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: $1,390 in Beirut versus $861 in Chiang Mai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,293 in Beirut versus $1,350 in Chiang Mai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,195 in Beirut versus $1,838 in Chiang Mai.

Living in Beirut is roughly 61% more expensive than in Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Beirut is 4% above, Chiang Mai is 36% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.63 LBP 951.4K

$1.96 ฿65.7

442.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$59.8 LBP 5.4M

$18.35 ฿616

226.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.84 LBP 701.7K

$7.48 ฿251

4.81%

Cappuccino

$3.32 LBP 296.7K

$2.02 ฿67.7

64.36%

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

$1.57 LBP 140.7K

$0.85 ฿28.45

84.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.87 LBP 77.7K

$0.36 ฿11.94

141.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.48 LBP 311.5K

$2.14 ฿71.7

62.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.95 LBP 442.9K

$3.59 ฿121

37.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.77 LBP 158.6K

$1.65 ฿55.4

7.27%

White Bread (500g)

$0.79 LBP 70.8K

$1.57 ฿52.6

-49.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.82 LBP 162.5K

$1.19 ฿39.95

52.94%

Eggs

$3.10 LBP 277.8K

$1.94 ฿65.0

59.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.08 LBP 992.0K

$16.19 ฿544

-31.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.37 LBP 838.3K

$2.99 ฿100

213.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.46 LBP 1.0M

$10.94 ฿367

4.75%

Apples (1kg)

$1.74 LBP 155.9K

$2.71 ฿91.0

-35.79%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 LBP 130.0K

$1.17 ฿39.18

23.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.14 LBP 102.2K

$1.69 ฿56.6

-32.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.05 LBP 94.1K

$1.60 ฿53.9

-34.38%

Potato (1kg)

$1.00 LBP 89.1K

$1.38 ฿46.45

-27.54%

Onion (1kg)

$1.04 LBP 93.4K

$1.20 ฿40.38

-13.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 LBP 79.8K

$0.67 ฿22.46

32.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 LBP 47.2K

$0.56 ฿18.70

-5.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.52 LBP 225.9K

$4.64 ฿156

-45.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.18 LBP 911.3K

$17.62 ฿591

-42.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.30 LBP 116.1K

$1.86 ฿62.4

-30.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 LBP 190.2K

$3.30 ฿111

-35.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.97 LBP 176.1K

$0.88 ฿29.63

123.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$71.1 LBP 6.4M

$19.34 ฿649

267.53%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.95 LBP 442.8K

$1.36 ฿45.82

263.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.26 LBP 113.2K

$1.34 ฿44.90

-5.97%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.02 LBP 1.8M

$8.21 ฿276

143.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.93 LBP 83.3K

$1.22 ฿41.11

-23.77%

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

$34.9K LBP 3.1B

$21.4K ฿716.8K

63.22%

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

$28.0K LBP 2.5B

$22.5K ฿756.3K

24.18%

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

$217 LBP 19.4M

$70.7 ฿2,372

206.85%

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

$37.42 LBP 3.3M

$14.04 ฿471

166.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.20 LBP 3.3M

$17.49 ฿587

112.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.3 LBP 6.1M

$42.15 ฿1,415

61.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.66 LBP 2.7M

$6.88 ฿231

331.10%

Cinema Ticket

$7.83 LBP 700.5K

$5.92 ฿199

32.26%

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

$305 LBP 27.3M

$309 ฿10.4K

-1.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,511 LBP 403.7M

$14.9K ฿499.5K

-69.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$69.7 LBP 6.2M

$55.8 ฿1,872

25.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.73 LBP 4.0M

$26.11 ฿877

71.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$121 LBP 10.9M

$83.0 ฿2,787

46.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$94.7 LBP 8.5M

$70.5 ฿2,365

34.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$789 LBP 70.6M

$432 ฿14.5K

82.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 LBP 33.7M

$239 ฿8,020

57.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,956 LBP 175.1M

$822 ฿27.6K

137.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$970 LBP 86.8M

$512 ฿17.2K

89.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,944 LBP 352.9M

$1,915 ฿64.3K

105.97%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,952 LBP 174.7M

$1,467 ฿49.3K

33.02%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$715 LBP 64.0M

$579 ฿19.4K

23.42%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $789 in Beirut and $432 in Chiang Mai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Beirut pays 23% 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 $18.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries flip the comparison at $233 vs $243, 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 61% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 23% higher in Beirut, 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: $789 in Beirut versus $432 in Chiang Mai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,390 per month in Beirut versus $861 in Chiang Mai – a 61% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Chiang Mai runs roughly 268% less than in Beirut. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $861 in Chiang Mai versus $1,390 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 61% less than in Beirut. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.