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

Name: Chiang Mai
Address: Chiang Mai, TH

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $439 per month in Benghazi vs $861 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $706 per month in Benghazi vs $1,350 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $973 per month in Benghazi vs $1,838 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Benghazi is about 49% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Benghazi and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Benghazi 67% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.69 LYD 17.15

$1.96 ฿65.9

37.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.71 LYD 93.7

$18.35 ฿617

-19.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.71 LYD 17.28

$7.48 ฿252

-63.77%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.53 LYD 3.37

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 LYD 2.26

Cappuccino

$0.68 LYD 4.31

$2.02 ฿67.8

-66.34%

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

$0.40 LYD 2.57

$0.85 ฿28.52

-52.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.15 LYD 0.96

$0.36 ฿11.97

-58.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.9

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 ฿121

Milk (1 liter)

$0.90 LYD 5.72

$1.65 ฿55.5

-45.45%

White Bread (500g)

$0.23 LYD 1.47

$1.57 ฿52.7

-85.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.66 LYD 4.17

$1.19 ฿40.05

-44.54%

Eggs

$1.32 LYD 8.41

$1.94 ฿65.1

-31.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.14 LYD 39.13

$16.19 ฿545

-62.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.71 LYD 23.64

$2.99 ฿101

24.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.63 LYD 55.0

$10.94 ฿368

-21.12%

Apples (1kg)

$1.42 LYD 9.05

$2.71 ฿91.2

-47.60%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 LYD 7.54

$1.17 ฿39.27

0.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.68 LYD 4.34

$1.69 ฿56.8

-59.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.49 LYD 3.11

$1.60 ฿54.0

-69.38%

Potato (1kg)

$0.49 LYD 3.09

$1.38 ฿46.56

-64.49%

Onion (1kg)

$0.44 LYD 2.83

$1.20 ฿40.47

-63.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.27 LYD 1.72

$0.67 ฿22.51

-59.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.22 LYD 1.40

$0.56 ฿18.74

-60.71%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.33 LYD 14.83

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.71 LYD 4.54

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.67 LYD 4.27

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.79 LYD 17.80

$4.64 ฿156

-39.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.62 ฿593

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.6

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 ฿111

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.94 LYD 5.96

$0.88 ฿29.70

6.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.20 LYD 58.6

$19.34 ฿651

-52.43%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.91 LYD 5.77

$1.36 ฿45.92

-33.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.48 LYD 9.43

$1.34 ฿45.00

10.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.91 LYD 24.89

$8.21 ฿276

-52.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.03 LYD 0.21

$1.22 ฿41.20

-97.54%

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

$16.4K LYD 104.8K

$21.4K ฿718.5K

-22.98%

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

$14.8K LYD 94.1K

$22.5K ฿758.1K

-34.41%

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

$14.44 LYD 92.0

$70.7 ฿2,378

-79.57%

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

$7.16 LYD 45.60

$14.04 ฿472

-49.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.89 LYD 216

$17.49 ฿589

93.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$19.05 LYD 121

$42.15 ฿1,418

-54.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.56 LYD 67.3

$6.88 ฿231

53.49%

Cinema Ticket

$4.71 LYD 29.98

$5.92 ฿199

-20.44%

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

$60.0 LYD 382

$309 ฿10.4K

-80.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$869 LYD 5,534

$14.9K ฿500.7K

-94.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.57 LYD 176

$55.8 ฿1,876

-50.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.98 LYD 185

$26.11 ฿879

10.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$48.49 LYD 309

$83.0 ฿2,793

-41.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$63.3 LYD 403

$70.5 ฿2,371

-10.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$194 LYD 1,238

$432 ฿14.5K

-55.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$115 LYD 731

$239 ฿8,040

-52.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$378 LYD 2,409

$822 ฿27.7K

-54.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$231 LYD 1,472

$512 ฿17.2K

-54.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,915 ฿64.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 ฿49.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$263 LYD 1,675

$579 ฿19.5K

-54.61%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

400.00%

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

Last update for Benghazi: July 12, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $194 in Benghazi 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 120% higher in Chiang Mai, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $15.00 in Benghazi versus $18.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $108 vs $243 – making Benghazi the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $439 in Benghazi, $861 in Chiang Mai – roughly 96% apart. Chiang Mai costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $659 per month in Benghazi 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 Benghazi, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 126% more in Chiang Mai, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $15.00 in Benghazi and $18.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $439 in Benghazi and $861 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

It depends on your priorities. Chiang Mai has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $439 in Benghazi to $861 in Chiang Mai. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Benghazi. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chiang Mai makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.