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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,441 per month in Sohar vs $866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,151 per month in Sohar vs $1,351 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,862 per month in Sohar vs $1,835 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Sohar costs about 66% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Sohar sits 8% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 35% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.53 OMR 2.51

$1.94 ฿63.5

236.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.05 OMR 8.10

$18.64 ฿609

12.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.87 OMR 3.41

$7.82 ฿255

13.43%

Cappuccino

$6.62 OMR 2.55

$1.95 ฿63.8

239.49%

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

$0.65 OMR 0.25

$0.85 ฿27.77

-23.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 OMR 0.10

$0.35 ฿11.58

-22.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$12.74 OMR 4.91

$2.13 ฿69.6

498.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$14.10 OMR 5.43

$3.73 ฿122

278.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.24 OMR 0.86

$1.71 ฿56.0

30.99%

White Bread (500g)

$1.11 OMR 0.43

$1.63 ฿53.2

-31.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.22 OMR 1.24

$1.14 ฿37.15

182.46%

Eggs

$2.82 OMR 1.09

$1.93 ฿63.1

46.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.59 OMR 5.23

$16.21 ฿530

-16.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.31 OMR 3.58

$3.12 ฿102

198.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.40 OMR 5.54

$10.90 ฿356

32.11%

Apples (1kg)

$3.21 OMR 1.24

$2.75 ฿90.0

16.73%

Banana (1kg)

$2.11 OMR 0.81

$1.21 ฿39.52

74.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.55 OMR 0.98

$1.62 ฿53.0

57.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.18 OMR 0.46

$1.59 ฿51.8

-25.79%

Potato (1kg)

$1.74 OMR 0.67

$1.40 ฿45.70

24.29%

Onion (1kg)

$1.86 OMR 0.72

$1.17 ฿38.17

58.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.72 OMR 0.66

$0.66 ฿21.60

160.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.99 OMR 0.38

$0.53 ฿17.22

86.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.14 OMR 2.36

$4.69 ฿153

30.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$26.43 OMR 10.18

$18.66 ฿609

41.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.00 OMR 1.54

$1.80 ฿58.8

122.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.47 OMR 3.26

$3.23 ฿106

162.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.66 OMR 1.02

$0.90 ฿29.26

195.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$51.9 OMR 20.00

$19.21 ฿628

170.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.16 OMR 1.21

$1.41 ฿45.91

124.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.53 OMR 0.59

$1.29 ฿42.12

18.60%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.51 OMR 4.05

$7.84 ฿256

34.06%

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)

$18.1K OMR 6,963

$21.3K ฿694.9K

-15.00%

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

$20.8K OMR 8,000

$22.2K ฿725.4K

-6.45%

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

$101 OMR 38.93

$69.1 ฿2,256

46.40%

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

$29.04 OMR 11.18

$14.08 ฿460

106.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$87.4 OMR 33.63

$18.00 ฿588

385.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 OMR 19.86

$41.06 ฿1,341

25.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

Cinema Ticket

$11.78 OMR 4.54

$5.92 ฿193

98.99%

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

$269 OMR 104

$299 ฿9,766

-10.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,119 OMR 2,741

$15.0K ฿488.3K

-52.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.6 OMR 19.88

$54.7 ฿1,787

-5.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.42 OMR 16.72

$26.77 ฿874

62.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.3 OMR 30.14

$85.0 ฿2,776

-7.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$46.95 OMR 18.08

$70.6 ฿2,306

-33.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$485 OMR 187

$428 ฿14.0K

13.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$388 OMR 149

$237 ฿7,752

63.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$753 OMR 290

$801 ฿26.2K

-6.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$669 OMR 257

$515 ฿16.8K

29.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,154 OMR 444

$1,975 ฿64.5K

-41.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$774 OMR 298

$1,475 ฿48.2K

-47.55%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,455 OMR 945

$617 ฿20.2K

297.63%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.62

12.40%

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

Last update for Sohar: June 2, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $485 in Sohar 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 298% higher in Sohar, 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 $21.00 in Sohar versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $351 vs $246 – 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

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

Sohar costs about 66% 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 $2,161 per month in Sohar 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 $269 per month in Sohar and $299 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 42% more in Sohar, 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 Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $866, than in Sohar at $1,441. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Sohar it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $866 versus $1,441 in Sohar. 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, Sohar makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.