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 $932 per month in Chiang Mai vs $733 in Umm As-summaq, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,399 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,270 in Umm As-summaq, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,806 in Umm As-summaq, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 27% 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 32% lower, Umm As-summaq 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿69.3

$7.17 JOD 5.07

-70.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.61 ฿653

$66.7 JOD 47.18

-70.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.67 ฿189

$7.14 JOD 5.05

-20.59%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿60.1

$2.74 JOD 1.94

-33.94%

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

$0.77 ฿25.56

$0.60 JOD 0.43

28.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.49

$0.60 JOD 0.42

-41.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿73.7

$6.88 JOD 4.87

-67.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿126

$8.61 JOD 6.09

-55.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 ฿68.1

$1.44 JOD 1.02

42.36%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 ฿50.4

$0.67 JOD 0.48

125.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 ฿46.54

$1.39 JOD 0.98

0.72%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿75.1

$2.24 JOD 1.58

0.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿539

$9.14 JOD 6.47

77.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.90 ฿96.4

$2.76 JOD 1.95

5.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.42 ฿313

$12.89 JOD 9.12

-26.92%

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 ฿89.1

$2.42 JOD 1.71

10.74%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.25

$2.00 JOD 1.42

-45.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.8

$1.88 JOD 1.33

-13.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.58

$0.86 JOD 0.61

69.77%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.51

$0.93 JOD 0.66

37.63%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 ฿35.19

$0.83 JOD 0.59

27.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.86

$0.65 JOD 0.46

10.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.50

$0.61 JOD 0.43

-13.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.23 ฿141

$2.87 JOD 2.03

47.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.29 ฿609

$16.79 JOD 11.88

8.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ฿54.2

$4.15 JOD 2.93

-60.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿96.5

$4.16 JOD 2.95

-30.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.22

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.8 ฿1,789

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 ฿39.02

$0.61 JOD 0.43

91.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿19.24

$1.43 JOD 1.02

-59.44%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.39 ฿79.4

$7.08 JOD 5.01

-66.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.25

$1.61 JOD 1.14

-9.94%

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

$21.0K ฿699.1K

$35.3K JOD 25.0K

-40.42%

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

$26.4K ฿879.1K

$34.2K JOD 24.2K

-22.82%

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

$63.7 ฿2,118

$53.5 JOD 37.88

18.93%

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

$12.89 ฿429

$15.44 JOD 10.92

-16.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.52 ฿683

$32.25 JOD 22.83

-36.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.02 ฿1,298

$56.4 JOD 39.94

-30.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.92 ฿130

$49.88 JOD 35.30

-92.14%

Cinema Ticket

$6.58 ฿219

$11.49 JOD 8.13

-42.73%

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

$784 ฿26.1K

$353 JOD 250

122.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿488.2K

$5,679 JOD 4,019

158.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 ฿1,834

$57.1 JOD 40.44

-3.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.74 ฿823

$63.7 JOD 45.04

-61.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.1 ฿3,132

$128 JOD 90.3

-26.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.0 ฿2,461

$87.3 JOD 61.8

-15.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.3K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$288 ฿9,588

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$891 ฿29.7K

$787 JOD 557

13.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$521 ฿17.3K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,974 ฿65.7K

$1,707 JOD 1,208

15.64%

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

6.81

-18.21%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 13, 2026

Last update for Umm As-summaq: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $67.0 in Umm As-summaq. Groceries tell a different story – $241 in Chiang Mai vs $229 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 27% 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 $1,398 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,100 in Umm As-summaq. 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 $67.0 in Umm As-summaq. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 5% 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 $733, than in Chiang Mai at $932. 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 $733 versus $932 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.