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 $950 per month in Chiang Mai vs $774 in Madaba, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,430 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,360 in Madaba, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,909 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,946 in Madaba, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 23% more than Madaba, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and Madaba are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 31% lower, Madaba 44% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.10 ฿69.3

$5.70 JOD 4.03

-63.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.84 ฿656

$49.91 JOD 35.32

-60.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.79 ฿191

$6.18 JOD 4.37

-6.31%

Cappuccino

$1.83 ฿60.4

$3.45 JOD 2.44

-46.96%

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

$0.78 ฿25.61

$0.61 JOD 0.44

27.87%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.37

$0.60 JOD 0.42

-48.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.34 ฿77.2

$4.35 JOD 3.08

-46.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.70 ฿122

$6.89 JOD 4.87

-46.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.03 ฿67.1

$1.43 JOD 1.01

41.96%

White Bread (500g)

$1.60 ฿52.7

$0.68 JOD 0.48

135.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.42 ฿46.75

$1.51 JOD 1.07

-5.96%

Eggs

$2.18 ฿71.9

$1.71 JOD 1.21

27.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.91 ฿526

$4.20 JOD 2.97

278.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.07 ฿102

$5.77 JOD 4.08

-46.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.87 ฿326

$12.61 JOD 8.92

-21.73%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 ฿86.8

$2.46 JOD 1.74

6.91%

Banana (1kg)

$1.10 ฿36.19

$1.45 JOD 1.02

-24.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.63 ฿53.8

$1.83 JOD 1.30

-10.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿50.6

$0.68 JOD 0.48

125.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 ฿41.13

$0.68 JOD 0.48

82.35%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 ฿37.37

$0.69 JOD 0.49

63.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 ฿24.38

$0.34 JOD 0.24

117.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 ฿16.48

$0.58 JOD 0.41

-13.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.28 ฿141

$2.09 JOD 1.48

104.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.97 ฿594

$21.56 JOD 15.26

-16.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 ฿56.1

$5.29 JOD 3.75

-67.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿95.7

$5.00 JOD 3.54

-42.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.94 ฿31.13

$0.89 JOD 0.63

5.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.3 ฿1,827

$71.7 JOD 50.7

-22.84%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.23 ฿40.76

$0.64 JOD 0.45

92.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ฿17.66

$1.38 JOD 0.98

-61.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.40 ฿79.3

$7.12 JOD 5.04

-66.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 ฿47.55

$1.36 JOD 0.96

5.88%

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

$21.2K ฿700.2K

$35.8K JOD 25.3K

-40.75%

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

$27.3K ฿902.1K

$35.1K JOD 24.8K

-22.22%

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

$64.9 ฿2,145

$71.3 JOD 50.5

-8.97%

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

$13.35 ฿441

$14.19 JOD 10.04

-5.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.83 ฿688

$21.40 JOD 15.14

-2.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.42 ฿1,336

$27.90 JOD 19.74

44.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.95 ฿131

$69.7 JOD 49.30

-94.33%

Cinema Ticket

$6.71 ฿222

$11.22 JOD 7.94

-40.20%

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

$787 ฿26.0K

$41.55 JOD 29.40

1794.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.1K ฿499.6K

$9,350 JOD 6,617

61.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.2 ฿1,858

$64.7 JOD 45.79

-13.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.95 ฿824

$55.6 JOD 39.34

-55.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.7 ฿3,063

$69.8 JOD 49.40

32.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.1 ฿2,482

$42.41 JOD 30.02

77.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$484 ฿16.0K

$208 JOD 147

133.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$287 ฿9,491

$42.78 JOD 30.27

571.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$910 ฿30.1K

$424 JOD 300

114.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$531 ฿17.5K

$210 JOD 149

152.16%

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

$494 JOD 350

22.48%

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 Madaba: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $484 in Chiang Mai versus $208 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 22% 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 $50.0 in Madaba. Groceries tell a different story – $242 in Chiang Mai vs $236 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 23% 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 $1,426 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,161 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 $787 per month in Chiang Mai and $41.55 in Madaba. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 3% 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 Madaba, where all-in costs run around $774, than in Chiang Mai at $950. In Madaba 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. Madaba costs $774 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 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.