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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,086 per month in Salalah vs $866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,648 per month in Salalah vs $1,351 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,209 per month in Salalah vs $1,835 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Salalah costs about 25% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Salalah and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Salalah 19% lower, Chiang Mai 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.35 OMR 2.06

$1.94 ฿63.5

175.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.28 OMR 10.12

$18.64 ฿609

40.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.82 OMR 4.93

$7.82 ฿255

63.94%

Cappuccino

$6.01 OMR 2.32

$1.95 ฿63.8

208.21%

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

$0.64 OMR 0.25

$0.85 ฿27.77

-24.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 OMR 0.10

$0.35 ฿11.58

-28.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.21 OMR 3.55

$2.13 ฿69.6

332.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.59 OMR 4.08

$3.73 ฿122

183.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.69 OMR 0.65

$1.71 ฿56.0

-1.17%

White Bread (500g)

$1.28 OMR 0.49

$1.63 ฿53.2

-21.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.11 OMR 0.81

$1.14 ฿37.15

85.09%

Eggs

$1.95 OMR 0.75

$1.93 ฿63.1

1.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.92 OMR 2.66

$16.21 ฿530

-57.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.57 OMR 1.76

$3.12 ฿102

46.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.90 OMR 3.43

$10.90 ฿356

-18.35%

Apples (1kg)

$2.13 OMR 0.82

$2.75 ฿90.0

-22.55%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 OMR 0.43

$1.21 ฿39.52

-8.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.61 OMR 0.62

$1.62 ฿53.0

-0.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.20 OMR 0.46

$1.59 ฿51.8

-24.53%

Potato (1kg)

$1.14 OMR 0.44

$1.40 ฿45.70

-18.57%

Onion (1kg)

$0.78 OMR 0.30

$1.17 ฿38.17

-33.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.54 OMR 0.21

$0.66 ฿21.60

-18.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 OMR 0.22

$0.53 ฿17.22

9.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.75 OMR 2.21

$4.69 ฿153

22.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.58 OMR 7.54

$18.66 ฿609

4.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.88 OMR 1.49

$1.80 ฿58.8

115.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.65 OMR 1.79

$3.23 ฿106

43.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.31 OMR 0.51

$0.90 ฿29.26

45.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.7 OMR 21.44

$19.21 ฿628

189.85%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.25 OMR 0.87

$1.41 ฿45.91

59.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.27 OMR 0.49

$1.29 ฿42.12

-1.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.58 OMR 4.46

$7.84 ฿256

47.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.60 OMR 0.23

$1.27 ฿41.58

-52.76%

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

$20.9K OMR 8,064

$21.3K ฿694.9K

-1.56%

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

$18.0K OMR 6,917

$22.2K ฿725.4K

-19.12%

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

$65.8 OMR 25.32

$69.1 ฿2,256

-4.78%

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

$49.61 OMR 19.10

$14.08 ฿460

252.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$76.6 OMR 29.48

$18.00 ฿588

325.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$93.7 OMR 36.09

$41.06 ฿1,341

128.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.21 OMR 10.09

$6.96 ฿227

276.58%

Cinema Ticket

$7.93 OMR 3.05

$5.92 ฿193

33.95%

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

$111 OMR 42.88

$299 ฿9,766

-62.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,377 OMR 915

$15.0K ฿488.3K

-84.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.90 OMR 10.74

$54.7 ฿1,787

-48.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.60 OMR 12.17

$26.77 ฿874

18.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$64.5 OMR 24.82

$85.0 ฿2,776

-24.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$43.98 OMR 16.93

$70.6 ฿2,306

-37.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$255 OMR 98.1

$428 ฿14.0K

-40.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$215 OMR 82.8

$237 ฿7,752

-9.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$492 OMR 189

$801 ฿26.2K

-38.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$370 OMR 142

$515 ฿16.8K

-28.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,991 OMR 766

$1,975 ฿64.5K

0.81%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,225 OMR 472

$1,475 ฿48.2K

-16.96%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,753 OMR 675

$617 ฿20.2K

183.91%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.58

-8.40%

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

Last update for Salalah: June 1, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $255 in Salalah versus $428 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 184% higher in Salalah, 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 $26.00 in Salalah versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $228 in Salalah vs $246 in Chiang Mai – so Salalah 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

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

Salalah costs about 25% 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 $1,629 per month in Salalah and $1,300 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $111 per month in Salalah and $299 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 8% cheaper in Salalah – 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 Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $866, than in Salalah at $1,086. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Salalah it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $866 versus $1,086 in Salalah. 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, Salalah makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.