Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and At Tafilah Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and At Tafilah

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $845 in Chiang Mai versus $405 in At Tafilah.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,323 in Chiang Mai versus $718 in At Tafilah.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,802 in Chiang Mai versus $1,031 in At Tafilah.

Living in Chiang Mai is roughly 108% more expensive than At Tafilah, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Chiang Mai 37% lower, At Tafilah 70% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.95 ฿62.8

$4.26 JOD 3.02

-54.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.43 ฿594

$28.07 JOD 19.90

-34.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.50 ฿241

$5.78 JOD 4.10

29.76%

Cappuccino

$1.93 ฿62.3

$3.59 JOD 2.55

-46.24%

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

$0.78 ฿25.08

$0.34 JOD 0.24

129.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ฿10.42

$0.46 JOD 0.32

-30.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.15 ฿69.2

$5.73 JOD 4.07

-62.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.71 ฿120

$7.04 JOD 4.99

-47.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿55.2

$1.53 JOD 1.09

11.76%

White Bread (500g)

$1.56 ฿50.3

$0.74 JOD 0.53

110.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.06

$1.44 JOD 1.02

-18.06%

Eggs

$1.98 ฿63.9

$1.48 JOD 1.05

33.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.04 ฿517

$7.08 JOD 5.02

126.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.17 ฿102

$2.88 JOD 2.04

10.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿353

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 ฿84.7

$1.78 JOD 1.26

47.75%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿37.61

$1.79 JOD 1.27

-34.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.65 ฿53.0

$1.44 JOD 1.02

14.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.54 ฿49.51

$0.69 JOD 0.49

123.19%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿44.34

$0.68 JOD 0.48

102.94%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿37.54

$0.70 JOD 0.50

67.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.25

$0.74 JOD 0.52

-10.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.55

$0.47 JOD 0.33

8.51%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.52 ฿146

$3.24 JOD 2.30

39.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.32 ฿590

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿57.9

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 ฿102

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿28.97

$0.74 JOD 0.52

21.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.00 ฿612

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.50

$0.73 JOD 0.52

93.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.31 ฿42.15

$0.67 JOD 0.48

95.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.09 ฿261

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 ฿41.08

$1.22 JOD 0.86

4.92%

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

$21.3K ฿686.1K

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

$21.7K ฿699.3K

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

$69.2 ฿2,230

$67.6 JOD 47.91

2.41%

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

$13.97 ฿450

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.95 ฿578

$21.01 JOD 14.90

-14.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.31 ฿1,363

$21.31 JOD 15.11

98.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.66 ฿214

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿191

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

$299 ฿9,640

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿478.4K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.2 ฿1,810

$28.22 JOD 20.01

99.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.94 ฿868

$25.84 JOD 18.32

4.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.9 ฿2,735

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.8 ฿2,314

$27.96 JOD 19.82

156.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$435 ฿14.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$240 ฿7,727

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$798 ฿25.7K

$215 JOD 153

270.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$498 ฿16.1K

$144 JOD 102

246.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,995 ฿64.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,532 ฿49.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$628 ฿20.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 20, 2026

Last update for At Tafilah: April 22, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $435 in Chiang Mai and $0 in At Tafilah. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $18 in Chiang Mai vs $28 in At Tafilah. Groceries flip the comparison at $244 vs $111, with At Tafilah cheaper for home cooking.

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 At Tafilah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

At Tafilah is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 108% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,267 in Chiang Mai and $608 in At Tafilah to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Supermarket bills run roughly 120% higher in Chiang Mai. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in At Tafilah – a meal for two runs $28.00 versus $18.00 in Chiang Mai. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Either city works on $1,000 a month, though At Tafilah gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

For families, At Tafilah is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Chiang Mai, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Chiang Mai and At Tafilah are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find At Tafilah gentler on the wallet – expenses run 108% less than in Chiang Mai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.