Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Umm As-summaq Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Umm As-summaq

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $861 per month in Chiang Mai vs $717 in Umm As-summaq, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,350 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,387 in Umm As-summaq, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,838 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,056 in Umm As-summaq, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 20% more than Umm As-summaq, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and Umm As-summaq are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Umm As-summaq 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿65.9

$6.47 JOD 4.58

-69.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.35 ฿617

$49.79 JOD 35.24

-63.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.48 ฿252

$5.07 JOD 3.59

47.53%

Cappuccino

$2.02 ฿67.8

$4.00 JOD 2.83

-49.50%

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

$0.85 ฿28.52

$0.48 JOD 0.34

77.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.97

$0.37 JOD 0.26

-2.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.9

$5.76 JOD 4.08

-62.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 ฿121

$7.19 JOD 5.09

-50.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿55.5

$1.30 JOD 0.92

26.92%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.7

$0.36 JOD 0.26

336.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿40.05

$1.39 JOD 0.98

-14.39%

Eggs

$1.94 ฿65.1

$2.57 JOD 1.82

-24.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿545

$2.87 JOD 2.03

464.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.99 ฿101

$6.38 JOD 4.51

-53.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿368

$11.39 JOD 8.06

-3.95%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 ฿91.2

$1.39 JOD 0.99

94.96%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿39.27

$0.69 JOD 0.49

69.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 ฿56.8

$1.43 JOD 1.01

18.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 ฿54.0

$0.29 JOD 0.21

451.72%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.56

$0.37 JOD 0.26

272.97%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.47

$0.29 JOD 0.21

313.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿22.51

$0.61 JOD 0.43

9.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.74

$0.59 JOD 0.42

-5.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.64 ฿156

$3.64 JOD 2.57

27.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.62 ฿593

$16.84 JOD 11.92

4.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.6

$4.70 JOD 3.32

-60.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 ฿111

$5.57 JOD 3.94

-40.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.70

$0.68 JOD 0.48

29.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ฿651

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿45.92

$0.73 JOD 0.52

86.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿45.00

$0.29 JOD 0.21

362.07%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.21 ฿276

$7.08 JOD 5.01

15.96%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ฿41.20

$1.38 JOD 0.98

-11.59%

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

$21.4K ฿718.5K

$27.3K JOD 19.3K

-21.69%

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

$22.5K ฿758.1K

$32.4K JOD 23.0K

-30.56%

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

$70.7 ฿2,378

$104 JOD 73.7

-32.12%

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

$14.04 ฿472

$17.12 JOD 12.11

-17.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.49 ฿589

$32.03 JOD 22.67

-45.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.15 ฿1,418

$40.97 JOD 29.00

2.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

$35.31 JOD 24.99

-80.52%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿199

$11.19 JOD 7.92

-47.10%

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

$309 ฿10.4K

$277 JOD 196

11.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K ฿500.7K

$5,456 JOD 3,862

172.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,876

$60.8 JOD 43.00

-8.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.11 ฿879

$57.3 JOD 40.58

-54.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.0 ฿2,793

$112 JOD 79.5

-26.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 ฿2,371

$81.2 JOD 57.5

-13.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$432 ฿14.5K

$376 JOD 266

14.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿8,040

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$822 ฿27.7K

$470 JOD 333

74.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$512 ฿17.2K

$359 JOD 254

42.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,915 ฿64.4K

$1,701 JOD 1,204

12.59%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 ฿49.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$579 ฿19.5K

$859 JOD 608

-32.58%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.67

-25.04%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Last update for Umm As-summaq: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $432 in Chiang Mai versus $376 in Umm As-summaq. 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 48% higher in Umm As-summaq, 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 $50.0 in Umm As-summaq. Groceries tell a different story – $243 in Chiang Mai vs $205 in Umm As-summaq – so Umm As-summaq 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 Umm As-summaq: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 20% more than Umm As-summaq, 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 $1,076 in Umm As-summaq. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $18.00 in Chiang Mai and $50.0 in Umm As-summaq. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 19% 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 Umm As-summaq, where all-in costs run around $717, than in Chiang Mai at $861. In Umm As-summaq 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. Umm As-summaq costs $717 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 Umm As-summaq. 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.