Cost of Living Comparison Between Dibba Al-Fujairah and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between Dibba Al-Fujairah and Chiang Mai

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,034 per month in Dibba Al-Fujairah vs $852 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,083 per month in Dibba Al-Fujairah vs $1,360 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,132 per month in Dibba Al-Fujairah vs $1,867 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Dibba Al-Fujairah costs about 139% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Dibba Al-Fujairah sits 53% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 36% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.69 AED 39.25

$2.04 ฿68.4

424.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$83.1 AED 305

$18.71 ฿626

343.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.74 AED 35.78

$7.86 ฿263

23.92%

Cappuccino

$5.51 AED 20.25

$2.03 ฿67.9

171.43%

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

$1.24 AED 4.55

$0.80 ฿26.71

55.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.93 AED 3.42

$0.35 ฿11.71

165.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$12.46 AED 45.76

$2.14 ฿71.7

482.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$13.74 AED 50.5

$3.67 ฿123

274.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.98 AED 7.28

$1.73 ฿57.8

14.45%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 AED 5.19

$1.57 ฿52.5

-10.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.25 AED 8.26

$1.20 ฿40.10

87.50%

Eggs

$3.29 AED 12.08

$1.97 ฿66.0

67.01%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.02 AED 36.79

$16.23 ฿543

-38.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.38 AED 34.47

$3.06 ฿102

206.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.74 AED 46.80

$10.80 ฿361

17.96%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 AED 8.37

$2.77 ฿92.6

-17.69%

Banana (1kg)

$1.87 AED 6.87

$1.17 ฿39.05

59.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.91 AED 7.03

$1.71 ฿57.1

11.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 AED 5.52

$1.59 ฿53.3

-5.66%

Potato (1kg)

$1.18 AED 4.33

$1.39 ฿46.63

-15.11%

Onion (1kg)

$1.27 AED 4.65

$1.16 ฿38.67

9.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.41 AED 5.16

$0.66 ฿22.11

113.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.69 AED 2.52

$0.52 ฿17.35

32.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.70 AED 24.60

$4.65 ฿155

44.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.38 AED 60.2

$17.78 ฿595

-7.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.74 AED 10.07

$1.79 ฿59.8

53.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.41 AED 12.52

$3.34 ฿112

2.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.67 AED 6.14

$0.91 ฿30.35

83.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.0 AED 194

$18.64 ฿624

184.07%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 AED 11.87

$1.41 ฿47.17

129.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 AED 1.94

$1.34 ฿44.82

-60.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.28 AED 30.39

$8.11 ฿271

2.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.73 AED 2.66

$1.23 ฿41.27

-40.65%

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

$33.2K AED 122.1K

$21.4K ฿717.0K

55.07%

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

$23.0K AED 84.5K

$21.8K ฿730.0K

5.39%

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

$214 AED 785

$71.3 ฿2,386

199.82%

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

$60.9 AED 224

$14.01 ฿469

334.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$101 AED 372

$17.93 ฿600

465.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$64.4 AED 236

$40.82 ฿1,365

57.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$39.45 AED 145

$6.88 ฿230

473.40%

Cinema Ticket

$15.28 AED 56.1

$5.72 ฿191

167.13%

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

$826 AED 3,034

$308 ฿10.3K

167.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,664 AED 20.8K

$14.7K ฿491.0K

-61.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$82.0 AED 301

$55.8 ฿1,865

46.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$63.0 AED 232

$26.04 ฿871

142.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$116 AED 424

$84.8 ฿2,837

36.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 AED 439

$71.0 ฿2,375

68.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$743 AED 2,729

$423 ฿14.2K

75.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$754 AED 2,767

$242 ฿8,110

210.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,523 AED 9,267

$797 ฿26.7K

216.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,362 AED 5,001

$507 ฿17.0K

168.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,135 AED 18.9K

$1,918 ฿64.2K

167.71%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,332 AED 8,566

$1,464 ฿49.0K

59.32%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.49

-10.20%

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

Last update for Dibba Al-Fujairah: July 26, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $743 in Dibba Al-Fujairah versus $423 in Chiang Mai. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $83.0 in Dibba Al-Fujairah versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $282 vs $244 – making Chiang Mai the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Dibba Al-Fujairah vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Dibba Al-Fujairah costs about 139% 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 $3,051 per month in Dibba Al-Fujairah and $1,279 in Chiang Mai. 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.

Kindergarten costs $826 per month in Dibba Al-Fujairah and $308 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 16% more in Dibba Al-Fujairah, 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 Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $852, than in Dibba Al-Fujairah at $2,034. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Dibba Al-Fujairah it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $852 versus $2,034 in Dibba Al-Fujairah. 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, Dibba Al-Fujairah makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.