Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Al-`awabi Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Al-`awabi

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $947 per month in Chiang Mai vs $957 in Al-`awabi, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,411 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,420 in Al-`awabi, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,874 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,884 in Al-`awabi, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 1% cheaper than Al-`awabi, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and Al-`awabi are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 31% lower, Al-`awabi 30% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿68.5

$5.16 OMR 1.98

-59.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.64 ฿646

$34.34 OMR 13.22

-42.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.65 ฿186

$8.00 OMR 3.08

-29.37%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿59.3

$4.84 OMR 1.86

-62.60%

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

$0.71 ฿23.44

$0.84 OMR 0.32

-15.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ฿10.38

$0.27 OMR 0.10

18.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.24 ฿73.5

$13.16 OMR 5.07

-82.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ฿119

$12.90 OMR 4.97

-71.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.96 ฿64.4

$2.27 OMR 0.87

-13.66%

White Bread (500g)

$1.50 ฿49.38

$1.25 OMR 0.48

20.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 ฿43.92

$1.82 OMR 0.70

-26.37%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿74.4

$2.98 OMR 1.15

-24.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.26 ฿534

$7.79 OMR 3.00

108.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.95 ฿97.1

$6.91 OMR 2.66

-57.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.94 ฿327

$10.67 OMR 4.11

-6.84%

Apples (1kg)

$2.57 ฿84.5

$3.55 OMR 1.37

-27.61%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 ฿34.72

$2.00 OMR 0.77

-47.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.61 ฿53.0

$2.37 OMR 0.91

-32.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.96

$1.21 OMR 0.46

25.62%

Potato (1kg)

$1.27 ฿41.76

$1.16 OMR 0.45

9.48%

Onion (1kg)

$1.07 ฿35.05

$1.24 OMR 0.48

-13.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.67

$1.80 OMR 0.69

-60.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.72

$0.63 OMR 0.24

-19.05%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 ฿138

$6.63 OMR 2.55

-36.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.87 ฿587

$15.56 OMR 5.99

14.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 ฿55.7

$5.64 OMR 2.17

-70.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 ฿93.2

$9.01 OMR 3.47

-68.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.93 ฿30.42

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.9 ฿1,770

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.23 ฿40.58

$3.18 OMR 1.22

-61.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿18.96

$2.67 OMR 1.03

-78.28%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.42 ฿79.7

$7.75 OMR 2.98

-68.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 ฿46.42

$0.64 OMR 0.25

120.31%

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

$21.4K ฿704.9K

$25.8K OMR 9,926

-16.82%

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

$27.3K ฿898.5K

$22.8K OMR 8,766

20.05%

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

$63.7 ฿2,093

$169 OMR 65.0

-62.30%

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

$12.85 ฿423

$31.28 OMR 12.04

-58.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.22 ฿665

$71.1 OMR 27.37

-71.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.74 ฿1,274

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.97 ฿130

Cinema Ticket

$6.74 ฿221

$10.52 OMR 4.05

-35.93%

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

$778 ฿25.6K

$288 OMR 111

169.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿480.2K

$10.5K OMR 4,033

39.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.3 ฿1,785

$57.0 OMR 21.94

-4.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.45 ฿836

$43.75 OMR 16.85

-41.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.3 ฿3,101

$91.3 OMR 35.14

3.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.4 ฿2,414

$94.5 OMR 36.38

-22.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$289 ฿9,510

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$894 ฿29.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$517 ฿17.0K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,955 ฿64.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,477 ฿48.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿19.8K

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 Al-`awabi: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $34.00 in Al-`awabi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $240 vs $288 – making Chiang Mai the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Al-`awabi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Al-`awabi is pricier by about 1%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,421 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,435 in Al-`awabi. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $947 in Chiang Mai and $957 in Al-`awabi. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $778 per month in Chiang Mai and $288 in Al-`awabi. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $947, than in Al-`awabi at $957. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Al-`awabi it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Chiang Mai – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Chiang Mai. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Al-`awabi makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.