Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Umm Salal Mohammed and Chiang Mai

For one person, living is cheaper in Umm Salal Mohammed: $232 a month against $936 in Chiang Mai, rent and utilities included – about $8,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Umm Salal Mohammed, Qatar
Chiang Mai, Thailand
Umm Salal Mohammed
🇶🇦 Qatar
$232
/mo nomad
Chiang Mai
🇹🇭 Thailand
$936
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Umm Salal Mohammed and in Chiang Mai

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Umm Salal Mohammed and in Chiang Mai actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $232 per month in Umm Salal Mohammed vs $936 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

  • Umm Salal Mohammed $232
  • Chiang Mai $936

A couple spends around $390 per month in Umm Salal Mohammed vs $1,457 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

  • Umm Salal Mohammed $390
  • Chiang Mai $1,457

A family of three spends $548 per month in Umm Salal Mohammed vs $1,979 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

  • Umm Salal Mohammed $548
  • Chiang Mai $1,979

Umm Salal Mohammed is about 75% cheaper than Chiang Mai, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Umm Salal Mohammed and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Umm Salal Mohammed 83% lower, Chiang Mai 31% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Umm Salal Mohammed
Chiang Mai
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
-
$2.24 ฿75.5
-
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
-
$19.00 ฿640
-
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
-
$5.55 ฿187
-
Cappuccino
-
$1.67 ฿56.4
-
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$0.64 ฿21.51
-
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$0.31 ฿10.29
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
-
$2.36 ฿79.5
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$3.66 ฿123
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Umm Salal Mohammed
Chiang Mai
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.24 QAR 8.15
$1.95 ฿65.7
14.87%
White Bread (500g)
$1.54 QAR 5.60
$1.44 ฿48.41
6.94%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.60 QAR 9.46
$1.33 ฿44.97
95.49%
Eggs
$2.61 QAR 9.49
$2.28 ฿77.0
14.47%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.44 QAR 30.74
$16.45 ฿554
-48.69%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$5.06 QAR 18.41
$2.78 ฿93.8
82.01%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$9.64 QAR 35.10
$9.31 ฿314
3.54%
Apples (1kg)
$1.97 QAR 7.18
$2.35 ฿79.3
-16.17%
Banana (1kg)
$1.55 QAR 5.63
$0.97 ฿32.75
59.79%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.13 QAR 4.10
$1.60 ฿53.8
-29.38%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.37 QAR 8.62
$1.50 ฿50.6
58.00%
Potato (1kg)
$0.83 QAR 3.03
$1.28 ฿43.06
-35.16%
Onion (1kg)
$1.66 QAR 6.05
$1.10 ฿37.14
50.91%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.88 QAR 6.86
$0.71 ฿23.79
164.79%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.43 QAR 1.56
$0.49 ฿16.34
-12.24%
Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)
$12.43 QAR 45.24
-
-
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.47 QAR 5.37
-
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.93 QAR 21.58
$4.14 ฿140
43.24%
Wine (Bottle)
-
$17.52 ฿590
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
-
$1.61 ฿54.4
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$2.78 ฿93.8
-
🚌 Getting Around
Umm Salal Mohammed
Chiang Mai
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.08 QAR 3.94
$0.87 ฿29.27
24.14%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$33.30 QAR 121
$54.1 ฿1,823
-38.44%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.15 QAR 7.82
$1.16 ฿39.00
85.34%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
-
$0.53 ฿17.78
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.63 QAR 20.51
$2.42 ฿81.6
132.64%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.60 QAR 2.18
$1.45 ฿48.82
-58.62%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
-
$21.1K ฿709.7K
-
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$20.4K QAR 74.3K
$26.9K ฿907.9K
-24.22%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Umm Salal Mohammed
Chiang Mai
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
-
$62.2 ฿2,095
-
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
-
$12.17 ฿410
-
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
-
$20.12 ฿678
-
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Umm Salal Mohammed
Chiang Mai
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
-
$37.31 ฿1,257
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$3.77 ฿127
-
Cinema Ticket
-
$6.49 ฿219
-
🧸 Childcare & Education
Umm Salal Mohammed
Chiang Mai
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
-
$736 ฿24.8K
-
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
-
$14.8K ฿497.6K
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Umm Salal Mohammed
Chiang Mai
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
-
$53.4 ฿1,799
-
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
-
$24.64 ฿830
-
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
-
$91.5 ฿3,083
-
Men's Leather Business Shoes
-
$71.9 ฿2,424
-
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Umm Salal Mohammed
Chiang Mai
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
-
$482 ฿16.3K
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
-
$309 ฿10.4K
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
-
$1,006 ฿33.9K
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
-
$633 ฿21.3K
-
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
-
$2,363 ฿79.6K
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
-
$1,589 ฿53.6K
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Umm Salal Mohammed
Chiang Mai
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$590 ฿19.9K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
0
5.57
-

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

Last update for Umm Salal Mohammed: October 25, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Umm Salal Mohammed
–
Chiang Mai
$309
Groceries & Markets
Umm Salal Mohammed
–
Chiang Mai
$234
Clothing & Footwear
Umm Salal Mohammed
–
Chiang Mai
$109
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Umm Salal Mohammed
–
Chiang Mai
$94
Eating Out
Umm Salal Mohammed
–
Chiang Mai
$78
Getting Around
Umm Salal Mohammed
–
Chiang Mai
$61
Sport & Entertainment
Umm Salal Mohammed
–
Chiang Mai
$50
Good to know
🇶🇦 Umm Salal Mohammed
🇹🇭 Chiang Mai
🕒 Local time
14:58 2:58 PM
18:58 6:58 PM
4 h ahead of Umm Salal Mohammed
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
33,909
127,240
💱 Currency
Qatari Riyal QAR ر.ق
Thai Baht THB ฿
Exchange rates and currency converter

THB, USD, EUR to QAR – Qatari Riyal Converter

Qatari Riyal exchange rates as of October 29, 2026: 1 USD = 3.64 QAR (1 QAR = 0.275 USD). 1 EUR = 4.06 QAR (1 QAR = 0.246 EUR).

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 29, 2026: 1 USD = 33.7 THB (100 THB = 2.97 USD). 1 EUR = 37.61 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Umm Salal Mohammed Chiang Mai 4,940 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Umm Salal Mohammed
  • Chiang Mai

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Umm Salal Mohammed vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Umm Salal Mohammed or Chiang Mai?
Chiang Mai costs about 303% more than Umm Salal Mohammed, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from clothing. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Umm Salal Mohammed and in Chiang Mai?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $348 per month in Umm Salal Mohammed and $1,403 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How much does it cost to live in Umm Salal Mohammed compared to Chiang Mai?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $232 in Umm Salal Mohammed and $936 in Chiang Mai. That makes Umm Salal Mohammed about 75% cheaper.
Are groceries more expensive in Umm Salal Mohammed or in Chiang Mai?
Groceries cost about 22% more in Chiang Mai, though the gap depends on what you buy.
Can you live on $800/month in Umm Salal Mohammed or in Chiang Mai?
A $800 monthly budget goes further in Umm Salal Mohammed, where all-in costs run around $232, than in Chiang Mai at $936. In Umm Salal Mohammed it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiang Mai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city offers a better quality of life: Umm Salal Mohammed or Chiang Mai?
It depends on your priorities. Chiang Mai has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $232 in Umm Salal Mohammed to $936 in Chiang Mai. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
How safe is Umm Salal Mohammed compared to Chiang Mai?
Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.

Umm Salal Mohammed vs other spots: cost of living compared

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