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 $866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $716 in Umm As-summaq, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,351 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,378 in Umm As-summaq, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,835 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,039 in Umm As-summaq, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 21% 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 35% lower, Umm As-summaq 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ฿63.5

$6.31 JOD 4.47

-69.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 ฿609

$49.60 JOD 35.10

-62.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 ฿255

$5.08 JOD 3.59

53.94%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.8

$3.99 JOD 2.82

-51.13%

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

$0.85 ฿27.77

$0.52 JOD 0.37

63.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.58

$0.34 JOD 0.24

2.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.6

$5.80 JOD 4.11

-63.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

$7.22 JOD 5.11

-48.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿56.0

$1.24 JOD 0.88

37.90%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$0.34 JOD 0.24

379.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ฿37.15

$1.45 JOD 1.02

-21.38%

Eggs

$1.93 ฿63.1

$2.45 JOD 1.73

-21.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ฿530

$2.79 JOD 1.97

481.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿102

$6.60 JOD 4.67

-52.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿356

$11.20 JOD 7.93

-2.68%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ฿90.0

$1.39 JOD 0.98

97.84%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.52

$0.74 JOD 0.52

63.51%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.0

$1.38 JOD 0.98

17.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$0.27 JOD 0.19

488.89%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿45.70

$0.33 JOD 0.24

324.24%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.17

$0.27 JOD 0.19

333.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.60

$0.66 JOD 0.47

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.22

$0.59 JOD 0.41

-10.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿153

$3.62 JOD 2.56

29.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿609

$16.82 JOD 11.90

10.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.8

$4.88 JOD 3.45

-63.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$5.48 JOD 3.88

-41.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.26

$0.69 JOD 0.49

30.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.91

$0.74 JOD 0.53

90.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.12

$0.29 JOD 0.21

344.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$6.95 JOD 4.92

12.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.58

$1.38 JOD 0.98

-7.97%

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

$21.3K ฿694.9K

$26.7K JOD 18.9K

-20.22%

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

$22.2K ฿725.4K

$32.3K JOD 22.8K

-31.16%

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

$69.1 ฿2,256

$105 JOD 74.5

-34.39%

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

$14.08 ฿460

$16.95 JOD 11.99

-16.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿588

$32.11 JOD 22.73

-43.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,341

$41.42 JOD 29.31

-0.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$34.88 JOD 24.69

-80.05%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿193

$11.25 JOD 7.96

-47.38%

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

$299 ฿9,766

$272 JOD 193

9.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿488.3K

$5,407 JOD 3,826

176.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,787

$61.8 JOD 43.71

-11.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.77 ฿874

$55.8 JOD 39.48

-52.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 ฿2,776

$115 JOD 81.1

-25.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,306

$81.9 JOD 57.9

-13.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

$379 JOD 269

12.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,752

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.2K

$460 JOD 325

74.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$354 JOD 251

45.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

$1,707 JOD 1,208

15.66%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

$851 JOD 602

-27.43%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Umm As-summaq: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $428 in Chiang Mai versus $379 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 38% 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $50.0 in Umm As-summaq. Groceries tell a different story – $246 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 21% 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 $1,300 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,074 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 $19.00 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 20% 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 $866 in Chiang Mai and $716 in Umm As-summaq, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Umm As-summaq costs $716 versus $866 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.