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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $945 per month in Shinas vs $950 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,408 per month in Shinas vs $1,430 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,872 per month in Shinas vs $1,909 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Shinas is about 1% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.18 OMR 2.00

$2.10 ฿69.0

146.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.11 OMR 13.13

$19.84 ฿653

71.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.88 OMR 3.03

$5.79 ฿191

36.10%

Cappuccino

$4.81 OMR 1.85

$1.83 ฿60.2

162.84%

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

$0.91 OMR 0.35

$0.78 ฿25.51

16.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 OMR 0.10

$0.31 ฿10.33

-12.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$13.22 OMR 5.09

$2.34 ฿76.9

464.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$12.93 OMR 4.98

$3.70 ฿122

249.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.24 OMR 0.86

$2.03 ฿66.8

10.34%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 OMR 0.48

$1.60 ฿52.5

-21.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.85 OMR 0.71

$1.42 ฿46.57

30.28%

Eggs

$2.89 OMR 1.11

$2.18 ฿71.6

32.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.57 OMR 2.91

$15.91 ฿523

-52.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.56 OMR 2.53

$3.07 ฿101

113.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.60 OMR 4.08

$9.87 ฿325

7.40%

Apples (1kg)

$3.40 OMR 1.31

$2.63 ฿86.4

29.28%

Banana (1kg)

$2.00 OMR 0.77

$1.10 ฿36.05

81.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.34 OMR 0.90

$1.63 ฿53.6

43.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.27 OMR 0.49

$1.53 ฿50.4

-16.99%

Potato (1kg)

$1.19 OMR 0.46

$1.24 ฿40.97

-4.03%

Onion (1kg)

$1.24 OMR 0.48

$1.13 ฿37.22

9.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.86 OMR 0.71

$0.74 ฿24.29

151.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.63 OMR 0.24

$0.50 ฿16.42

26.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.54 OMR 2.52

$4.28 ฿141

52.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.36 OMR 5.92

$17.97 ฿591

-14.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$5.69 OMR 2.19

$1.70 ฿55.9

234.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.81 OMR 3.39

$2.90 ฿95.3

203.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.94 ฿31.00

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.3 ฿1,820

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.33 OMR 1.28

$1.23 ฿40.60

170.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.66 OMR 1.02

$0.53 ฿17.59

401.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.88 OMR 3.03

$2.40 ฿79.0

228.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.60 OMR 0.23

$1.44 ฿47.37

-58.33%

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

$25.2K OMR 9,699

$21.2K ฿697.5K

18.88%

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

$22.3K OMR 8,594

$27.3K ฿898.6K

-18.25%

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

$169 OMR 65.1

$64.9 ฿2,137

160.39%

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

$31.37 OMR 12.08

$13.35 ฿439

134.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.5 OMR 27.14

$20.83 ฿686

238.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.42 ฿1,330

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.95 ฿130

Cinema Ticket

$10.22 OMR 3.93

$6.71 ฿221

52.31%

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

$286 OMR 110

$787 ฿25.9K

-63.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K OMR 4,050

$15.1K ฿497.7K

-30.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.0 OMR 21.95

$56.2 ฿1,850

1.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.68 OMR 16.82

$24.95 ฿821

75.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.1 OMR 35.44

$92.7 ฿3,051

-0.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$97.0 OMR 37.34

$75.1 ฿2,472

29.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$484 ฿15.9K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$287 ฿9,454

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$910 ฿29.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$531 ฿17.5K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,980 ฿65.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,451 ฿47.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,067 OMR 1,181

$605 ฿19.9K

406.68%

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 Shinas: September 8, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 407% higher in Shinas, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $34.00 in Shinas versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $284 vs $242 – 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

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

Chiang Mai costs about 1% more than Shinas, 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 $1,417 per month in Shinas and $1,426 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 Shinas 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 17% 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 Shinas, where all-in costs run around $945, than in Chiang Mai at $950. In Shinas 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. Shinas costs $945 versus $950 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 Shinas. 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.