Cost of Living Comparison Between Madinat As Sultan Qaboos and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between Madinat As Sultan Qaboos and Chiang Mai

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $935 per month in Madinat As Sultan Qaboos vs $947 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,410 per month in Madinat As Sultan Qaboos vs $1,411 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,885 per month in Madinat As Sultan Qaboos vs $1,874 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Madinat As Sultan Qaboos is about 1% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Madinat As Sultan Qaboos and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Madinat As Sultan Qaboos 32% lower, Chiang Mai 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.35 OMR 2.06

$2.08 ฿68.5

157.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.65 OMR 12.95

$19.64 ฿646

71.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.92 OMR 3.05

$5.65 ฿186

40.18%

Cappuccino

$4.89 OMR 1.88

$1.81 ฿59.3

170.17%

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

$0.85 OMR 0.33

$0.71 ฿23.44

19.72%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 OMR 0.10

$0.32 ฿10.38

-15.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$13.04 OMR 5.02

$2.24 ฿73.5

482.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$12.75 OMR 4.91

$3.63 ฿119

251.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.29 OMR 0.88

$1.96 ฿64.4

16.84%

White Bread (500g)

$1.27 OMR 0.49

$1.50 ฿49.38

-15.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.81 OMR 0.70

$1.34 ฿43.92

35.07%

Eggs

$2.89 OMR 1.11

$2.26 ฿74.4

27.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.61 OMR 2.93

$16.26 ฿534

-53.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.82 OMR 2.63

$2.95 ฿97.1

131.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.67 OMR 4.11

$9.94 ฿327

7.34%

Apples (1kg)

$3.49 OMR 1.34

$2.57 ฿84.5

35.80%

Banana (1kg)

$1.90 OMR 0.73

$1.06 ฿34.72

79.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.34 OMR 0.90

$1.61 ฿53.0

45.34%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.24 OMR 0.48

$1.52 ฿49.96

-18.42%

Potato (1kg)

$1.21 OMR 0.46

$1.27 ฿41.76

-4.72%

Onion (1kg)

$1.25 OMR 0.48

$1.07 ฿35.05

16.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.83 OMR 0.70

$0.72 ฿23.67

154.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.63 OMR 0.24

$0.51 ฿16.72

23.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.63 OMR 2.55

$4.19 ฿138

58.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.57 OMR 6.00

$17.87 ฿587

-12.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$5.44 OMR 2.09

$1.69 ฿55.7

221.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.69 OMR 3.34

$2.84 ฿93.2

205.99%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.93 ฿30.42

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.9 ฿1,770

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.21 OMR 1.24

$1.23 ฿40.58

160.98%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.59 OMR 1.00

$0.58 ฿18.96

346.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.94 OMR 3.06

$2.42 ฿79.7

228.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.64 OMR 0.25

$1.41 ฿46.42

-54.61%

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

$25.2K OMR 9,698

$21.4K ฿704.9K

17.46%

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

$22.5K OMR 8,645

$27.3K ฿898.5K

-17.85%

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

$172 OMR 66.1

$63.7 ฿2,093

169.75%

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

$31.31 OMR 12.06

$12.85 ฿423

143.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.5 OMR 27.13

$20.22 ฿665

248.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.74 ฿1,274

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.97 ฿130

Cinema Ticket

$10.49 OMR 4.04

$6.74 ฿221

55.64%

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

$287 OMR 111

$778 ฿25.6K

-63.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K OMR 4,044

$14.6K ฿480.2K

-28.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.9 OMR 21.91

$54.3 ฿1,785

4.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.63 OMR 16.80

$25.45 ฿836

71.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.3 OMR 34.39

$94.3 ฿3,101

-5.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.5 OMR 36.77

$73.4 ฿2,414

30.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$289 ฿9,510

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$894 ฿29.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$517 ฿17.0K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,955 ฿64.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,477 ฿48.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿19.8K

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 Madinat As Sultan Qaboos: September 1, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $34.00 in Madinat As Sultan Qaboos versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $284 vs $240 – 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

Madinat As Sultan Qaboos vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 1% more than Madinat As Sultan Qaboos, 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 $1,402 per month in Madinat As Sultan Qaboos and $1,421 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 Madinat As Sultan Qaboos and $20.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 18% cheaper in Chiang Mai – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Madinat As Sultan Qaboos, where all-in costs run around $935, than in Chiang Mai at $947. In Madinat As Sultan Qaboos 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. Madinat As Sultan Qaboos costs $935 versus $947 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 Madinat As Sultan Qaboos. 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.