Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Juba and Chiang Mai

For one person, living is cheaper in Juba: $233 a month against $936 in Chiang Mai, rent and utilities included – about $8,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Juba, South Sudan
Chiang Mai, Thailand
Juba
🇸🇸 South Sudan
$233
/mo nomad
Chiang Mai
🇹🇭 Thailand
$936
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Juba and in Chiang Mai

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Juba and in Chiang Mai actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $233 per month in Juba vs $936 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

  • Juba $233
  • Chiang Mai $936

A couple spends around $362 per month in Juba vs $1,457 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

  • Juba $362
  • Chiang Mai $1,457

A family of three spends $492 per month in Juba vs $1,979 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

  • Juba $492
  • Chiang Mai $1,979

Juba is about 75% cheaper than Chiang Mai.

Both Juba and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Juba 83% lower, Chiang Mai 31% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Juba
Chiang Mai
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$19.73 SSP 113.5K
$2.24 ฿75.7
780.80%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
-
$19.00 ฿642
-
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.24 SSP 53.1K
$5.55 ฿188
66.49%
Cappuccino
$3.42 SSP 19.7K
$1.67 ฿56.6
104.79%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.49 SSP 8,547
$0.64 ฿21.56
132.81%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$0.31 ฿10.32
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
-
$2.36 ฿79.6
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$3.66 ฿124
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Juba
Chiang Mai
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
-
$1.95 ฿65.8
-
White Bread (500g)
-
$1.44 ฿48.51
-
Rice (white) (1kg)
-
$1.33 ฿45.07
-
Eggs
-
$2.28 ฿77.1
-
Local Cheese (1kg)
-
$16.45 ฿556
-
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
-
$2.78 ฿94.0
-
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
-
$9.31 ฿314
-
Apples (1kg)
-
$2.35 ฿79.5
-
Banana (1kg)
-
$0.97 ฿32.82
-
Oranges (1kg)
-
$1.60 ฿53.9
-
Tomato (1kg)
-
$1.50 ฿50.7
-
Potato (1kg)
-
$1.28 ฿43.15
-
Onion (1kg)
-
$1.10 ฿37.22
-
Lettuce (1 head)
-
$0.71 ฿23.84
-
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
-
$0.49 ฿16.38
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
-
$4.14 ฿140
-
Wine (Bottle)
-
$17.52 ฿592
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
-
$1.61 ฿54.5
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$2.78 ฿94.0
-
🚌 Getting Around
Juba
Chiang Mai
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
-
$0.87 ฿29.33
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$54.1 ฿1,827
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
-
$1.16 ฿39.08
-
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
-
$0.53 ฿17.82
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
-
$2.42 ฿81.8
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
-
$1.45 ฿48.93
-
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
-
$21.1K ฿711.2K
-
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
-
$26.9K ฿909.8K
-
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Juba
Chiang Mai
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
-
$62.2 ฿2,100
-
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
-
$12.17 ฿411
-
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
-
$20.12 ฿680
-
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Juba
Chiang Mai
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
-
$37.31 ฿1,260
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$3.77 ฿127
-
Cinema Ticket
-
$6.49 ฿219
-
🧸 Childcare & Education
Juba
Chiang Mai
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
-
$736 ฿24.9K
-
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
-
$14.8K ฿498.6K
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Juba
Chiang Mai
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
-
$53.4 ฿1,802
-
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
-
$24.64 ฿832
-
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
-
$91.5 ฿3,089
-
Men's Leather Business Shoes
-
$71.9 ฿2,429
-
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Juba
Chiang Mai
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
-
$482 ฿16.3K
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
-
$309 ฿10.4K
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
-
$1,006 ฿34.0K
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
-
$633 ฿21.4K
-
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
-
$2,363 ฿79.8K
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
-
$1,589 ฿53.7K
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Juba
Chiang Mai
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,743 SSP 10.0M
$590 ฿19.9K
195.57%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
12
5.57
115.44%

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

Last update for Juba: October 24, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Juba
–
Chiang Mai
$309
Groceries & Markets
Juba
–
Chiang Mai
$234
Clothing & Footwear
Juba
–
Chiang Mai
$109
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Juba
–
Chiang Mai
$94
Eating Out
Juba
–
Chiang Mai
$78
Getting Around
Juba
–
Chiang Mai
$61
Sport & Entertainment
Juba
–
Chiang Mai
$50

Cost Breakdown

Salaries in Juba are about 3 times higher, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

Good to know
🇸🇸 Juba
🇹🇭 Chiang Mai
🕒 Local time
18:28 6:28 PM
23:28 11:28 PM
5 h ahead of Juba
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
372,410 Capital
127,240
💱 Currency
Thai Baht THB ฿
Exchange rates and currency converter

THB, USD, EUR to SSP – South Sudanese Pound Converter

South Sudanese Pound exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 5,751 SSP (10,000 SSP = 1.74 USD). 1 EUR = 6,401 SSP (10,000 SSP = 1.56 EUR).

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 33.77 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.58 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Juba Chiang Mai 7,460 km ≈ 10 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Juba
  • Chiang Mai

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Juba vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Juba or Chiang Mai?
Chiang Mai costs about 302% more than Juba, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Juba and in Chiang Mai?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $349 per month in Juba and $1,403 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city offers a better quality of life: Juba or Chiang Mai?
It depends on your priorities. Chiang Mai has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $233 in Juba to $936 in Chiang Mai. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Juba vs other spots: cost of living compared

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