Cost of Living Comparison Between Wadi Musa and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between Wadi Musa and Chiang Mai

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $926 per month in Wadi Musa vs $866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,187 per month in Wadi Musa vs $1,351 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,448 per month in Wadi Musa vs $1,835 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Wadi Musa costs about 7% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Wadi Musa and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Wadi Musa 31% lower, Chiang Mai 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.36 JOD 3.79

$1.94 ฿63.5

176.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.90 JOD 24.70

$18.64 ฿609

87.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.99 JOD 3.53

$7.82 ฿255

-36.19%

Cappuccino

$2.85 JOD 2.01

$1.95 ฿63.8

46.15%

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

$0.51 JOD 0.36

$0.85 ฿27.77

-40.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 JOD 0.25

$0.35 ฿11.58

2.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.61 JOD 3.97

$2.13 ฿69.6

163.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.85 JOD 4.85

$3.73 ฿122

83.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.48 JOD 1.05

$1.71 ฿56.0

-13.45%

White Bread (500g)

$0.51 JOD 0.36

$1.63 ฿53.2

-68.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 JOD 1.11

$1.14 ฿37.15

37.72%

Eggs

$2.54 JOD 1.80

$1.93 ฿63.1

31.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.72 JOD 4.75

$16.21 ฿530

-58.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.76 JOD 3.37

$3.12 ฿102

52.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.16 JOD 7.90

$10.90 ฿356

2.39%

Apples (1kg)

$1.78 JOD 1.26

$2.75 ฿90.0

-35.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.37 JOD 0.97

$1.21 ฿39.52

13.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.48 JOD 1.05

$1.62 ฿53.0

-8.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.73 JOD 0.51

$1.59 ฿51.8

-54.09%

Potato (1kg)

$0.85 JOD 0.60

$1.40 ฿45.70

-39.29%

Onion (1kg)

$0.73 JOD 0.52

$1.17 ฿38.17

-37.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.65 JOD 0.46

$0.66 ฿21.60

-1.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 JOD 0.36

$0.53 ฿17.22

-3.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.40 JOD 2.40

$4.69 ฿153

-27.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.75 JOD 14.69

$18.66 ฿609

11.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.70 JOD 3.33

$1.80 ฿58.8

161.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.30 JOD 3.75

$3.23 ฿106

64.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.26

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.70 JOD 0.49

$1.41 ฿45.91

-50.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.43 JOD 1.02

$1.29 ฿42.12

10.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.01 JOD 4.96

$7.84 ฿256

-10.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 JOD 0.82

$1.27 ฿41.58

-9.45%

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

$26.8K JOD 18.9K

$21.3K ฿694.9K

25.74%

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

$32.4K JOD 22.9K

$22.2K ฿725.4K

45.85%

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

$71.6 JOD 50.7

$69.1 ฿2,256

3.68%

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

$4.17 JOD 2.95

$14.08 ฿460

-70.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.01 JOD 9.92

$18.00 ฿588

-22.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.34 JOD 25.01

$41.06 ฿1,341

-13.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

Cinema Ticket

$11.12 JOD 7.87

$5.92 ฿193

87.84%

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

$278 JOD 197

$299 ฿9,766

-7.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,457 JOD 3,862

$15.0K ฿488.3K

-63.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.4 JOD 43.46

$54.7 ฿1,787

12.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.5 JOD 39.99

$26.77 ฿874

111.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 JOD 80.3

$85.0 ฿2,776

33.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.5 JOD 57.0

$70.6 ฿2,306

14.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$350 JOD 247

$428 ฿14.0K

-18.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$283 JOD 201

$237 ฿7,752

19.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$488 JOD 345

$617 ฿20.2K

-21.00%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.27

45.40%

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

Last update for Wadi Musa: June 1, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $350 in Wadi Musa 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 27% higher in Chiang Mai, 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 $35.00 in Wadi Musa versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $229 in Wadi Musa vs $246 in Chiang Mai – so Wadi Musa 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

Wadi Musa vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Wadi Musa costs about 7% 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 $1,389 per month in Wadi Musa 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $35.00 in Wadi Musa and $19.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 8% cheaper in Wadi Musa – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $926 in Wadi Musa and $866 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $866 versus $926 in Wadi Musa. 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, Wadi Musa makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.