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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $727 in Irbid, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,354 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,173 in Irbid, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,857 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,619 in Irbid, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 17% more than Irbid, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Irbid are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Irbid 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿64.0

$4.25 JOD 3.01

-53.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.81 ฿615

$42.67 JOD 30.25

-55.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.92 ฿259

$6.96 JOD 4.93

13.79%

Cappuccino

$1.91 ฿62.6

$1.37 JOD 0.97

39.42%

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

$0.84 ฿27.41

$0.50 JOD 0.36

68.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.51

$0.37 JOD 0.26

-5.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$5.02 JOD 3.56

-55.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 ฿124

$6.88 JOD 4.88

-44.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$1.17 JOD 0.83

40.17%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 ฿53.1

$0.42 JOD 0.30

285.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.62

$1.60 JOD 1.14

-26.25%

Eggs

$2.01 ฿65.8

$1.83 JOD 1.30

9.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.89 ฿520

$6.69 JOD 4.74

137.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.01 ฿98.5

$5.60 JOD 3.97

-46.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.77 ฿352

$11.67 JOD 8.28

-7.71%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 ฿85.5

$1.40 JOD 0.99

86.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿39.88

$1.57 JOD 1.11

-22.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.7

$1.05 JOD 0.74

61.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 ฿51.5

$0.58 JOD 0.41

172.41%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 ฿43.14

$0.89 JOD 0.63

48.31%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.23

$0.73 JOD 0.52

60.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿21.98

$0.65 JOD 0.46

3.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.32

$0.59 JOD 0.42

-5.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.53 ฿148

$3.51 JOD 2.49

29.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.20 ฿595

$7.09 JOD 5.03

156.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿60.0

$3.92 JOD 2.78

-53.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$5.32 JOD 3.77

-39.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ฿29.00

$0.72 JOD 0.51

23.61%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.38 ฿634

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.35 ฿44.20

$0.48 JOD 0.34

181.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 ฿44.05

$1.39 JOD 0.99

-2.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.25 ฿270

$6.90 JOD 4.90

19.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.64

$1.46 JOD 1.04

-13.01%

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

$21.2K ฿691.8K

$25.1K JOD 17.8K

-15.63%

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

$22.5K ฿735.3K

$31.6K JOD 22.4K

-28.73%

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

$70.2 ฿2,294

$97.0 JOD 68.8

-27.70%

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

$13.77 ฿450

$15.77 JOD 11.18

-12.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.60 ฿575

$31.05 JOD 22.02

-43.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.57 ฿1,360

$34.83 JOD 24.70

19.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.60 ฿216

$19.06 JOD 13.52

-65.37%

Cinema Ticket

$5.78 ฿189

$9.68 JOD 6.87

-40.29%

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

$306 ฿10.0K

$94.2 JOD 66.8

225.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿484.8K

$4,043 JOD 2,866

266.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.4 ฿1,778

$45.04 JOD 31.94

20.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.14 ฿855

$20.90 JOD 14.82

25.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.5 ฿2,764

$68.0 JOD 48.19

24.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.4 ฿2,270

$50.1 JOD 35.51

38.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$424 ฿13.9K

$211 JOD 149

101.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$238 ฿7,788

$145 JOD 103

63.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$825 ฿27.0K

$363 JOD 257

127.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$281 JOD 199

83.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,049 ฿67.0K

$510 JOD 361

302.09%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,523 ฿49.8K

$492 JOD 349

209.34%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$635 ฿20.8K

$557 JOD 395

14.04%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Irbid: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $424 in Chiang Mai versus $211 in Irbid. 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 14% higher in Chiang Mai, 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $43.00 in Irbid. Groceries tell a different story – $243 in Chiang Mai vs $195 in Irbid – so Irbid 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 Irbid: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 17% more than Irbid, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,278 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,091 in Irbid. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Irbid, 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai and $43.00 in Irbid. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 25% more in Chiang Mai, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $852 in Chiang Mai and $727 in Irbid, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Irbid costs $727 versus $852 in Chiang Mai. 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 Irbid. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chiang Mai makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.