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 $1,457 per month in Sohar vs $932 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,102 per month in Sohar vs $1,399 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,747 per month in Sohar vs $1,866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Sohar costs about 56% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Sohar sits 7% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 32% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.66 OMR 2.56

$2.08 ฿69.5

220.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.02 OMR 8.09

$19.61 ฿655

7.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.29 OMR 3.58

$5.67 ฿189

63.84%

Cappuccino

$4.94 OMR 1.90

$1.81 ฿60.3

172.93%

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

$0.65 OMR 0.25

$0.77 ฿25.65

-15.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 OMR 0.12

$0.35 ฿11.53

-14.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$12.96 OMR 4.99

$2.21 ฿73.9

486.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$14.14 OMR 5.45

$3.79 ฿127

273.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.13 OMR 0.82

$2.05 ฿68.4

3.90%

White Bread (500g)

$1.07 OMR 0.41

$1.51 ฿50.6

-29.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.31 OMR 1.27

$1.40 ฿46.69

136.43%

Eggs

$2.81 OMR 1.08

$2.26 ฿75.4

24.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.29 OMR 5.12

$16.19 ฿540

-17.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.17 OMR 3.53

$2.90 ฿96.7

216.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.54 OMR 5.60

$9.42 ฿314

54.35%

Apples (1kg)

$3.32 OMR 1.28

$2.68 ฿89.4

23.88%

Banana (1kg)

$2.12 OMR 0.82

$1.09 ฿36.37

94.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.58 OMR 0.99

$1.62 ฿54.0

59.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.17 OMR 0.45

$1.46 ฿48.74

-19.86%

Potato (1kg)

$1.77 OMR 0.68

$1.28 ฿42.65

38.28%

Onion (1kg)

$1.81 OMR 0.70

$1.06 ฿35.31

70.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.64 OMR 0.63

$0.72 ฿23.94

127.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.97 OMR 0.37

$0.53 ฿17.56

83.02%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.82 OMR 2.24

$4.23 ฿141

37.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$26.21 OMR 10.09

$18.29 ฿611

43.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.92 OMR 1.51

$1.63 ฿54.4

140.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.62 OMR 3.32

$2.90 ฿96.8

197.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.62 OMR 1.01

$0.88 ฿29.32

197.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$52.3 OMR 20.15

$53.8 ฿1,795

-2.66%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.16 OMR 1.22

$1.17 ฿39.14

170.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.58 OMR 0.61

$0.58 ฿19.30

172.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.43 OMR 4.02

$2.39 ฿79.6

336.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.64 OMR 0.25

$1.45 ฿48.41

-55.86%

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

$18.5K OMR 7,141

$21.0K ฿701.4K

-11.72%

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

$20.2K OMR 7,791

$26.4K ฿882.0K

-23.42%

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

$104 OMR 40.10

$63.7 ฿2,125

63.64%

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

$29.82 OMR 11.48

$12.89 ฿430

131.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$87.4 OMR 33.64

$20.52 ฿685

325.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.20 OMR 18.94

$39.02 ฿1,302

26.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.92 ฿131

Cinema Ticket

$11.48 OMR 4.42

$6.58 ฿220

74.47%

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

$296 OMR 114

$784 ฿26.2K

-62.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,085 OMR 2,728

$14.7K ฿489.8K

-51.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.0 OMR 20.02

$55.1 ฿1,840

-5.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.88 OMR 16.89

$24.74 ฿826

77.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 OMR 30.84

$94.1 ฿3,142

-14.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$46.55 OMR 17.92

$74.0 ฿2,469

-37.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$494 OMR 190

$490 ฿16.4K

0.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$377 OMR 145

$288 ฿9,620

30.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$798 OMR 307

$891 ฿29.8K

-10.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$680 OMR 262

$521 ฿17.4K

30.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,157 OMR 445

$1,974 ฿65.9K

-41.38%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$789 OMR 304

$1,444 ฿48.2K

-45.37%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,428 OMR 935

$602 ฿20.1K

303.61%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.33

5.57

13.64%

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

Last update for Sohar: September 13, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $494 in Sohar 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 304% 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $348 vs $241 – 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 56% 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 $2,186 per month in Sohar 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 Chiang Mai, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $296 per month in Sohar 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 44% 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 $932, than in Sohar at $1,457. 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 $932 versus $1,457 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.