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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,441 in Sohar, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,351 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,151 in Sohar, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,835 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,862 in Sohar, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 40% cheaper than Sohar, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Chiang Mai sits 35% below the global median, while Sohar is 8% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ฿63.5

$6.53 OMR 2.51

-70.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 ฿609

$21.05 OMR 8.10

-11.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 ฿255

$8.87 OMR 3.41

-11.84%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.8

$6.62 OMR 2.55

-70.54%

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

$0.85 ฿27.77

$0.65 OMR 0.25

30.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.58

$0.27 OMR 0.10

29.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.6

$12.74 OMR 4.91

-83.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

$14.10 OMR 5.43

-73.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿56.0

$2.24 OMR 0.86

-23.66%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$1.11 OMR 0.43

46.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ฿37.15

$3.22 OMR 1.24

-64.60%

Eggs

$1.93 ฿63.1

$2.82 OMR 1.09

-31.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ฿530

$13.59 OMR 5.23

19.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿102

$9.31 OMR 3.58

-66.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿356

$14.40 OMR 5.54

-24.31%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ฿90.0

$3.21 OMR 1.24

-14.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.52

$2.11 OMR 0.81

-42.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.0

$2.55 OMR 0.98

-36.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$1.18 OMR 0.46

34.75%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿45.70

$1.74 OMR 0.67

-19.54%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.17

$1.86 OMR 0.72

-37.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.60

$1.72 OMR 0.66

-61.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.22

$0.99 OMR 0.38

-46.46%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿153

$6.14 OMR 2.36

-23.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿609

$26.43 OMR 10.18

-29.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.8

$4.00 OMR 1.54

-55.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$8.47 OMR 3.26

-61.87%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.26

$2.66 OMR 1.02

-66.17%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

$51.9 OMR 20.00

-63.02%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.91

$3.16 OMR 1.21

-55.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.12

$1.53 OMR 0.59

-15.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$10.51 OMR 4.05

-25.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.58

$0.60 OMR 0.23

111.67%

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

$21.3K ฿694.9K

$18.1K OMR 6,963

17.65%

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

$22.2K ฿725.4K

$20.8K OMR 8,000

6.90%

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

$69.1 ฿2,256

$101 OMR 38.93

-31.70%

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

$14.08 ฿460

$29.04 OMR 11.18

-51.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿588

$87.4 OMR 33.63

-79.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,341

$51.6 OMR 19.86

-20.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿193

$11.78 OMR 4.54

-49.75%

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

$299 ฿9,766

$269 OMR 104

11.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿488.3K

$7,119 OMR 2,741

110.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,787

$51.6 OMR 19.88

5.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.77 ฿874

$43.42 OMR 16.72

-38.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 ฿2,776

$78.3 OMR 30.14

8.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,306

$46.95 OMR 18.08

50.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

$485 OMR 187

-11.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,752

$388 OMR 149

-38.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.2K

$753 OMR 290

6.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$669 OMR 257

-22.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

$1,154 OMR 444

71.11%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

$774 OMR 298

90.65%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

$2,455 OMR 945

-74.85%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.62

-11.03%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Last update for Sohar: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $428 in Chiang Mai versus $485 in Sohar. 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 298% higher in Sohar, 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 $21.00 in Sohar. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $246 vs $351 – 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 Sohar: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Sohar costs about 66% 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 $1,300 per month in Chiang Mai and $2,161 in Sohar. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $299 per month in Chiang Mai and $269 in Sohar. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 42% more in Sohar, 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 $866, than in Sohar at $1,441. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Sohar it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $866 versus $1,441 in Sohar. 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, Sohar makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.