Cost of Living Comparison Between Ibra and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between Ibra and Chiang Mai

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $980 per month in Ibra vs $932 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,447 per month in Ibra vs $1,399 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,914 per month in Ibra vs $1,866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Ibra costs about 5% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Ibra and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Ibra 28% lower, Chiang Mai 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.22 OMR 2.01

$2.08 ฿69.3

150.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.91 OMR 13.06

$19.61 ฿653

72.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.64 OMR 2.94

$5.67 ฿189

34.74%

Cappuccino

$4.97 OMR 1.91

$1.81 ฿60.1

174.59%

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

$0.84 OMR 0.32

$0.77 ฿25.58

9.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 OMR 0.10

$0.35 ฿11.49

-22.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$13.18 OMR 5.07

$2.21 ฿73.7

496.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$12.92 OMR 4.97

$3.79 ฿126

240.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.31 OMR 0.89

$2.05 ฿68.2

12.68%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 OMR 0.50

$1.51 ฿50.4

-14.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.82 OMR 0.70

$1.40 ฿46.57

30.00%

Eggs

$2.86 OMR 1.10

$2.26 ฿75.2

26.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.81 OMR 3.01

$16.19 ฿539

-51.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.61 OMR 2.55

$2.90 ฿96.4

127.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.66 OMR 4.10

$9.42 ฿314

13.16%

Apples (1kg)

$3.46 OMR 1.33

$2.68 ฿89.2

29.10%

Banana (1kg)

$1.97 OMR 0.76

$1.09 ฿36.28

80.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.35 OMR 0.90

$1.62 ฿53.8

45.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.21 OMR 0.47

$1.46 ฿48.61

-17.12%

Potato (1kg)

$1.16 OMR 0.45

$1.28 ฿42.54

-9.38%

Onion (1kg)

$1.27 OMR 0.49

$1.06 ฿35.21

19.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.77 OMR 0.68

$0.72 ฿23.88

145.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 OMR 0.26

$0.53 ฿17.51

24.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.66 OMR 2.56

$4.23 ฿141

57.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.86 OMR 6.10

$18.29 ฿609

-13.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$5.52 OMR 2.13

$1.63 ฿54.3

238.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.86 OMR 3.41

$2.90 ฿96.6

205.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.24

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.8 ฿1,790

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.32 OMR 1.28

$1.17 ฿39.04

183.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.64 OMR 1.02

$0.58 ฿19.25

355.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.97 OMR 3.07

$2.39 ฿79.4

233.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.64 OMR 0.25

$1.45 ฿48.28

-55.86%

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

$25.5K OMR 9,814

$21.0K ฿699.5K

21.31%

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

$22.7K OMR 8,737

$26.4K ฿879.7K

-14.12%

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

$175 OMR 67.3

$63.7 ฿2,119

174.47%

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

$30.87 OMR 11.89

$12.89 ฿429

139.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.0 OMR 26.94

$20.52 ฿683

240.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.36 OMR 12.07

$39.02 ฿1,299

-19.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.38 OMR 7.08

$3.92 ฿130

368.88%

Cinema Ticket

$6.93 OMR 2.67

$6.58 ฿219

5.32%

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

$285 OMR 110

$784 ฿26.1K

-63.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K OMR 4,039

$14.7K ฿488.4K

-28.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.6 OMR 21.40

$55.1 ฿1,835

0.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.17 OMR 16.62

$24.74 ฿824

74.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.4 OMR 34.79

$94.1 ฿3,133

-3.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$93.8 OMR 36.13

$74.0 ฿2,462

26.88%

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)

$4,177 OMR 1,608

$602 ฿20.0K

594.37%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.25

5.57

-5.75%

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

Last update for Ibra: September 14, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 594% higher in Ibra, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $34.00 in Ibra versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $286 vs $241 – 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

Ibra vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ibra costs about 5% 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 $1,470 per month in Ibra and $1,398 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $34.00 in Ibra and $20.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 19% more in Ibra, 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 $932, than in Ibra at $980. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ibra it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $932 versus $980 in Ibra. 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, Ibra makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.