Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Umm Salal Mohammed Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Umm Salal Mohammed

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $869 per month in Chiang Mai vs $233 in Umm Salal Mohammed, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,362 per month in Chiang Mai vs $390 in Umm Salal Mohammed, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,855 per month in Chiang Mai vs $546 in Umm Salal Mohammed, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 273% more than Umm Salal Mohammed, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Chiang Mai and Umm Salal Mohammed are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Umm Salal Mohammed 83% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.98 ฿64.3

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.80 ฿612

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.75 ฿252

Cappuccino

$1.92 ฿62.5

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

$0.79 ฿25.79

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.62

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿53.8

$2.23 QAR 8.13

-26.01%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$1.48 QAR 5.39

10.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.86

$2.62 QAR 9.53

-54.58%

Eggs

$2.00 ฿65.1

$2.70 QAR 9.83

-25.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.98 ฿520

$8.16 QAR 29.71

95.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.03 ฿98.5

$4.93 QAR 17.93

-38.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 ฿354

$9.45 QAR 34.39

14.92%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 ฿90.0

$1.89 QAR 6.87

46.03%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.42

$1.49 QAR 5.43

-20.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$1.11 QAR 4.06

47.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.51

$2.31 QAR 8.42

-34.20%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿45.10

$0.79 QAR 2.87

74.68%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.84

$1.62 QAR 5.90

-26.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ฿22.86

$1.90 QAR 6.92

-63.16%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.13

$0.43 QAR 1.55

30.23%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$12.60 QAR 45.87

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.46 QAR 5.32

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.58 ฿149

$5.86 QAR 21.33

-21.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.56 ฿539

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿59.5

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 ฿104

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿28.56

$1.12 QAR 4.08

-21.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.72 ฿610

$32.88 QAR 120

-43.07%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿44.16

$2.19 QAR 7.96

-37.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿43.65

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$5.85 QAR 21.30

34.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿39.92

$0.60 QAR 2.19

105.00%

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

$21.6K ฿704.3K

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

$22.5K ฿734.3K

$20.5K QAR 74.6K

10.06%

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

$70.5 ฿2,298

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

$13.68 ฿445

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.45 ฿568

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.33 ฿1,346

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

Cinema Ticket

$5.77 ฿188

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

$307 ฿10.0K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿475.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,817

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.21 ฿854

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 ฿2,793

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.2 ฿2,353

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$430 ฿14.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿7,774

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$817 ฿26.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$511 ฿16.6K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,983 ฿64.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,484 ฿48.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$619 ฿20.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 7, 2026

Last update for Umm Salal Mohammed: June 8, 2026

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 Mohammed: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 273% more than Umm Salal Mohammed, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,303 per month in Chiang Mai and $349 in Umm Salal Mohammed. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $869 in Chiang Mai and $233 in Umm Salal Mohammed. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Groceries cost about 28% 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 $869 in Chiang Mai and $233 in Umm Salal Mohammed, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Umm Salal Mohammed costs $233 versus $869 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 Mohammed. 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.