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: $992 in Byblos versus $866 in Chiang Mai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,575 in Byblos versus $1,351 in Chiang Mai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,158 in Byblos versus $1,835 in Chiang Mai.

Living in Byblos is roughly 15% more expensive than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Byblos 26% lower, Chiang Mai 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.84 LBP 701.4K

$1.94 ฿63.5

304.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.18 LBP 3.9M

$18.64 ฿609

131.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.99 LBP 715.0K

$7.82 ฿255

2.17%

Cappuccino

$3.05 LBP 273.2K

$1.95 ฿63.8

56.41%

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

$0.98 LBP 87.5K

$0.85 ฿27.77

15.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.03 LBP 91.9K

$0.35 ฿11.58

194.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.6

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

Milk (1 liter)

$1.20 LBP 107.3K

$1.71 ฿56.0

-29.82%

White Bread (500g)

$0.65 LBP 58.3K

$1.63 ฿53.2

-60.12%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 LBP 139.3K

$1.14 ฿37.15

36.84%

Eggs

$2.14 LBP 191.1K

$1.93 ฿63.1

10.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.83 LBP 790.7K

$16.21 ฿530

-45.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.18 LBP 732.3K

$3.12 ฿102

162.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.79 LBP 1.1M

$10.90 ฿356

8.17%

Apples (1kg)

$3.02 LBP 270.2K

$2.75 ฿90.0

9.82%

Banana (1kg)

$2.05 LBP 183.8K

$1.21 ฿39.52

69.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.98 LBP 87.6K

$1.62 ฿53.0

-39.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.98 LBP 176.8K

$1.59 ฿51.8

24.53%

Potato (1kg)

$0.99 LBP 88.3K

$1.40 ฿45.70

-29.29%

Onion (1kg)

$0.98 LBP 88.1K

$1.17 ฿38.17

-16.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 LBP 88.1K

$0.66 ฿21.60

48.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.02 LBP 91.7K

$0.53 ฿17.22

92.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿153

Wine (Bottle)

$4.02 LBP 360.2K

$18.66 ฿609

-78.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.50 LBP 134.1K

$1.80 ฿58.8

-16.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 LBP 177.5K

$3.23 ฿106

-38.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.98 LBP 88.1K

$0.90 ฿29.26

8.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.91

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.12

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.91 LBP 81.7K

$1.27 ฿41.58

-28.35%

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

$22.1K LBP 2.0B

$21.3K ฿694.9K

3.74%

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

$22.3K LBP 2.0B

$22.2K ฿725.4K

0.61%

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

$103 LBP 9.2M

$69.1 ฿2,256

48.99%

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

$22.16 LBP 2.0M

$14.08 ฿460

57.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.31 LBP 2.3M

$18.00 ฿588

40.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.57 LBP 3.4M

$41.06 ฿1,341

-8.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.88 LBP 1.7M

$6.96 ฿227

171.26%

Cinema Ticket

$9.98 LBP 893.4K

$5.92 ฿193

68.58%

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

$401 LBP 35.9M

$299 ฿9,766

34.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,996 LBP 268.1M

$15.0K ฿488.3K

-79.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$100 LBP 9.0M

$54.7 ฿1,787

83.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$98.1 LBP 8.8M

$26.77 ฿874

266.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$119 LBP 10.7M

$85.0 ฿2,776

40.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$150 LBP 13.5M

$70.6 ฿2,306

113.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$299 LBP 26.7M

$428 ฿14.0K

-30.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$229 LBP 20.5M

$237 ฿7,752

-3.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$790 LBP 70.7M

$801 ฿26.2K

-1.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$400 LBP 35.8M

$515 ฿16.8K

-22.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,324 LBP 118.5M

$1,975 ฿64.5K

-32.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$848 LBP 75.9M

$1,475 ฿48.2K

-42.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,004 LBP 89.8M

$617 ฿20.2K

62.56%

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $299 in Byblos and $428 in Chiang Mai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Byblos pays 63% 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: $43.00 in Byblos vs $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries flip the comparison at $218 vs $246, 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 15% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Byblos pays 63% 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: $299 in Byblos versus $428 in Chiang Mai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $401 in Byblos versus $299 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 $19.00 versus $43.00 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 15% less than in Byblos. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.