Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Al Ghubra

For one person, living is cheaper in Al Ghubra: $89.8 a month against $935 in Chiang Mai, rent and utilities included – about $10,100 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai Living Index

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Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$935

/mo nomad

Al Ghubra

🇴🇲 Oman

$89.8

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chiang Mai and in Al Ghubra

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Chiang Mai and in Al Ghubra actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $935 in Chiang Mai versus $90 in Al Ghubra.

Chiang Mai $935
Al Ghubra $90

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,467 in Chiang Mai versus $159 in Al Ghubra.

Chiang Mai $1,467
Al Ghubra $159

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,999 in Chiang Mai versus $228 in Al Ghubra.

Chiang Mai $1,999
Al Ghubra $228

Living in Chiang Mai is roughly 941% more expensive than in Al Ghubra, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Chiang Mai 31% lower, Al Ghubra 93% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.13 ฿72.0

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.62 ฿628

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.60 ฿189

Cappuccino

$1.66 ฿56.1

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

$0.65 ฿21.83

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 ฿10.29

$0.25 OMR 0.10

20.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.32 ฿78.4

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿124

Milk (1 liter)

$2.02 ฿68.0

$2.62 OMR 1.01

-22.90%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 ฿47.51

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.96

Eggs

$2.37 ฿79.9

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.52 ฿557

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.67 ฿90.1

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.02 ฿304

Apples (1kg)

$2.40 ฿80.9

Banana (1kg)

$1.04 ฿35.13

Oranges (1kg)

$1.66 ฿56.0

Tomato (1kg)

$1.56 ฿52.6

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 ฿41.76

Onion (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.66

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.76 ฿25.70

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿17.35

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.12 ฿139

Wine (Bottle)

$17.93 ฿605

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 ฿54.8

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.82 ฿95.2

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.93 ฿31.53

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$52.9 ฿1,785

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.18 ฿39.70

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.17 ฿5.79

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.81 ฿61.1

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 ฿49.69

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

$21.0K ฿708.9K

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

$26.5K ฿894.6K

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

$62.6 ฿2,111

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

$11.60 ฿392

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.30 ฿685

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.88 ฿1,278

$44.49 OMR 17.12

-14.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.70 ฿125

$35.85 OMR 13.80

-89.68%

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 ฿220

$9.06 OMR 3.49

-28.15%

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

$727 ฿24.5K

$182 OMR 70.1

299.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.6K ฿559.2K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.5 ฿1,807

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.80 ฿837

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.4 ฿3,050

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.0 ฿2,428

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$481 ฿16.2K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$310 ฿10.5K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,058 ฿35.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$659 ฿22.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,418 ฿81.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,609 ฿54.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿20.1K

$3,071 OMR 1,182

-80.63%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: November 1, 2026

Last update for Al Ghubra: October 31, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$310 33.1%

Al Ghubra

–

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$237 25.3%

Al Ghubra

–

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$108 11.6%

Al Ghubra

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$94 10.1%

Al Ghubra

–

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$77 8.2%

Al Ghubra

–

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$59 6.3%

Al Ghubra

–

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$51 5.4%

Al Ghubra

–

Cost Breakdown

Al Ghubra pays about 5.2 times more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇴🇲 Al Ghubra

🕒 Local time

01:35 1:35 AM

22:35 10:35 PM

3 h behind Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

797,000

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Omani Rial OMR ر.ع.

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.96 USD

100 THB = 2.65 EUR

1 OMR = 2.6 USD

1 OMR = 2.32 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

OMR, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

Thai Baht exchange rates as of November 3, 2026: 1 USD = 33.74 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.77 THB (100 THB = 2.65 EUR).

Omani Rial exchange rates as of November 3, 2026: 1 USD = 0.385 OMR (1 OMR = 2.6 USD). 1 EUR = 0.431 OMR (1 OMR = 2.32 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Chiang Mai Al Ghubra 4,230 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
Al Ghubra

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Ghubra: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Total monthly costs including rent come to $935 in Chiang Mai and $90 in Al Ghubra, so Al Ghubra is about 90% cheaper – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 81% lower in Chiang Mai. That’s worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Childcare runs $727 in Chiang Mai versus $182 in Al Ghubra. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

All in, you’ll spend $935 per month in Chiang Mai versus $90 in Al Ghubra – Al Ghubra is about 90% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Al Ghubra 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 Al Ghubra are both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.