Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Madinat As Sultan Qaboos Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Madinat As Sultan Qaboos

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $932 per month in Chiang Mai vs $957 in Madinat As Sultan Qaboos, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,399 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,426 in Madinat As Sultan Qaboos, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,895 in Madinat As Sultan Qaboos, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 3% cheaper than Madinat As Sultan Qaboos, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and Madinat As Sultan Qaboos are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 32% lower, Madinat As Sultan Qaboos 30% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿69.3

$5.16 OMR 1.99

-59.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.61 ฿653

$33.47 OMR 12.89

-41.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.67 ฿189

$7.68 OMR 2.96

-26.17%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿60.1

$4.91 OMR 1.89

-63.14%

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

$0.77 ฿25.58

$0.84 OMR 0.32

-8.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.49

$0.27 OMR 0.10

29.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿73.7

$13.13 OMR 5.05

-83.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿126

$12.84 OMR 4.94

-70.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 ฿68.2

$2.26 OMR 0.87

-9.29%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 ฿50.4

$1.23 OMR 0.47

22.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 ฿46.57

$1.83 OMR 0.71

-23.50%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿75.2

$2.93 OMR 1.13

-22.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿539

$7.71 OMR 2.97

109.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.90 ฿96.4

$6.66 OMR 2.56

-56.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.42 ฿314

$10.48 OMR 4.04

-10.11%

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 ฿89.2

$3.52 OMR 1.36

-23.86%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.28

$1.96 OMR 0.76

-44.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.8

$2.34 OMR 0.90

-30.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.61

$1.25 OMR 0.48

16.80%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.54

$1.19 OMR 0.46

7.56%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 ฿35.21

$1.29 OMR 0.50

-17.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.88

$1.81 OMR 0.70

-60.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.51

$0.62 OMR 0.24

-14.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.23 ฿141

$6.55 OMR 2.52

-35.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.29 ฿609

$15.50 OMR 5.97

18.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ฿54.3

$5.56 OMR 2.14

-70.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿96.6

$8.73 OMR 3.36

-66.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.24

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.8 ฿1,790

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 ฿39.04

$3.16 OMR 1.22

-62.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿19.25

$2.56 OMR 0.98

-77.34%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.39 ฿79.4

$7.77 OMR 2.99

-69.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.28

$0.60 OMR 0.23

141.67%

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

$21.0K ฿699.5K

$25.8K OMR 9,939

-18.61%

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

$26.4K ฿879.7K

$22.5K OMR 8,673

17.30%

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

$63.7 ฿2,119

$170 OMR 65.6

-62.63%

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

$12.89 ฿429

$30.26 OMR 11.65

-57.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.52 ฿683

$69.5 OMR 26.75

-70.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.02 ฿1,299

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.92 ฿130

Cinema Ticket

$6.58 ฿219

$10.57 OMR 4.07

-37.75%

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

$784 ฿26.1K

$287 OMR 110

173.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿488.4K

$10.4K OMR 3,994

41.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 ฿1,835

$55.7 OMR 21.44

-1.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.74 ฿824

$42.83 OMR 16.49

-42.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.1 ฿3,133

$90.4 OMR 34.78

4.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.0 ฿2,462

$97.2 OMR 37.42

-23.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.3K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$288 ฿9,594

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$891 ฿29.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$521 ฿17.3K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,974 ฿65.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,444 ฿48.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿20.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

5.25

6.10%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 13, 2026

Last update for Madinat As Sultan Qaboos: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $33.00 in Madinat As Sultan Qaboos. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $241 vs $284 – 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 Madinat As Sultan Qaboos: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Madinat As Sultan Qaboos costs about 3% more than Chiang Mai, 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 $1,398 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,436 in Madinat As Sultan Qaboos. 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 $33.00 in Madinat As Sultan Qaboos. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 18% more in Madinat As Sultan Qaboos, 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 Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $932, than in Madinat As Sultan Qaboos at $957. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Madinat As Sultan Qaboos it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $932 versus $957 in Madinat As Sultan Qaboos. 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 Chiang Mai. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Madinat As Sultan Qaboos makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.