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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $950 per month in Chiang Mai vs $725 in Jerash, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,430 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,137 in Jerash, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,909 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,549 in Jerash, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 31% more than Jerash, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and Jerash are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 31% lower, Jerash 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.10 ฿69.3

$5.52 JOD 3.91

-61.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.84 ฿656

$42.99 JOD 30.42

-53.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.79 ฿191

$4.79 JOD 3.39

20.88%

Cappuccino

$1.83 ฿60.4

$2.18 JOD 1.54

-16.06%

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

$0.78 ฿25.61

$0.39 JOD 0.28

100.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.37

$0.37 JOD 0.26

-16.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.34 ฿77.2

$8.71 JOD 6.17

-73.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.70 ฿122

$10.91 JOD 7.72

-66.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.03 ฿67.1

$1.39 JOD 0.98

46.04%

White Bread (500g)

$1.60 ฿52.7

$0.71 JOD 0.50

125.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.42 ฿46.75

$1.44 JOD 1.02

-1.39%

Eggs

$2.18 ฿71.9

$1.71 JOD 1.21

27.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.91 ฿526

$5.00 JOD 3.54

218.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.07 ฿102

$4.14 JOD 2.93

-25.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.87 ฿326

$10.12 JOD 7.16

-2.47%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 ฿86.8

$1.72 JOD 1.22

52.91%

Banana (1kg)

$1.10 ฿36.19

$1.21 JOD 0.86

-9.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.63 ฿53.8

$1.44 JOD 1.02

13.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿50.6

$0.49 JOD 0.35

212.24%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 ฿41.13

$0.69 JOD 0.49

79.71%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 ฿37.37

$0.69 JOD 0.49

63.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 ฿24.38

$0.45 JOD 0.32

64.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 ฿16.48

$0.48 JOD 0.34

4.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.28 ฿141

$3.85 JOD 2.72

11.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.97 ฿594

$20.98 JOD 14.85

-14.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 ฿56.1

$5.06 JOD 3.58

-66.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿95.7

$4.93 JOD 3.49

-41.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.94 ฿31.13

$1.37 JOD 0.97

-31.39%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.3 ฿1,827

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.23 ฿40.76

$0.64 JOD 0.46

92.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ฿17.66

$1.43 JOD 1.01

-62.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.40 ฿79.3

$7.08 JOD 5.01

-66.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 ฿47.55

$1.03 JOD 0.73

39.81%

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

$21.2K ฿700.2K

$35.1K JOD 24.8K

-39.58%

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

$27.3K ฿902.1K

$34.6K JOD 24.5K

-21.08%

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

$64.9 ฿2,145

$127 JOD 89.6

-48.70%

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

$13.35 ฿441

$15.74 JOD 11.14

-15.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.83 ฿688

$32.52 JOD 23.01

-35.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.42 ฿1,336

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.95 ฿131

Cinema Ticket

$6.71 ฿222

$11.10 JOD 7.85

-39.55%

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

$787 ฿26.0K

$479 JOD 339

64.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.1K ฿499.6K

$9,418 JOD 6,665

60.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.2 ฿1,858

$62.8 JOD 44.46

-10.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.95 ฿824

$81.0 JOD 57.3

-69.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.7 ฿3,063

$126 JOD 89.2

-26.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.1 ฿2,482

$87.4 JOD 61.9

-14.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$484 ฿16.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$287 ฿9,491

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$910 ฿30.1K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$531 ฿17.5K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,980 ฿65.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,451 ฿47.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$605 ฿20.0K

$372 JOD 263

62.91%

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 7, 2026

Last update for Jerash: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 63% 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 $43.00 in Jerash. Groceries tell a different story – $242 in Chiang Mai vs $212 in Jerash – so Jerash 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 Jerash: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 31% more than Jerash, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,426 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,087 in Jerash. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Chiang Mai and $43.00 in Jerash. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 14% 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 Jerash, where all-in costs run around $725, than in Chiang Mai at $950. In Jerash 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. Jerash costs $725 versus $950 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 Jerash. 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.