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

Name: Chiang Mai
Address: Chiang Mai, TH

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $826 per month in Madaba vs $869 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,421 per month in Madaba vs $1,362 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,015 per month in Madaba vs $1,855 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Madaba is about 5% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Madaba and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Madaba 39% lower, Chiang Mai 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.58 JOD 3.95

$1.98 ฿64.3

181.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.35 JOD 34.93

$18.80 ฿612

162.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.42 JOD 4.54

$7.75 ฿252

-17.16%

Cappuccino

$3.50 JOD 2.48

$1.92 ฿62.5

82.29%

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

$0.48 JOD 0.34

$0.79 ฿25.79

-39.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.38 JOD 0.27

$0.36 ฿11.62

5.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.36 JOD 3.08

$2.21 ฿72.1

97.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.84 JOD 4.84

$3.66 ฿119

86.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 JOD 1.02

$1.65 ฿53.8

-12.73%

White Bread (500g)

$0.55 JOD 0.39

$1.63 ฿53.2

-66.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 JOD 1.20

$1.19 ฿38.86

42.86%

Eggs

$1.65 JOD 1.17

$2.00 ฿65.1

-17.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 JOD 3.08

$15.98 ฿520

-72.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.51 JOD 3.90

$3.03 ฿98.5

81.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.37 JOD 8.05

$10.86 ฿354

4.70%

Apples (1kg)

$1.96 JOD 1.39

$2.76 ฿90.0

-28.99%

Banana (1kg)

$1.42 JOD 1.01

$1.18 ฿38.42

20.34%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.40 JOD 0.99

$1.64 ฿53.5

-14.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.74 JOD 0.52

$1.52 ฿49.51

-51.32%

Potato (1kg)

$0.68 JOD 0.48

$1.38 ฿45.10

-50.72%

Onion (1kg)

$0.70 JOD 0.49

$1.19 ฿38.84

-41.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.34 JOD 0.24

$0.70 ฿22.86

-51.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 JOD 0.38

$0.56 ฿18.13

-3.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.16 JOD 1.53

$4.58 ฿149

-52.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$21.47 JOD 15.19

$16.56 ฿539

29.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.72 JOD 3.34

$1.83 ฿59.5

157.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.37 JOD 3.80

$3.20 ฿104

67.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 JOD 0.63

$0.88 ฿28.56

1.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$70.6 JOD 49.97

$18.72 ฿610

277.14%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.74 JOD 0.53

$1.36 ฿44.16

-45.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 JOD 0.98

$1.34 ฿43.65

3.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.87 JOD 4.86

$7.84 ฿256

-12.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 JOD 0.96

$1.23 ฿39.92

10.57%

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

$27.3K JOD 19.3K

$21.6K ฿704.3K

26.06%

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

$31.9K JOD 22.6K

$22.5K ฿734.3K

41.59%

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

$71.7 JOD 50.7

$70.5 ฿2,298

1.62%

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

$13.85 JOD 9.80

$13.68 ฿445

1.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.81 JOD 14.73

$17.45 ฿568

19.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$28.71 JOD 20.32

$41.33 ฿1,346

-30.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$69.7 JOD 49.35

$6.96 ฿227

901.72%

Cinema Ticket

$11.17 JOD 7.91

$5.77 ฿188

93.59%

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

$43.13 JOD 30.53

$307 ฿10.0K

-85.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,111 JOD 786

$14.6K ฿475.9K

-92.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.6 JOD 43.59

$55.8 ฿1,817

10.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.62 JOD 35.12

$26.21 ฿854

89.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$64.1 JOD 45.37

$85.8 ฿2,793

-25.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$35.89 JOD 25.41

$72.2 ฿2,353

-50.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$175 JOD 124

$430 ฿14.0K

-59.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$125 JOD 88.4

$239 ฿7,774

-47.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$392 JOD 278

$817 ฿26.6K

-51.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$347 JOD 246

$511 ฿16.6K

-32.03%

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)

$487 JOD 345

$619 ฿20.2K

-21.23%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.25

25.00%

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

Last update for Madaba: June 8, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $175 in Madaba versus $430 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.

Salaries run about 27% higher in Chiang Mai, 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 $49.00 in Madaba versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $224 in Madaba vs $241 in Chiang Mai – so Madaba 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

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

Chiang Mai costs about 5% more than Madaba, 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 $1,239 per month in Madaba and $1,303 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Madaba, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $43.13 per month in Madaba and $307 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 7% 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 $826 in Madaba and $869 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Madaba costs $826 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 Madaba. 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.