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 $442 per month in Benghazi vs $866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $708 per month in Benghazi vs $1,351 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $973 per month in Benghazi vs $1,835 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 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.78 LYD 17.64

$1.94 ฿63.5

43.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.40 LYD 91.5

$18.64 ฿609

-22.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.79 LYD 17.69

$7.82 ฿255

-64.32%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.56 LYD 3.59

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 LYD 2.28

Cappuccino

$0.64 LYD 4.07

$1.95 ฿63.8

-67.18%

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

$0.44 LYD 2.76

$0.85 ฿27.77

-48.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.13 LYD 0.80

$0.35 ฿11.58

-62.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.6

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

Milk (1 liter)

$0.90 LYD 5.73

$1.71 ฿56.0

-47.37%

White Bread (500g)

$0.23 LYD 1.46

$1.63 ฿53.2

-85.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.65 LYD 4.15

$1.14 ฿37.15

-42.98%

Eggs

$1.32 LYD 8.37

$1.93 ฿63.1

-31.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.06 LYD 38.45

$16.21 ฿530

-62.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.60 LYD 22.86

$3.12 ฿102

15.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.52 LYD 54.1

$10.90 ฿356

-21.83%

Apples (1kg)

$1.42 LYD 8.99

$2.75 ฿90.0

-48.36%

Banana (1kg)

$1.14 LYD 7.23

$1.21 ฿39.52

-5.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.67 LYD 4.25

$1.62 ฿53.0

-58.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.50 LYD 3.16

$1.59 ฿51.8

-68.55%

Potato (1kg)

$0.52 LYD 3.31

$1.40 ฿45.70

-62.86%

Onion (1kg)

$0.48 LYD 3.05

$1.17 ฿38.17

-58.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.29 LYD 1.86

$0.66 ฿21.60

-56.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.22 LYD 1.40

$0.53 ฿17.22

-58.49%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.43 LYD 15.41

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.69 LYD 4.39

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 LYD 4.43

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.69 LYD 17.08

$4.69 ฿153

-42.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿609

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.8

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.95 LYD 6.03

$0.90 ฿29.26

5.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.39 LYD 59.6

$19.21 ฿628

-51.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.89 LYD 5.66

$1.41 ฿45.91

-36.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.56 LYD 9.88

$1.29 ฿42.12

20.93%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.96 LYD 25.12

$7.84 ฿256

-49.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.03 LYD 0.21

$1.27 ฿41.58

-97.64%

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

$16.8K LYD 106.4K

$21.3K ฿694.9K

-21.25%

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

$15.1K LYD 95.8K

$22.2K ฿725.4K

-32.10%

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

$13.99 LYD 88.8

$69.1 ฿2,256

-79.75%

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

$7.16 LYD 45.45

$14.08 ฿460

-49.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.02 LYD 216

$18.00 ฿588

89.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$18.88 LYD 120

$41.06 ฿1,341

-54.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.24 LYD 65.0

$6.96 ฿227

47.13%

Cinema Ticket

$4.54 LYD 28.85

$5.92 ฿193

-23.31%

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

$62.1 LYD 394

$299 ฿9,766

-79.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$866 LYD 5,500

$15.0K ฿488.3K

-94.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$28.08 LYD 178

$54.7 ฿1,787

-48.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.11 LYD 185

$26.77 ฿874

8.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$48.53 LYD 308

$85.0 ฿2,776

-42.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$62.6 LYD 397

$70.6 ฿2,306

-11.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$189 LYD 1,200

$428 ฿14.0K

-55.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$115 LYD 731

$237 ฿7,752

-51.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$369 LYD 2,343

$801 ฿26.2K

-53.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$231 LYD 1,466

$515 ฿16.8K

-55.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$271 LYD 1,720

$617 ฿20.2K

-56.13%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $189 in Benghazi versus $428 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 128% 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 $14.00 in Benghazi versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $106 vs $246 – 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: $442 in Benghazi, $866 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 $664 per month in Benghazi and $1,300 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 132% 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 $14.00 in Benghazi and $19.00 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 $442 in Benghazi and $866 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 $442 in Benghazi to $866 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.