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 $772 per month in Madaba vs $932 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,353 per month in Madaba vs $1,399 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,933 per month in Madaba vs $1,866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Madaba is about 17% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Madaba and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Madaba 44% lower, Chiang Mai 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.53 JOD 3.91

$2.08 ฿69.2

165.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.92 JOD 34.62

$19.61 ฿652

149.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.31 JOD 4.46

$5.67 ฿189

11.29%

Cappuccino

$3.63 JOD 2.57

$1.81 ฿60.0

100.55%

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

$0.60 JOD 0.43

$0.77 ฿25.55

-22.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.55 JOD 0.39

$0.35 ฿11.48

57.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.33 JOD 3.06

$2.21 ฿73.6

95.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.15 JOD 5.06

$3.79 ฿126

88.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 JOD 1.02

$2.05 ฿68.1

-29.76%

White Bread (500g)

$0.68 JOD 0.48

$1.51 ฿50.4

-54.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 JOD 1.11

$1.40 ฿46.51

12.14%

Eggs

$1.67 JOD 1.18

$2.26 ฿75.1

-26.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.29 JOD 3.03

$16.19 ฿538

-73.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.67 JOD 4.01

$2.90 ฿96.3

95.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.43 JOD 8.79

$9.42 ฿313

31.95%

Apples (1kg)

$2.56 JOD 1.81

$2.68 ฿89.1

-4.48%

Banana (1kg)

$1.40 JOD 0.99

$1.09 ฿36.23

28.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.91 JOD 1.35

$1.62 ฿53.8

17.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.69 JOD 0.49

$1.46 ฿48.55

-52.74%

Potato (1kg)

$0.68 JOD 0.48

$1.28 ฿42.48

-46.88%

Onion (1kg)

$0.69 JOD 0.49

$1.06 ฿35.17

-34.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.33 JOD 0.24

$0.72 ฿23.85

-54.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 JOD 0.38

$0.53 ฿17.49

1.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.06 JOD 1.46

$4.23 ฿141

-51.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$21.19 JOD 15.00

$18.29 ฿608

15.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$5.04 JOD 3.57

$1.63 ฿54.2

209.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.01 JOD 3.54

$2.90 ฿96.5

72.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 JOD 0.63

$0.88 ฿29.20

1.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$71.2 JOD 50.4

$53.8 ฿1,788

32.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.65 JOD 0.46

$1.17 ฿38.99

-44.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.38 JOD 0.98

$0.58 ฿19.22

137.93%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.21 JOD 5.11

$2.39 ฿79.3

201.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.39 JOD 0.98

$1.45 ฿48.22

-4.14%

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

$35.4K JOD 25.1K

$21.0K ฿698.6K

68.63%

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

$34.7K JOD 24.6K

$26.4K ฿878.6K

31.42%

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

$69.6 JOD 49.23

$63.7 ฿2,116

9.29%

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

$14.21 JOD 10.06

$12.89 ฿429

10.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.78 JOD 14.70

$20.52 ฿682

1.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$28.50 JOD 20.17

$39.02 ฿1,297

-26.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$70.3 JOD 49.72

$3.92 ฿130

1692.35%

Cinema Ticket

$11.43 JOD 8.09

$6.58 ฿219

73.71%

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

$41.98 JOD 29.71

$784 ฿26.1K

-94.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,645 JOD 6,826

$14.7K ฿487.9K

-34.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.2 JOD 44.03

$55.1 ฿1,833

12.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.5 JOD 40.68

$24.74 ฿823

132.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.0 JOD 50.2

$94.1 ฿3,130

-24.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$42.15 JOD 29.83

$74.0 ฿2,459

-43.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$208 JOD 147

$490 ฿16.3K

-57.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$41.48 JOD 29.36

$288 ฿9,582

-85.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$424 JOD 300

$891 ฿29.6K

-52.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$212 JOD 150

$521 ฿17.3K

-59.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,974 ฿65.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,444 ฿48.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$493 JOD 349

$602 ฿20.0K

-18.07%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

5.57

22.26%

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

Last update for Madaba: September 14, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $208 in Madaba versus $490 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 22% 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $234 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 21% 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 $1,158 per month in Madaba and $1,398 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 $41.98 per month in Madaba and $784 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 3% 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.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Madaba, where all-in costs run around $772, than in Chiang Mai at $932. In Madaba it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiang Mai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Madaba costs $772 versus $932 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.