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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $836 in Madaba, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,360 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,443 in Madaba, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,867 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,050 in Madaba, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 2% more than Madaba, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and Madaba are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Madaba 37% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.04 ฿68.4

$5.71 JOD 4.04

-64.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.71 ฿626

$48.51 JOD 34.34

-61.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.86 ฿263

$6.43 JOD 4.55

22.24%

Cappuccino

$2.03 ฿67.9

$3.61 JOD 2.55

-43.77%

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

$0.80 ฿26.71

$0.52 JOD 0.37

53.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.71

$0.37 JOD 0.26

-5.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.7

$4.20 JOD 2.97

-49.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿123

$6.90 JOD 4.89

-46.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 ฿57.8

$1.37 JOD 0.97

26.28%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.5

$0.51 JOD 0.36

207.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.10

$1.67 JOD 1.18

-28.14%

Eggs

$1.97 ฿66.0

$1.73 JOD 1.23

13.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.23 ฿543

$4.30 JOD 3.04

277.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.06 ฿102

$5.79 JOD 4.10

-47.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.80 ฿361

$11.62 JOD 8.22

-7.06%

Apples (1kg)

$2.77 ฿92.6

$1.96 JOD 1.39

41.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿39.05

$1.38 JOD 0.97

-15.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 ฿57.1

$1.47 JOD 1.04

16.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿53.3

$0.70 JOD 0.50

127.14%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.63

$0.74 JOD 0.53

87.84%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 ฿38.67

$0.72 JOD 0.51

61.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿22.11

$0.36 JOD 0.26

83.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.35

$0.54 JOD 0.39

-3.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 ฿155

$2.07 JOD 1.46

124.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.78 ฿595

$21.33 JOD 15.10

-16.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ฿59.8

$4.66 JOD 3.30

-61.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 ฿112

$5.46 JOD 3.86

-38.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿30.35

$0.89 JOD 0.63

2.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.64 ฿624

$71.8 JOD 50.9

-74.05%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿47.17

$0.73 JOD 0.52

93.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.82

$1.40 JOD 0.99

-4.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.11 ฿271

$6.87 JOD 4.86

18.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿41.27

$1.42 JOD 1.01

-13.38%

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

$21.4K ฿717.0K

$27.3K JOD 19.3K

-21.46%

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

$21.8K ฿730.0K

$31.9K JOD 22.6K

-31.61%

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

$71.3 ฿2,386

$70.3 JOD 49.76

1.48%

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

$14.01 ฿469

$14.06 JOD 9.95

-0.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.93 ฿600

$21.54 JOD 15.25

-16.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.82 ฿1,365

$28.58 JOD 20.23

42.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿230

$70.0 JOD 49.58

-90.18%

Cinema Ticket

$5.72 ฿191

$11.22 JOD 7.95

-49.02%

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

$308 ฿10.3K

$42.00 JOD 29.73

634.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿491.0K

$1,115 JOD 789

1216.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,865

$61.4 JOD 43.48

-9.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.04 ฿871

$48.75 JOD 34.51

-46.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 ฿2,837

$62.4 JOD 44.17

35.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.0 ฿2,375

$35.44 JOD 25.09

100.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$423 ฿14.2K

$175 JOD 124

142.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 ฿8,110

$128 JOD 90.7

89.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$797 ฿26.7K

$388 JOD 275

105.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$507 ฿17.0K

$348 JOD 247

45.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,918 ฿64.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,464 ฿49.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

$499 JOD 353

19.29%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.25

-20.00%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 27, 2026

Last update for Madaba: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $423 in Chiang Mai versus $175 in Madaba. 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 19% 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 $49.00 in Madaba. Groceries tell a different story – $244 in Chiang Mai vs $225 in Madaba – so Madaba 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 Madaba: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 2% more than Madaba, 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 $1,279 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,254 in Madaba. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Madaba, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $308 per month in Chiang Mai and $42.00 in Madaba. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 8% 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 $836 in Madaba, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Madaba costs $836 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 Madaba. 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.