Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Al-'aziziyah Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Al-'aziziyah

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $950 in Chiang Mai versus $362 in Al-'aziziyah.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,430 in Chiang Mai versus $569 in Al-'aziziyah.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,909 in Chiang Mai versus $776 in Al-'aziziyah.

Living in Chiang Mai is roughly 163% more expensive than in Al-'aziziyah, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Chiang Mai 31% lower, Al-'aziziyah 74% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.10 ฿69.3

$3.89 LYD 24.57

-46.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.84 ฿656

$15.11 LYD 95.4

31.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.79 ฿191

$2.50 LYD 15.77

131.60%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.62 LYD 3.91

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.61 LYD 3.86

Cappuccino

$1.83 ฿60.4

$0.46 LYD 2.92

297.83%

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

$0.78 ฿25.61

$0.43 LYD 2.68

81.40%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.37

$0.11 LYD 0.72

181.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.34 ฿77.2

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.70 ฿122

Milk (1 liter)

$2.03 ฿67.1

$0.90 LYD 5.66

125.56%

White Bread (500g)

$1.60 ฿52.7

$0.22 LYD 1.39

627.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.42 ฿46.75

$1.16 LYD 7.34

22.41%

Eggs

$2.18 ฿71.9

$1.35 LYD 8.50

61.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.91 ฿526

$4.92 LYD 31.06

223.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.07 ฿102

$3.29 LYD 20.76

-6.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.87 ฿326

$10.22 LYD 64.5

-3.42%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 ฿86.8

$2.36 LYD 14.87

11.44%

Banana (1kg)

$1.10 ฿36.19

$1.50 LYD 9.48

-26.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.63 ฿53.8

$0.73 LYD 4.61

123.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿50.6

$0.55 LYD 3.49

178.18%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 ฿41.13

$0.67 LYD 4.23

85.07%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 ฿37.37

$0.46 LYD 2.92

145.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 ฿24.38

$0.39 LYD 2.47

89.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 ฿16.48

$0.18 LYD 1.14

177.78%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.76 LYD 11.08

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 LYD 6.54

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.84 LYD 5.33

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.28 ฿141

$1.95 LYD 12.33

119.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.97 ฿594

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 ฿56.1

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿95.7

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.94 ฿31.13

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.3 ฿1,827

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.23 ฿40.76

$0.77 LYD 4.89

59.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ฿17.66

$0.46 LYD 2.87

15.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.40 ฿79.3

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 ฿47.55

$0.02 LYD 0.12

7100.00%

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

$21.2K ฿700.2K

$23.2K LYD 146.7K

-8.82%

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

$27.3K ฿902.1K

$14.1K LYD 89.3K

92.98%

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

$64.9 ฿2,145

$94.2 LYD 595

-31.09%

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

$13.35 ฿441

$5.64 LYD 35.58

136.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.83 ฿688

$27.13 LYD 171

-23.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.42 ฿1,336

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.95 ฿131

Cinema Ticket

$6.71 ฿222

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

$787 ฿26.0K

$52.7 LYD 333

1392.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.1K ฿499.6K

$626 LYD 3,953

2314.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.2 ฿1,858

$20.78 LYD 131

170.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.95 ฿824

$17.42 LYD 110

43.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.7 ฿3,063

$55.1 LYD 347

68.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.1 ฿2,482

$66.1 LYD 417

13.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$484 ฿16.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$287 ฿9,491

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$910 ฿30.1K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$531 ฿17.5K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,980 ฿65.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,451 ฿47.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$605 ฿20.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 7, 2026

Last update for Al-'aziziyah: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $20.00 in Chiang Mai vs $15.00 in Al-'aziziyah for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $242 vs $116 per month, with Al-'aziziyah cheaper across the board.

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

Chiang Mai vs Al-'aziziyah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai and Al-'aziziyah differ by about 163% in total monthly costs ($950 vs $362 including rent). Al-'aziziyah is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,426 in Chiang Mai and $543 in Al-'aziziyah to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Supermarket bills run roughly 109% higher in Chiang Mai. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $950 per month in Chiang Mai versus $362 in Al-'aziziyah – a 163% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $362 in Al-'aziziyah versus $950 in Chiang Mai, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Al-'aziziyah but tight or insufficient in Chiang Mai. The gap between the two cities makes Al-'aziziyah the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Chiang Mai and Al-'aziziyah 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 Al-'aziziyah gentler on the wallet – expenses run 163% less than in Chiang Mai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.