Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Amman Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Amman

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $932 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,153 in Amman, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,399 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,845 in Amman, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,536 in Amman, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 19% cheaper than Amman, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and Amman are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 32% lower, Amman 16% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿69.5

$6.98 JOD 4.94

-70.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.61 ฿655

$66.2 JOD 46.84

-70.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.67 ฿189

$7.01 JOD 4.97

-19.12%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿60.3

$4.36 JOD 3.08

-58.49%

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

$0.77 ฿25.65

$0.65 JOD 0.46

18.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.53

$0.56 JOD 0.39

-37.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿73.9

$8.38 JOD 5.93

-73.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿127

$10.90 JOD 7.71

-65.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 ฿68.4

$1.50 JOD 1.06

36.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 ฿50.6

$0.70 JOD 0.50

115.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 ฿46.69

$1.52 JOD 1.07

-7.89%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿75.4

$2.41 JOD 1.71

-6.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿540

$9.31 JOD 6.59

73.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.90 ฿96.7

$6.74 JOD 4.77

-56.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.42 ฿314

$12.78 JOD 9.05

-26.29%

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 ฿89.4

$2.56 JOD 1.81

4.69%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.37

$2.01 JOD 1.42

-45.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.0

$1.82 JOD 1.29

-10.99%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.74

$0.78 JOD 0.55

87.18%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.65

$0.99 JOD 0.70

29.29%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 ฿35.31

$0.84 JOD 0.59

26.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.94

$0.61 JOD 0.43

18.03%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.56

$0.61 JOD 0.44

-13.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.23 ฿141

$3.94 JOD 2.79

7.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.29 ฿611

$20.83 JOD 14.75

-12.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ฿54.4

$5.03 JOD 3.56

-67.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿96.8

$5.10 JOD 3.61

-43.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.32

$0.75 JOD 0.53

17.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.8 ฿1,795

$42.80 JOD 30.30

25.63%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 ฿39.14

$0.64 JOD 0.46

82.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿19.30

$1.44 JOD 1.02

-59.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.39 ฿79.6

$6.93 JOD 4.90

-65.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.41

$1.60 JOD 1.13

-9.38%

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

$21.0K ฿701.4K

$35.8K JOD 25.3K

-41.27%

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

$26.4K ฿882.0K

$34.9K JOD 24.7K

-24.36%

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

$63.7 ฿2,125

$129 JOD 91.3

-50.63%

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

$12.89 ฿430

$15.62 JOD 11.06

-17.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.52 ฿685

$32.12 JOD 22.74

-36.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.02 ฿1,302

$52.6 JOD 37.23

-25.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.92 ฿131

$33.31 JOD 23.59

-88.23%

Cinema Ticket

$6.58 ฿220

$11.36 JOD 8.04

-42.08%

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

$784 ฿26.2K

$492 JOD 348

59.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿489.8K

$9,419 JOD 6,668

55.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 ฿1,840

$64.3 JOD 45.54

-14.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.74 ฿826

$82.0 JOD 58.1

-69.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.1 ฿3,142

$126 JOD 89.5

-25.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.0 ฿2,469

$85.3 JOD 60.4

-13.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.4K

$462 JOD 327

6.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$288 ฿9,620

$245 JOD 174

17.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$891 ฿29.8K

$767 JOD 543

16.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$521 ฿17.4K

$417 JOD 295

24.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,974 ฿65.9K

$1,590 JOD 1,125

24.17%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,444 ฿48.2K

$1,032 JOD 731

39.91%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿20.1K

$774 JOD 548

-22.29%

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: September 13, 2026

Last update for Amman: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $490 in Chiang Mai versus $462 in Amman. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 29% higher in Amman, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $66.0 in Amman. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $241 vs $265 – 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 Amman: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Amman costs about 24% 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 $1,398 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,730 in Amman. 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.

Public transport costs about 26% less in Chiang Mai. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $784 per month in Chiang Mai and $492 in Amman. 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 $932, than in Amman at $1,153. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Amman it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $932 versus $1,153 in Amman. 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, Amman makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.