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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $861 per month in Chiang Mai vs $925 in Aqaba, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,350 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,423 in Aqaba, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,838 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,921 in Aqaba, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 7% cheaper than Aqaba, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Aqaba are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Aqaba 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿65.8

$2.77 JOD 1.96

-29.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.35 ฿617

$48.99 JOD 34.69

-62.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.48 ฿252

$4.19 JOD 2.97

78.52%

Cappuccino

$2.02 ฿67.8

$4.17 JOD 2.95

-51.56%

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

$0.85 ฿28.50

$0.48 JOD 0.34

77.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.96

$0.37 JOD 0.26

-2.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.8

$5.78 JOD 4.09

-62.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 ฿121

$7.02 JOD 4.97

-48.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿55.5

$1.39 JOD 0.99

18.71%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.7

$0.51 JOD 0.36

207.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿40.02

$1.70 JOD 1.20

-30.00%

Eggs

$1.94 ฿65.1

$1.72 JOD 1.22

12.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿544

$5.53 JOD 3.91

192.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.99 ฿101

$4.19 JOD 2.97

-28.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿368

$9.72 JOD 6.88

12.55%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 ฿91.2

$1.39 JOD 0.98

94.96%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿39.25

$1.38 JOD 0.98

-15.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 ฿56.7

$1.03 JOD 0.73

64.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 ฿54.0

$0.69 JOD 0.49

131.88%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.54

$0.69 JOD 0.49

100.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.45

$0.70 JOD 0.50

71.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿22.50

$0.60 JOD 0.42

11.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.73

$0.55 JOD 0.39

1.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.64 ฿156

$3.61 JOD 2.56

28.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.62 ฿593

$16.67 JOD 11.80

5.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.5

$2.78 JOD 1.97

-33.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 ฿111

$2.53 JOD 1.79

30.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.68

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ฿650

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿45.90

$0.51 JOD 0.36

166.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.98

$1.45 JOD 1.02

-7.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.21 ฿276

$7.16 JOD 5.07

14.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ฿41.18

$1.40 JOD 0.99

-12.86%

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

$21.4K ฿718.1K

$27.4K JOD 19.4K

-22.08%

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

$22.5K ฿757.7K

$30.7K JOD 21.7K

-26.57%

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

$70.7 ฿2,376

$107 JOD 75.4

-33.67%

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

$14.04 ฿472

$17.26 JOD 12.22

-18.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.49 ฿588

$31.92 JOD 22.60

-45.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.15 ฿1,417

$69.1 JOD 48.93

-39.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿199

$11.27 JOD 7.98

-47.47%

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

$309 ฿10.4K

$276 JOD 195

11.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K ฿500.4K

$2,842 JOD 2,012

423.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,875

$27.68 JOD 19.59

101.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.11 ฿878

$42.15 JOD 29.84

-38.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.0 ฿2,792

$42.60 JOD 30.16

94.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 ฿2,369

$70.6 JOD 50.0

-0.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$432 ฿14.5K

$315 JOD 223

36.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿8,035

$262 JOD 186

-8.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$822 ฿27.7K

$740 JOD 524

11.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$512 ฿17.2K

$492 JOD 349

3.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,915 ฿64.4K

$1,149 JOD 814

66.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 ฿49.3K

$567 JOD 401

158.97%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$579 ฿19.5K

$566 JOD 401

2.39%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Aqaba: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $432 in Chiang Mai versus $315 in Aqaba. 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 2% higher in Chiang Mai, 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 $18.00 in Chiang Mai versus $49.00 in Aqaba. Groceries tell a different story – $243 in Chiang Mai vs $187 in Aqaba – so Aqaba 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 Aqaba: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Aqaba is pricier by about 7%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,292 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,387 in Aqaba. 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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $861 in Chiang Mai and $925 in Aqaba. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $309 per month in Chiang Mai and $276 in Aqaba. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $861 in Chiang Mai and $925 in Aqaba, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Chiang Mai – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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