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 $932 per month in Chiang Mai vs $782 in Irbid, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,399 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,216 in Irbid, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,650 in Irbid, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 19% more than Irbid, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Irbid are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 32% lower, Irbid 43% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿69.2

$4.17 JOD 2.95

-50.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.61 ฿652

$42.23 JOD 29.89

-53.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.67 ฿189

$7.00 JOD 4.96

-19.00%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿60.0

$1.47 JOD 1.04

23.13%

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

$0.77 ฿25.55

$0.50 JOD 0.35

54.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.48

$0.32 JOD 0.23

9.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿73.6

$6.39 JOD 4.53

-65.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿126

$5.81 JOD 4.11

-34.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 ฿68.1

$1.17 JOD 0.83

75.21%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 ฿50.4

$0.45 JOD 0.32

235.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 ฿46.51

$1.57 JOD 1.11

-10.83%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿75.1

$1.81 JOD 1.28

24.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿538

$7.65 JOD 5.41

111.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.90 ฿96.3

$4.75 JOD 3.36

-38.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.42 ฿313

$12.54 JOD 8.88

-24.88%

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 ฿89.1

$1.39 JOD 0.99

92.81%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.23

$1.51 JOD 1.07

-27.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.8

$1.04 JOD 0.74

55.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.55

$0.58 JOD 0.41

151.72%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.48

$0.96 JOD 0.68

33.33%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 ฿35.17

$0.80 JOD 0.57

32.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.85

$0.62 JOD 0.44

16.13%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.49

$0.66 JOD 0.47

-19.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.23 ฿141

$3.47 JOD 2.46

21.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.29 ฿608

$7.06 JOD 5.00

159.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ฿54.2

$2.79 JOD 1.97

-41.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿96.5

$4.21 JOD 2.98

-31.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.20

$0.74 JOD 0.52

18.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.8 ฿1,788

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 ฿38.99

$0.51 JOD 0.36

129.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿19.22

$1.44 JOD 1.02

-59.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.39 ฿79.3

$6.92 JOD 4.90

-65.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.22

$1.61 JOD 1.14

-9.94%

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

$21.0K ฿698.6K

$26.5K JOD 18.7K

-20.58%

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

$26.4K ฿878.6K

$30.9K JOD 21.9K

-14.55%

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

$63.7 ฿2,116

$97.4 JOD 69.0

-34.68%

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

$12.89 ฿429

$15.74 JOD 11.14

-18.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.52 ฿682

$31.53 JOD 22.32

-34.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.02 ฿1,297

$34.62 JOD 24.50

12.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.92 ฿130

$21.21 JOD 15.01

-81.52%

Cinema Ticket

$6.58 ฿219

$9.91 JOD 7.01

-33.60%

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

$784 ฿26.1K

$91.2 JOD 64.5

759.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿487.9K

$3,946 JOD 2,793

271.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 ฿1,833

$43.89 JOD 31.06

25.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.74 ฿823

$28.68 JOD 20.30

-13.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.1 ฿3,130

$80.3 JOD 56.8

17.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.0 ฿2,459

$48.95 JOD 34.64

51.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.3K

$221 JOD 157

121.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$288 ฿9,582

$164 JOD 116

75.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$891 ฿29.6K

$398 JOD 282

123.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$521 ฿17.3K

$306 JOD 217

70.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,974 ฿65.6K

$510 JOD 361

286.97%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,444 ฿48.0K

$500 JOD 354

188.65%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿20.0K

$553 JOD 392

8.72%

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 Irbid: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $490 in Chiang Mai versus $221 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 9% 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $42.00 in Irbid. Groceries tell a different story – $241 in Chiang Mai vs $189 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 19% 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 $1,398 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,173 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai and $42.00 in Irbid. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 28% 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.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Irbid, where all-in costs run around $782, than in Chiang Mai at $932. In Irbid it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiang Mai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Irbid costs $782 versus $932 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.