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 $1,015 per month in Wadi Musa vs $947 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,312 per month in Wadi Musa vs $1,411 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,608 per month in Wadi Musa vs $1,874 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 26% lower, Chiang Mai 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.24 JOD 5.12

$2.08 ฿69.2

248.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.85 JOD 24.67

$19.64 ฿651

77.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.08 JOD 5.01

$5.65 ฿188

25.31%

Cappuccino

$2.86 JOD 2.03

$1.81 ฿59.9

58.01%

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

$0.51 JOD 0.36

$0.71 ฿23.66

-28.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.44 JOD 0.31

$0.32 ฿10.48

37.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.28 JOD 5.86

$2.24 ฿74.2

269.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$11.04 JOD 7.81

$3.63 ฿121

204.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 JOD 1.02

$1.96 ฿65.0

-27.04%

White Bread (500g)

$0.66 JOD 0.47

$1.50 ฿49.83

-56.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 JOD 0.99

$1.34 ฿44.32

3.73%

Eggs

$2.38 JOD 1.68

$2.26 ฿75.1

5.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.06 JOD 6.41

$16.26 ฿539

-44.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.74 JOD 4.07

$2.95 ฿98.0

94.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.16 JOD 7.90

$9.94 ฿330

12.27%

Apples (1kg)

$1.45 JOD 1.02

$2.57 ฿85.3

-43.58%

Banana (1kg)

$1.37 JOD 0.97

$1.06 ฿35.04

29.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.44 JOD 1.02

$1.61 ฿53.5

-10.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.74 JOD 0.52

$1.52 ฿50.4

-51.32%

Potato (1kg)

$0.70 JOD 0.49

$1.27 ฿42.14

-44.88%

Onion (1kg)

$0.69 JOD 0.49

$1.07 ฿35.37

-35.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.62 JOD 0.44

$0.72 ฿23.89

-13.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.40 JOD 0.28

$0.51 ฿16.87

-21.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.44 JOD 2.43

$4.19 ฿139

-17.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$21.45 JOD 15.18

$17.87 ฿593

20.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.99 JOD 3.53

$1.69 ฿56.2

195.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.97 JOD 3.51

$2.84 ฿94.1

75.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.93 ฿30.70

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.9 ฿1,787

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.64 JOD 0.45

$1.23 ฿40.95

-47.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.43 JOD 1.01

$0.58 ฿19.13

146.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.12 JOD 5.04

$2.42 ฿80.4

194.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 JOD 0.81

$1.41 ฿46.84

-18.44%

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

$34.8K JOD 24.6K

$21.4K ฿711.3K

62.05%

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

$34.8K JOD 24.7K

$27.3K ฿906.7K

27.48%

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

$70.6 JOD 49.96

$63.7 ฿2,112

10.87%

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

$4.20 JOD 2.97

$12.85 ฿426

-67.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.15 JOD 10.02

$20.22 ฿671

-30.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.35 JOD 25.02

$38.74 ฿1,285

-8.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.97 ฿132

Cinema Ticket

$11.44 JOD 8.09

$6.74 ฿223

69.73%

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

$479 JOD 339

$778 ฿25.8K

-38.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,670 JOD 6,843

$14.6K ฿484.6K

-33.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.3 JOD 44.05

$54.3 ฿1,801

14.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$82.0 JOD 58.1

$25.45 ฿844

222.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$125 JOD 88.2

$94.3 ฿3,129

32.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.8 JOD 62.2

$73.4 ฿2,436

19.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$346 JOD 245

$490 ฿16.2K

-29.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$283 JOD 200

$289 ฿9,596

-2.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$894 ฿29.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$517 ฿17.1K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,955 ฿64.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,477 ฿49.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$495 JOD 350

$602 ฿20.0K

-17.76%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

5.57

22.26%

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

Last update for Wadi Musa: August 31, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $346 in Wadi Musa 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 22% 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $239 in Wadi Musa vs $240 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 $1,523 per month in Wadi Musa and $1,421 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 $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 1% cheaper in Wadi Musa – 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 Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $947, than in Wadi Musa at $1,015. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Wadi Musa it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $947 versus $1,015 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.