Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Wadi Musa Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Wadi Musa

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $926 in Wadi Musa, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,351 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,187 in Wadi Musa, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,835 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,448 in Wadi Musa, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 6% cheaper than Wadi Musa, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and Wadi Musa are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Wadi Musa 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ฿63.5

$5.36 JOD 3.79

-63.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 ฿609

$34.90 JOD 24.70

-46.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 ฿255

$4.99 JOD 3.53

56.71%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.8

$2.85 JOD 2.01

-31.58%

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

$0.85 ฿27.77

$0.51 JOD 0.36

66.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.58

$0.36 JOD 0.25

-2.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.6

$5.61 JOD 3.97

-62.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

$6.85 JOD 4.85

-45.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿56.0

$1.48 JOD 1.05

15.54%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$0.51 JOD 0.36

219.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ฿37.15

$1.57 JOD 1.11

-27.39%

Eggs

$1.93 ฿63.1

$2.54 JOD 1.80

-24.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ฿530

$6.72 JOD 4.75

141.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿102

$4.76 JOD 3.37

-34.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿356

$11.16 JOD 7.90

-2.33%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ฿90.0

$1.78 JOD 1.26

54.49%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.52

$1.37 JOD 0.97

-11.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.0

$1.48 JOD 1.05

9.46%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$0.73 JOD 0.51

117.81%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿45.70

$0.85 JOD 0.60

64.71%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.17

$0.73 JOD 0.52

60.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.60

$0.65 JOD 0.46

1.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.22

$0.51 JOD 0.36

3.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿153

$3.40 JOD 2.40

37.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿609

$20.75 JOD 14.69

-10.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.8

$4.70 JOD 3.33

-61.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$5.30 JOD 3.75

-39.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.26

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.91

$0.70 JOD 0.49

101.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.12

$1.43 JOD 1.02

-9.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$7.01 JOD 4.96

11.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.58

$1.15 JOD 0.82

10.43%

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

$21.3K ฿694.9K

$26.8K JOD 18.9K

-20.47%

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

$22.2K ฿725.4K

$32.4K JOD 22.9K

-31.43%

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

$69.1 ฿2,256

$71.6 JOD 50.7

-3.55%

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

$14.08 ฿460

$4.17 JOD 2.95

237.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿588

$14.01 JOD 9.92

28.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,341

$35.34 JOD 25.01

16.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿193

$11.12 JOD 7.87

-46.76%

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

$299 ฿9,766

$278 JOD 197

7.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿488.3K

$5,457 JOD 3,862

174.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,787

$61.4 JOD 43.46

-10.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.77 ฿874

$56.5 JOD 39.99

-52.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 ฿2,776

$113 JOD 80.3

-25.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,306

$80.5 JOD 57.0

-12.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

$350 JOD 247

22.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,752

$283 JOD 201

-16.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

$488 JOD 345

26.58%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.27

-31.22%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Last update for Wadi Musa: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $428 in Chiang Mai versus $350 in Wadi Musa. 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 27% higher in Chiang Mai, 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 $35.00 in Wadi Musa. Groceries tell a different story – $246 in Chiang Mai vs $229 in Wadi Musa – so Wadi Musa 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 Wadi Musa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Wadi Musa costs about 7% more than Chiang Mai, 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 $1,389 in Wadi Musa. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Chiang Mai, 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 $35.00 in Wadi Musa. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 8% cheaper in Wadi Musa – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $866 in Chiang Mai and $926 in Wadi Musa, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $866 versus $926 in Wadi Musa. 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 Chiang Mai. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Wadi Musa makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.