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 $940 per month in Wadi Musa vs $861 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,197 per month in Wadi Musa vs $1,350 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,453 per month in Wadi Musa vs $1,838 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Wadi Musa costs about 9% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Wadi Musa and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Wadi Musa 30% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.38 JOD 3.81

$1.96 ฿65.7

174.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.33 JOD 25.00

$18.35 ฿616

92.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.92 JOD 3.48

$7.48 ฿251

-34.22%

Cappuccino

$2.76 JOD 1.95

$2.02 ฿67.7

36.63%

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

$0.47 JOD 0.33

$0.85 ฿28.45

-44.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 JOD 0.26

$0.36 ฿11.94

2.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.68 JOD 4.02

$2.14 ฿71.7

165.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.90 JOD 4.88

$3.59 ฿121

92.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.47 JOD 1.04

$1.65 ฿55.4

-10.91%

White Bread (500g)

$0.51 JOD 0.36

$1.57 ฿52.6

-67.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 JOD 1.14

$1.19 ฿39.95

35.29%

Eggs

$2.44 JOD 1.72

$1.94 ฿65.0

25.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.73 JOD 4.76

$16.19 ฿544

-58.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.68 JOD 3.31

$2.99 ฿100

56.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.40 JOD 8.07

$10.94 ฿367

4.20%

Apples (1kg)

$1.80 JOD 1.27

$2.71 ฿91.0

-33.58%

Banana (1kg)

$1.39 JOD 0.98

$1.17 ฿39.18

18.80%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.47 JOD 1.04

$1.69 ฿56.6

-13.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.72 JOD 0.51

$1.60 ฿53.9

-55.00%

Potato (1kg)

$0.92 JOD 0.65

$1.38 ฿46.45

-33.33%

Onion (1kg)

$0.72 JOD 0.51

$1.20 ฿40.38

-40.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.61 JOD 0.43

$0.67 ฿22.46

-8.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 JOD 0.36

$0.56 ฿18.70

-8.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.37 JOD 2.38

$4.64 ฿156

-27.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$21.47 JOD 15.19

$17.62 ฿591

21.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.65 JOD 3.29

$1.86 ฿62.4

150.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.49 JOD 3.89

$3.30 ฿111

66.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.63

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ฿649

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.68 JOD 0.48

$1.36 ฿45.82

-50.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.44 JOD 1.02

$1.34 ฿44.90

7.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.06 JOD 5.00

$8.21 ฿276

-14.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 JOD 0.81

$1.22 ฿41.11

-5.74%

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

$26.6K JOD 18.8K

$21.4K ฿716.8K

24.71%

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

$32.9K JOD 23.3K

$22.5K ฿756.3K

45.99%

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

$71.8 JOD 50.8

$70.7 ฿2,372

1.63%

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

$4.26 JOD 3.02

$14.04 ฿471

-69.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.21 JOD 10.06

$17.49 ฿587

-18.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.60 JOD 24.49

$42.15 ฿1,415

-17.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

Cinema Ticket

$11.40 JOD 8.07

$5.92 ฿199

92.57%

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

$274 JOD 194

$309 ฿10.4K

-11.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,365 JOD 3,797

$14.9K ฿499.5K

-63.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.7 JOD 44.36

$55.8 ฿1,872

12.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.9 JOD 39.54

$26.11 ฿877

113.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 JOD 80.1

$83.0 ฿2,787

36.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.4 JOD 56.2

$70.5 ฿2,365

12.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$353 JOD 250

$432 ฿14.5K

-18.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$283 JOD 201

$239 ฿8,020

18.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$822 ฿27.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$512 ฿17.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,915 ฿64.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 ฿49.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$489 JOD 346

$579 ฿19.4K

-15.63%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $353 in Wadi Musa versus $432 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 19% 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 $18.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $231 in Wadi Musa vs $243 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 9% 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 $1,410 per month in Wadi Musa and $1,292 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 $18.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 6% 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 $940 in Wadi Musa and $861 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $861 versus $940 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.