 ฿17.3K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,974 ฿65.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,444 ฿48.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿20.0K

$2,619 OMR 1,008

-77.03%

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: September 13, 2026

Last update for Adam: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Adam pays 335% 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 $33.00 in Adam for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $241 vs $287 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 Adam: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 1% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 335% lower in Adam. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Childcare runs $784 in Chiang Mai versus $288 in Adam. 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 $20.00 versus $33.00 in Adam. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $932 in Chiang Mai versus $945 in Adam, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Chiang Mai but tight or insufficient in Adam. The gap between the two cities makes Chiang Mai the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Chiang Mai is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Adam, 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 Chiang Mai gentler on the wallet – expenses run 1% less than in Adam. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.