Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Ma'an Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Ma'an

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $845 per month in Chiang Mai vs $757 in Ma'an, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,323 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,212 in Ma'an, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,802 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,667 in Ma'an, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 12% more than Ma'an, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and Ma'an are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 37% lower, Ma'an 44% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.95 ฿62.8

$6.90 JOD 4.90

-71.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.43 ฿594

$48.65 JOD 34.50

-62.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.50 ฿241

$6.84 JOD 4.85

9.65%

Cappuccino

$1.93 ฿62.3

$4.15 JOD 2.94

-53.49%

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

$0.78 ฿25.08

$0.51 JOD 0.36

52.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ฿10.42

$0.37 JOD 0.27

-13.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.15 ฿69.2

$5.49 JOD 3.89

-60.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.71 ฿120

$6.94 JOD 4.92

-46.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿55.2

$1.47 JOD 1.04

16.33%

White Bread (500g)

$1.56 ฿50.3

$0.54 JOD 0.38

188.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.06

$1.70 JOD 1.20

-30.59%

Eggs

$1.98 ฿63.9

$2.49 JOD 1.76

-20.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.04 ฿517

$6.60 JOD 4.68

143.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.17 ฿102

$6.64 JOD 4.70

-52.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿353

$11.39 JOD 8.07

-3.95%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 ฿84.7

$2.05 JOD 1.46

28.29%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿37.61

$1.76 JOD 1.25

-33.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.65 ฿53.0

$1.46 JOD 1.04

13.01%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.54 ฿49.51

$0.76 JOD 0.54

102.63%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿44.34

$0.94 JOD 0.67

46.81%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿37.54

$0.75 JOD 0.53

56.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.25

$0.64 JOD 0.46

3.13%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.55

$0.58 JOD 0.41

-12.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.52 ฿146

$3.56 JOD 2.53

26.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.32 ฿590

$21.53 JOD 15.26

-14.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿57.9

$4.77 JOD 3.38

-62.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 ฿102

$5.33 JOD 3.78

-40.34%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿28.97

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.00 ฿612

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.50

$0.68 JOD 0.48

107.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.31 ฿42.15

$1.39 JOD 0.98

-5.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.09 ฿261

$7.02 JOD 4.98

15.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 ฿41.08

$1.46 JOD 1.03

-12.33%

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

$21.3K ฿686.1K

$27.5K JOD 19.5K

-22.60%

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

$21.7K ฿699.3K

$32.1K JOD 22.8K

-32.48%

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

$69.2 ฿2,230

$104 JOD 73.9

-33.60%

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

$13.97 ฿450

$17.22 JOD 12.21

-18.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.95 ฿578

$31.89 JOD 22.61

-43.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.31 ฿1,363

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.66 ฿214

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿191

$11.37 JOD 8.06

-47.93%

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

$299 ฿9,640

$274 JOD 194

9.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿478.4K

$5,338 JOD 3,784

178.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.2 ฿1,810

$62.4 JOD 44.26

-10.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.94 ฿868

$56.8 JOD 40.27

-52.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.9 ฿2,735

$115 JOD 81.8

-26.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.8 ฿2,314

$80.7 JOD 57.2

-10.96%

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

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$498 ฿16.1K

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 %)

7.27

-31.22%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 20, 2026

Last update for Ma'an: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $435 in Chiang Mai versus $0 in Ma'an. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $18 in Chiang Mai versus $49 in Ma'an. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $244 vs $246 – making Chiang Mai the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Ma'an: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 12% more than Ma'an, 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 $1,267 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,135 in Ma'an. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $18.00 in Chiang Mai and $49.00 in Ma'an. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 1% cheaper in Chiang Mai – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $845 in Chiang Mai and $757 in Ma'an, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Ma'an costs $757 versus $845 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 Ma'an. 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.