Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Umm Salal 'ali Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Umm Salal 'ali

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $932 per month in Chiang Mai vs $784 in Umm Salal 'ali, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,399 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,346 in Umm Salal 'ali, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,908 in Umm Salal 'ali, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 19% more than Umm Salal 'ali, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and Umm Salal 'ali are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 32% lower, Umm Salal 'ali 43% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿69.3

$10.97 QAR 39.93

-81.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.61 ฿653

$73.8 QAR 268

-73.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.67 ฿189

$8.44 QAR 30.71

-32.82%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$12.01 QAR 43.71

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$13.73 QAR 49.98

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿60.1

$5.80 QAR 21.11

-68.79%

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

$0.77 ฿25.58

$0.93 QAR 3.38

-17.20%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.49

$0.42 QAR 1.51

-16.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿73.7

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿126

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 ฿68.2

$2.17 QAR 7.92

-5.53%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 ฿50.4

$1.47 QAR 5.34

2.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 ฿46.57

$1.98 QAR 7.19

-29.29%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿75.2

$3.45 QAR 12.55

-34.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿539

$11.25 QAR 40.97

43.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.90 ฿96.4

$8.17 QAR 29.72

-64.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.42 ฿314

$11.13 QAR 40.52

-15.36%

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 ฿89.2

$2.16 QAR 7.85

24.07%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.28

$1.79 QAR 6.53

-39.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.8

$1.55 QAR 5.66

4.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.61

$1.22 QAR 4.44

19.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.54

$0.95 QAR 3.44

34.74%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 ฿35.21

$0.99 QAR 3.59

7.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.88

$1.39 QAR 5.05

-48.20%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.51

$0.55 QAR 2.02

-3.64%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$9.83 QAR 35.77

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.93 QAR 7.02

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 QAR 8.31

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.23 ฿141

$6.49 QAR 23.64

-34.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.29 ฿609

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ฿54.3

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿96.6

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.24

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.8 ฿1,790

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 ฿39.04

$1.98 QAR 7.21

-40.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿19.25

$2.12 QAR 7.72

-72.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.39 ฿79.4

$14.00 QAR 51.0

-82.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.28

$0.55 QAR 2.00

163.64%

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

$21.0K ฿699.5K

$27.1K QAR 98.7K

-22.50%

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

$26.4K ฿879.7K

$22.0K QAR 80.2K

19.93%

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

$63.7 ฿2,119

$88.5 QAR 322

-28.11%

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

$12.89 ฿429

$35.24 QAR 128

-63.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.52 ฿683

$85.1 QAR 310

-75.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.02 ฿1,299

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.92 ฿130

Cinema Ticket

$6.58 ฿219

$12.42 QAR 45.21

-47.02%

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

$784 ฿26.1K

$682 QAR 2,484

14.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿488.4K

$10.2K QAR 37.0K

44.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 ฿1,835

$59.9 QAR 218

-8.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.74 ฿824

$51.5 QAR 187

-51.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.1 ฿3,133

$104 QAR 380

-9.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.0 ฿2,462

$86.5 QAR 315

-14.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.3K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$288 ฿9,594

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$891 ฿29.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$521 ฿17.3K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,974 ฿65.7K

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

5.88

-5.27%

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 Salal 'ali: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $74.0 in Umm Salal 'ali. Groceries tell a different story – $241 in Chiang Mai vs $217 in Umm Salal 'ali – so Umm Salal 'ali 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 Salal 'ali: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 19% more than Umm Salal 'ali, 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 $1,176 in Umm Salal 'ali. 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 $74.0 in Umm Salal 'ali. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 11% 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 $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Umm Salal 'ali, where all-in costs run around $784, than in Chiang Mai at $932. In Umm Salal 'ali 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 Salal 'ali costs $784 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 Salal 'ali. 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.