Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Al Jubayhah Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Al Jubayhah

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $932 in Al Jubayhah, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,351 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,457 in Al Jubayhah, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,835 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,981 in Al Jubayhah, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 7% cheaper than Al Jubayhah, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and Al Jubayhah are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Al Jubayhah 30% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ฿63.5

$7.24 JOD 5.12

-73.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 ฿609

$48.88 JOD 34.59

-61.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 ฿255

$7.08 JOD 5.01

10.45%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.8

$4.08 JOD 2.89

-52.21%

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

$0.85 ฿27.77

$0.47 JOD 0.33

80.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.58

$0.38 JOD 0.27

-7.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.6

$5.68 JOD 4.02

-62.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

$7.19 JOD 5.09

-48.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿56.0

$1.42 JOD 1.01

20.42%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$0.54 JOD 0.38

201.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ฿37.15

$1.63 JOD 1.16

-30.06%

Eggs

$1.93 ฿63.1

$2.45 JOD 1.74

-21.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ฿530

$6.75 JOD 4.78

140.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿102

$4.19 JOD 2.96

-25.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿356

$11.30 JOD 8.00

-3.54%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ฿90.0

$1.99 JOD 1.41

38.19%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.52

$1.79 JOD 1.26

-32.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.0

$1.42 JOD 1.00

14.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$0.81 JOD 0.57

96.30%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿45.70

$0.88 JOD 0.62

59.09%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.17

$0.74 JOD 0.52

58.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.60

$0.60 JOD 0.42

10.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.22

$0.64 JOD 0.45

-17.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿153

$3.32 JOD 2.35

41.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿609

$21.31 JOD 15.08

-12.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.8

$4.73 JOD 3.35

-61.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$5.32 JOD 3.77

-39.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.26

$0.73 JOD 0.52

23.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.91

$0.72 JOD 0.51

95.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.12

$1.43 JOD 1.01

-9.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$6.98 JOD 4.94

12.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.58

$1.44 JOD 1.02

-11.81%

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

$21.3K ฿694.9K

$27.4K JOD 19.4K

-22.33%

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

$22.2K ฿725.4K

$32.2K JOD 22.8K

-31.11%

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

$69.1 ฿2,256

$105 JOD 74.4

-34.33%

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

$14.08 ฿460

$16.78 JOD 11.87

-16.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿588

$31.29 JOD 22.14

-42.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,341

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿193

$11.19 JOD 7.92

-47.10%

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

$299 ฿9,766

$270 JOD 191

10.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿488.3K

$5,317 JOD 3,763

181.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,787

$61.4 JOD 43.44

-10.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.77 ฿874

$55.8 JOD 39.50

-52.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 ฿2,776

$116 JOD 82.0

-26.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,306

$80.7 JOD 57.1

-12.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

$278 JOD 197

53.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,752

$214 JOD 151

10.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.2K

$401 JOD 284

99.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$353 JOD 249

46.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.27

-31.22%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Last update for Al Jubayhah: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $428 in Chiang Mai versus $278 in Al Jubayhah. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $49.00 in Al Jubayhah. Groceries tell a different story – $246 in Chiang Mai vs $233 in Al Jubayhah – so Al Jubayhah 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 Jubayhah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Al Jubayhah costs about 8% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,300 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,398 in Al Jubayhah. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Chiang Mai, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai and $49.00 in Al Jubayhah. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 6% cheaper in Al Jubayhah – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $866 in Chiang Mai and $932 in Al Jubayhah, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $866 versus $932 in Al Jubayhah. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Jubayhah makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.