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 $947 per month in Chiang Mai vs $999 in Al Jubayhah, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,411 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,615 in Al Jubayhah, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,874 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,230 in Al Jubayhah, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 5% cheaper than Al Jubayhah, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and Al Jubayhah are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 31% lower, Al Jubayhah 27% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿68.5

$7.03 JOD 4.98

-70.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.64 ฿646

$66.7 JOD 47.21

-70.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.65 ฿186

$7.17 JOD 5.07

-21.20%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿59.3

$4.28 JOD 3.03

-57.71%

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

$0.71 ฿23.44

$0.47 JOD 0.34

51.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ฿10.38

$0.51 JOD 0.36

-37.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.24 ฿73.5

$6.48 JOD 4.59

-65.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ฿119

$7.17 JOD 5.08

-49.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.96 ฿64.4

$1.52 JOD 1.08

28.95%

White Bread (500g)

$1.50 ฿49.38

$0.70 JOD 0.50

114.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 ฿43.92

$1.59 JOD 1.13

-15.72%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿74.4

$2.48 JOD 1.76

-8.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.26 ฿534

$9.19 JOD 6.50

76.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.95 ฿97.1

$4.31 JOD 3.05

-31.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.94 ฿327

$12.62 JOD 8.94

-21.24%

Apples (1kg)

$2.57 ฿84.5

$2.46 JOD 1.74

4.47%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 ฿34.72

$2.01 JOD 1.42

-47.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.61 ฿53.0

$1.83 JOD 1.29

-12.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.96

$0.80 JOD 0.56

90.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.27 ฿41.76

$0.93 JOD 0.66

36.56%

Onion (1kg)

$1.07 ฿35.05

$0.89 JOD 0.63

20.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.67

$0.62 JOD 0.44

16.13%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.72

$0.66 JOD 0.47

-22.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 ฿138

$3.76 JOD 2.66

11.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.87 ฿587

$21.46 JOD 15.19

-16.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 ฿55.7

$5.02 JOD 3.56

-66.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 ฿93.2

$5.00 JOD 3.54

-43.20%

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

$0.63 JOD 0.45

95.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿18.96

$1.40 JOD 0.99

-58.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.42 ฿79.7

$6.87 JOD 4.86

-64.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 ฿46.42

$1.67 JOD 1.19

-15.57%

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

$21.4K ฿704.9K

$35.8K JOD 25.4K

-40.18%

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

$27.3K ฿898.5K

$34.9K JOD 24.7K

-21.60%

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

$63.7 ฿2,093

$130 JOD 92.2

-51.13%

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

$12.85 ฿423

$15.52 JOD 10.98

-17.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.22 ฿665

$31.50 JOD 22.30

-35.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.74 ฿1,274

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.97 ฿130

Cinema Ticket

$6.74 ฿221

$11.31 JOD 8.01

-40.41%

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

$778 ฿25.6K

$486 JOD 344

59.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿480.2K

$9,318 JOD 6,596

56.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.3 ฿1,785

$63.9 JOD 45.20

-14.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.45 ฿836

$81.5 JOD 57.7

-68.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.3 ฿3,101

$125 JOD 88.5

-24.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.4 ฿2,414

$86.3 JOD 61.1

-14.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.1K

$284 JOD 201

72.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$289 ฿9,510

$214 JOD 152

34.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$894 ฿29.4K

$392 JOD 278

127.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$517 ฿17.0K

$348 JOD 246

48.77%

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

6.81

-18.21%

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 Jubayhah: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $490 in Chiang Mai versus $284 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $67.0 in Al Jubayhah. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $240 vs $254 – 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 Jubayhah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Al Jubayhah costs about 5% 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 $1,421 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,499 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai and $67.0 in Al Jubayhah. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 6% more in Al Jubayhah, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $947, than in Al Jubayhah at $999. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Al Jubayhah it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $947 versus $999 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.