Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Amwaj

For one person, living is cheaper in Amwaj: $608 a month against $936 in Chiang Mai, rent and utilities included – about $3,900 less a year. Rent and utilities 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

$936

/mo nomad

Amwaj

🇧🇭 Bahrain

$608

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chiang Mai and in Amwaj

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 Amwaj actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $936 per month in Chiang Mai vs $608 in Amwaj, rent included.

Chiang Mai $936
Amwaj $608

A couple spends around $1,457 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,446 in Amwaj, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,457
Amwaj $2,446

A family of three spends $1,979 per month in Chiang Mai vs $4,284 in Amwaj, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,979
Amwaj $4,284

Chiang Mai costs about 54% more than Amwaj.

Both Chiang Mai and Amwaj are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 31% lower, Amwaj 55% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.24 ฿75.6

$10.69 BHD 4.00

-79.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.00 ฿641

$32.02 BHD 11.98

-40.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.55 ฿187

$9.69 BHD 3.63

-42.72%

Cappuccino

$1.67 ฿56.5

$3.92 BHD 1.47

-57.40%

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

$0.64 ฿21.55

$2.08 BHD 0.78

-69.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.31

$0.68 BHD 0.25

-54.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.36 ฿79.6

$8.02 BHD 3.00

-70.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿124

$10.40 BHD 3.89

-64.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 ฿65.8

White Bread (500g)

$1.44 ฿48.48

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 ฿45.04

Eggs

$2.28 ฿77.1

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.45 ฿555

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.78 ฿93.9

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.31 ฿314

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 ฿79.4

Banana (1kg)

$0.97 ฿32.80

Oranges (1kg)

$1.60 ฿53.9

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.6

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿43.12

Onion (1kg)

$1.10 ฿37.19

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 ฿23.82

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.37

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.14 ฿140

$5.20 BHD 1.95

-20.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.52 ฿591

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.61 ฿54.5

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿94.0

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.87 ฿29.31

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.1 ฿1,826

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.16 ฿39.06

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ฿17.80

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.42 ฿81.8

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.90

$0.65 BHD 0.24

123.08%

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

$21.1K ฿710.7K

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

$26.9K ฿909.3K

$37.8K BHD 14.2K

-28.80%

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

$62.2 ฿2,098

$131 BHD 48.95

-52.50%

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

$12.17 ฿411

$23.52 BHD 8.80

-48.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.12 ฿679

$65.7 BHD 24.56

-69.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.31 ฿1,259

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.77 ฿127

Cinema Ticket

$6.49 ฿219

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

$736 ฿24.8K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿498.3K

$13.5K BHD 5,042

9.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.4 ฿1,801

$66.2 BHD 24.77

-19.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.64 ฿831

$65.1 BHD 24.33

-62.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.5 ฿3,087

$92.8 BHD 34.72

-1.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.9 ฿2,428

$119 BHD 44.51

-39.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.3K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$309 ฿10.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 ฿33.9K

$2,350 BHD 879

-57.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$633 ฿21.4K

$3,080 BHD 1,152

-79.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,363 ฿79.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,589 ฿53.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$590 ฿19.9K

$3,997 BHD 1,495

-85.24%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

-20.43%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 26, 2026

Last update for Amwaj: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$309 33%

Amwaj

–

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$234 25.1%

Amwaj

–

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$109 11.6%

Amwaj

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$94 10.1%

Amwaj

–

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$78 8.3%

Amwaj

–

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$61 6.6%

Amwaj

–

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$50 5.4%

Amwaj

–

Cost Breakdown

Salaries in Amwaj are about 6.8 times higher, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19 in Chiang Mai versus $32 in Amwaj. Use this as a proxy for overall food spending across the two cities.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇧🇭 Amwaj

🕒 Local time

20:52 8:52 PM

16:52 4:52 PM

4 h behind Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Bahraini Dinar BHD .د.ب

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.96 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

1 BHD = 2.67 USD

1 BHD = 2.4 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

BHD, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

Thai Baht exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 33.75 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.66 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

Bahraini Dinar exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 0.374 BHD (1 BHD = 2.67 USD). 1 EUR = 0.417 BHD (1 BHD = 2.4 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Chiang Mai Amwaj 5,000 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
Amwaj

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 Amwaj: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 54% more than Amwaj, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,403 per month in Chiang Mai and $912 in Amwaj. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $936 in Chiang Mai and $608 in Amwaj. That makes Amwaj about 35% cheaper.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19 in Chiang Mai and $32 in Amwaj. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $800 monthly budget goes further in Amwaj, where all-in costs run around $608, than in Chiang Mai at $936. In Amwaj it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiang Mai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Chiang Mai has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $608 in Amwaj to $936 in Chiang Mai. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.