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 $861 per month in Chiang Mai vs $768 in Al-`awabi, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,350 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,159 in Al-`awabi, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,838 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,549 in Al-`awabi, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 12% more than Al-`awabi, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and Al-`awabi are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Al-`awabi 43% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿65.8

$5.32 OMR 2.05

-63.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.35 ฿617

$26.36 OMR 10.14

-30.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.48 ฿252

$6.01 OMR 2.31

24.46%

Cappuccino

$2.02 ฿67.8

$4.46 OMR 1.72

-54.71%

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

$0.85 ฿28.50

$0.80 OMR 0.31

6.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.96

$0.25 OMR 0.10

44.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.8

$10.38 OMR 4.00

-79.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 ฿121

$10.57 OMR 4.07

-66.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿55.5

$1.97 OMR 0.76

-16.24%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.7

$1.22 OMR 0.47

28.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿40.02

$1.64 OMR 0.63

-27.44%

Eggs

$1.94 ฿65.1

$2.45 OMR 0.94

-20.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿544

$3.75 OMR 1.44

331.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.99 ฿101

$4.88 OMR 1.88

-38.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿368

$8.28 OMR 3.19

32.13%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 ฿91.2

$2.52 OMR 0.97

7.54%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿39.25

$1.73 OMR 0.67

-32.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 ฿56.7

$1.78 OMR 0.69

-5.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 ฿54.0

$1.17 OMR 0.45

36.75%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.54

$1.00 OMR 0.38

38.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.45

$0.97 OMR 0.38

23.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿22.50

$1.09 OMR 0.42

-38.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.73

$0.53 OMR 0.20

5.66%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.64 ฿156

$6.19 OMR 2.38

-25.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.62 ฿593

$15.63 OMR 6.01

12.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.5

$4.24 OMR 1.63

-56.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 ฿111

$7.90 OMR 3.04

-58.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.68

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ฿650

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿45.90

$3.06 OMR 1.18

-55.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.98

$0.80 OMR 0.31

67.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.21 ฿276

$10.53 OMR 4.05

-22.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ฿41.18

$0.60 OMR 0.23

103.33%

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

$21.4K ฿718.1K

$22.9K OMR 8,830

-6.94%

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

$22.5K ฿757.7K

$21.3K OMR 8,195

5.79%

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

$70.7 ฿2,376

$108 OMR 41.44

-34.38%

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

$14.04 ฿472

$40.67 OMR 15.65

-65.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.49 ฿588

$69.8 OMR 26.85

-74.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.15 ฿1,417

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿199

$10.49 OMR 4.04

-43.57%

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

$309 ฿10.4K

$196 OMR 75.3

57.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K ฿500.4K

$10.1K OMR 3,868

48.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,875

$51.1 OMR 19.65

9.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.11 ฿878

$40.03 OMR 15.40

-34.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.0 ฿2,792

$79.9 OMR 30.74

3.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 ฿2,369

$89.4 OMR 34.40

-21.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$432 ฿14.5K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿8,035

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$822 ฿27.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$512 ฿17.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,915 ฿64.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 ฿49.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$579 ฿19.5K

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Al-`awabi: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $18.00 in Chiang Mai versus $26.00 in Al-`awabi. Groceries tell a different story – $243 in Chiang Mai vs $229 in Al-`awabi – so Al-`awabi wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 – Chiang Mai is pricier by about 12%, 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 $1,292 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,152 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 $861 in Chiang Mai and $768 in Al-`awabi. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $309 per month in Chiang Mai and $196 in Al-`awabi. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $861 in Chiang Mai and $768 in Al-`awabi, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Al-`awabi – 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 Al-`awabi. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chiang Mai makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.