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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $861 per month in Chiang Mai vs $795 in Shinas, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,350 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,196 in Shinas, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,838 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,596 in Shinas, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 8% more than Shinas, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and Shinas are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Shinas 41% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿65.8

$5.26 OMR 2.02

-62.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.35 ฿617

$25.73 OMR 9.90

-28.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.48 ฿252

$7.96 OMR 3.06

-6.03%

Cappuccino

$2.02 ฿67.8

$5.00 OMR 1.92

-59.60%

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

$0.85 ฿28.50

$1.05 OMR 0.40

-19.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.96

$0.31 OMR 0.12

16.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.8

$12.28 OMR 4.73

-82.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 ฿121

$11.76 OMR 4.53

-69.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿55.5

$1.99 OMR 0.77

-17.09%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.7

$1.18 OMR 0.45

33.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿40.02

$1.65 OMR 0.64

-27.88%

Eggs

$1.94 ฿65.1

$2.36 OMR 0.91

-17.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿544

$3.84 OMR 1.48

321.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.99 ฿101

$5.09 OMR 1.96

-41.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿368

$8.77 OMR 3.37

24.74%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 ฿91.2

$2.54 OMR 0.98

6.69%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿39.25

$1.73 OMR 0.67

-32.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 ฿56.7

$1.77 OMR 0.68

-4.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 ฿54.0

$1.13 OMR 0.44

41.59%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.54

$0.97 OMR 0.37

42.27%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.45

$0.98 OMR 0.38

22.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿22.50

$1.05 OMR 0.40

-36.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.73

$0.52 OMR 0.20

7.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.64 ฿156

$6.29 OMR 2.42

-26.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.62 ฿593

$15.38 OMR 5.92

14.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.5

$4.22 OMR 1.62

-55.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 ฿111

$7.96 OMR 3.06

-58.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.68

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ฿650

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿45.90

$3.09 OMR 1.19

-55.99%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.98

$0.80 OMR 0.31

67.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.21 ฿276

$10.36 OMR 3.99

-20.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ฿41.18

$0.64 OMR 0.25

90.62%

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

$21.4K ฿718.1K

$23.0K OMR 8,836

-7.00%

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

$22.5K ฿757.7K

$21.8K OMR 8,388

3.35%

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

$70.7 ฿2,376

$107 OMR 41.01

-33.69%

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

$14.04 ฿472

$40.69 OMR 15.66

-65.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.49 ฿588

$71.0 OMR 27.31

-75.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.15 ฿1,417

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿199

$10.41 OMR 4.01

-43.13%

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

$309 ฿10.4K

$194 OMR 74.7

58.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K ฿500.4K

$9,771 OMR 3,760

52.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,875

$51.0 OMR 19.62

9.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.11 ฿878

$39.66 OMR 15.26

-34.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.0 ฿2,792

$80.0 OMR 30.80

3.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 ฿2,369

$87.7 OMR 33.73

-19.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$432 ฿14.5K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿8,035

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$822 ฿27.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$512 ฿17.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,915 ฿64.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 ฿49.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$579 ฿19.5K

$3,106 OMR 1,195

-81.34%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.15

-2.91%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Last update for Shinas: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 436% higher in Shinas, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $18.00 in Chiang Mai versus $26.00 in Shinas. Groceries tell a different story – $243 in Chiang Mai vs $230 in Shinas – so Shinas 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 Shinas: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 8% more than Shinas, 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 $1,292 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,192 in Shinas. 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 $26.00 in Shinas. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 6% 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 $861 in Chiang Mai and $795 in Shinas, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Shinas costs $795 versus $861 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 Shinas. 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.