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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,002 in Byblos versus $861 in Chiang Mai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,587 in Byblos versus $1,350 in Chiang Mai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,172 in Byblos versus $1,838 in Chiang Mai.

Living in Byblos is roughly 16% more expensive than in Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Byblos 25% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.85 LBP 703.0K

$1.96 ฿65.7

300.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.98 LBP 3.8M

$18.35 ฿616

128.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.89 LBP 706.6K

$7.48 ฿251

5.48%

Cappuccino

$3.03 LBP 271.0K

$2.02 ฿67.7

50.00%

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

$0.99 LBP 88.6K

$0.85 ฿28.45

16.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.02 LBP 91.5K

$0.36 ฿11.94

183.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.7

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 ฿121

Milk (1 liter)

$1.26 LBP 112.9K

$1.65 ฿55.4

-23.64%

White Bread (500g)

$0.62 LBP 55.7K

$1.57 ฿52.6

-60.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.54 LBP 137.4K

$1.19 ฿39.95

29.41%

Eggs

$2.05 LBP 183.4K

$1.94 ฿65.0

5.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.27 LBP 829.5K

$16.19 ฿544

-42.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.04 LBP 719.8K

$2.99 ฿100

168.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.10 LBP 1.1M

$10.94 ฿367

10.60%

Apples (1kg)

$2.98 LBP 267.1K

$2.71 ฿91.0

9.96%

Banana (1kg)

$2.02 LBP 180.7K

$1.17 ฿39.18

72.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.97 LBP 86.9K

$1.69 ฿56.6

-42.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.96 LBP 175.3K

$1.60 ฿53.9

22.50%

Potato (1kg)

$1.01 LBP 90.7K

$1.38 ฿46.45

-26.81%

Onion (1kg)

$0.97 LBP 86.8K

$1.20 ฿40.38

-19.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 LBP 92.1K

$0.67 ฿22.46

53.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.97 LBP 87.1K

$0.56 ฿18.70

73.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.64 ฿156

Wine (Bottle)

$4.05 LBP 362.1K

$17.62 ฿591

-77.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.56 LBP 139.2K

$1.86 ฿62.4

-16.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.95 LBP 174.1K

$3.30 ฿111

-40.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.03 LBP 91.8K

$0.88 ฿29.63

17.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ฿649

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿45.82

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.90

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.21 ฿276

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.90 LBP 80.9K

$1.22 ฿41.11

-26.23%

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

$22.7K LBP 2.0B

$21.4K ฿716.8K

6.10%

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

$22.3K LBP 2.0B

$22.5K ฿756.3K

-0.84%

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

$100 LBP 9.0M

$70.7 ฿2,372

42.08%

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

$22.41 LBP 2.0M

$14.04 ฿471

59.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.81 LBP 2.2M

$17.49 ฿587

41.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.45 LBP 3.4M

$42.15 ฿1,415

-11.15%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.88 LBP 1.7M

$6.88 ฿231

174.42%

Cinema Ticket

$9.80 LBP 877.3K

$5.92 ฿199

65.54%

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

$407 LBP 36.4M

$309 ฿10.4K

31.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,977 LBP 266.4M

$14.9K ฿499.5K

-79.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$99.5 LBP 8.9M

$55.8 ฿1,872

78.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$102 LBP 9.1M

$26.11 ฿877

289.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$120 LBP 10.7M

$83.0 ฿2,787

44.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$149 LBP 13.3M

$70.5 ฿2,365

111.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$304 LBP 27.2M

$432 ฿14.5K

-29.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$225 LBP 20.2M

$239 ฿8,020

-5.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$793 LBP 71.0M

$822 ฿27.6K

-3.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$401 LBP 35.9M

$512 ฿17.2K

-21.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,327 LBP 118.8M

$1,915 ฿64.3K

-30.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$831 LBP 74.3M

$1,467 ฿49.3K

-43.39%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,000 LBP 89.5M

$579 ฿19.4K

72.64%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

60.00%

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

Last update for Byblos: July 12, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $304 in Byblos and $432 in Chiang Mai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Byblos pays 73% 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: $42.00 in Byblos vs $18.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries flip the comparison at $219 vs $243, with Byblos 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

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

Chiang Mai is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 16% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 73% higher in Byblos, 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: $304 in Byblos versus $432 in Chiang Mai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $407 in Byblos versus $309 in Chiang Mai. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Chiang Mai – a meal for two runs $18.00 versus $42.00 in Byblos. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Either city works on $800 a month, though Chiang Mai gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

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

Safety-wise, Byblos 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 16% less than in Byblos. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.