Cost of Living Comparison Between Beirut and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between Beirut and Chiang Mai

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,437 in Beirut versus $866 in Chiang Mai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,353 in Beirut versus $1,351 in Chiang Mai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,269 in Beirut versus $1,835 in Chiang Mai.

Living in Beirut is roughly 66% more expensive than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Beirut is 7% above, Chiang Mai is 35% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.76 LBP 963.0K

$1.94 ฿63.5

454.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$59.7 LBP 5.3M

$18.64 ฿609

220.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.04 LBP 720.0K

$7.82 ฿255

2.81%

Cappuccino

$3.27 LBP 292.4K

$1.95 ฿63.8

67.69%

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

$1.58 LBP 141.4K

$0.85 ฿27.77

85.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 LBP 82.4K

$0.35 ฿11.58

162.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.45 LBP 308.9K

$2.13 ฿69.6

61.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.06 LBP 453.3K

$3.73 ฿122

35.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 LBP 160.5K

$1.71 ฿56.0

4.68%

White Bread (500g)

$0.85 LBP 76.5K

$1.63 ฿53.2

-47.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.82 LBP 163.3K

$1.14 ฿37.15

59.65%

Eggs

$3.19 LBP 285.4K

$1.93 ฿63.1

65.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.51 LBP 1.0M

$16.21 ฿530

-28.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.60 LBP 859.6K

$3.12 ฿102

207.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.36 LBP 1.0M

$10.90 ฿356

4.22%

Apples (1kg)

$1.73 LBP 154.6K

$2.75 ฿90.0

-37.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 LBP 129.4K

$1.21 ฿39.52

19.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.15 LBP 103.0K

$1.62 ฿53.0

-29.01%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.08 LBP 96.9K

$1.59 ฿51.8

-32.08%

Potato (1kg)

$0.99 LBP 88.2K

$1.40 ฿45.70

-29.29%

Onion (1kg)

$1.04 LBP 92.8K

$1.17 ฿38.17

-11.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.81 LBP 72.8K

$0.66 ฿21.60

22.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 LBP 46.7K

$0.53 ฿17.22

-1.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.46 LBP 220.6K

$4.69 ฿153

-47.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.95 LBP 890.6K

$18.66 ฿609

-46.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 LBP 110.6K

$1.80 ฿58.8

-31.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.20 LBP 197.3K

$3.23 ฿106

-31.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.96 LBP 175.4K

$0.90 ฿29.26

117.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$71.1 LBP 6.4M

$19.21 ฿628

270.33%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.94 LBP 442.2K

$1.41 ฿45.91

250.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.28 LBP 114.5K

$1.29 ฿42.12

-0.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.91 LBP 1.8M

$7.84 ฿256

153.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.90 LBP 80.9K

$1.27 ฿41.58

-29.13%

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

$34.8K LBP 3.1B

$21.3K ฿694.9K

63.65%

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

$27.6K LBP 2.5B

$22.2K ฿725.4K

24.24%

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

$218 LBP 19.5M

$69.1 ฿2,256

215.01%

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

$37.46 LBP 3.4M

$14.08 ฿460

166.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.30 LBP 3.3M

$18.00 ฿588

107.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.4 LBP 6.1M

$41.06 ฿1,341

66.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.84 LBP 2.7M

$6.96 ฿227

328.74%

Cinema Ticket

$8.13 LBP 727.3K

$5.92 ฿193

37.33%

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

$297 LBP 26.6M

$299 ฿9,766

-0.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,404 LBP 394.1M

$15.0K ฿488.3K

-70.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$71.6 LBP 6.4M

$54.7 ฿1,787

30.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.80 LBP 4.0M

$26.77 ฿874

67.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$120 LBP 10.8M

$85.0 ฿2,776

41.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.5 LBP 8.6M

$70.6 ฿2,306

35.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$809 LBP 72.4M

$428 ฿14.0K

88.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$370 LBP 33.1M

$237 ฿7,752

55.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,023 LBP 181.0M

$801 ฿26.2K

152.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$950 LBP 85.0M

$515 ฿16.8K

84.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,685 LBP 329.8M

$1,975 ฿64.5K

86.62%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,978 LBP 177.1M

$1,475 ฿48.2K

34.13%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$651 LBP 58.2M

$617 ฿20.2K

5.36%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.16

123.20%

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

Last update for Beirut: June 1, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $809 in Beirut and $428 in Chiang Mai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Beirut pays 5% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $60.0 in Beirut vs $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries flip the comparison at $236 vs $246, with Beirut cheaper for home cooking.

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

Beirut vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 66% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Beirut pays 5% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $809 in Beirut versus $428 in Chiang Mai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,437 per month in Beirut versus $866 in Chiang Mai – a 66% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Chiang Mai runs roughly 270% less than in Beirut. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $866 in Chiang Mai versus $1,437 in Beirut, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Chiang Mai but tight or insufficient in Beirut. The gap between the two cities makes Chiang Mai the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Chiang Mai is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Beirut, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Beirut and Chiang Mai are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Chiang Mai gentler on the wallet – expenses run 66% less than in Beirut. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.