Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Al Bayda Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Al Bayda

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $861 in Chiang Mai versus $389 in Al Bayda.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,350 in Chiang Mai versus $622 in Al Bayda.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,838 in Chiang Mai versus $855 in Al Bayda.

Living in Chiang Mai is roughly 121% more expensive than in Al Bayda, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Chiang Mai 36% lower, Al Bayda 71% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿65.8

$5.60 LYD 35.70

-65.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.35 ฿617

$16.31 LYD 104

12.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.48 ฿252

$5.59 LYD 35.60

33.81%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 LYD 1.85

Cappuccino

$2.02 ฿67.8

$0.42 LYD 2.70

380.95%

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

$0.85 ฿28.50

$0.38 LYD 2.45

123.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.96

$0.08 LYD 0.53

350.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.8

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 ฿121

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿55.5

$0.75 LYD 4.77

120.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.7

$0.27 LYD 1.71

481.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿40.02

$1.46 LYD 9.29

-18.49%

Eggs

$1.94 ฿65.1

$2.46 LYD 15.65

-21.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿544

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.99 ฿101

$3.42 LYD 21.76

-12.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿368

$7.95 LYD 50.6

37.61%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 ฿91.2

$1.35 LYD 8.60

100.74%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿39.25

$1.36 LYD 8.67

-13.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 ฿56.7

$1.37 LYD 8.70

23.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 ฿54.0

$0.57 LYD 3.63

180.70%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.54

$0.63 LYD 4.00

119.05%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.45

$0.54 LYD 3.41

122.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿22.50

$0.95 LYD 6.02

-29.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.73

$0.13 LYD 0.82

330.77%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 LYD 3.59

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.64 ฿156

$1.86 LYD 11.84

149.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.62 ฿593

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.5

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 ฿111

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.68

$0.95 LYD 6.06

-7.37%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ฿650

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿45.90

$0.94 LYD 5.97

44.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.98

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.21 ฿276

$3.61 LYD 23.01

127.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ฿41.18

$0.03 LYD 0.18

3966.67%

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

$21.4K ฿718.1K

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

$22.5K ฿757.7K

$11.1K LYD 70.6K

103.36%

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

$70.7 ฿2,376

$5.46 LYD 34.81

1194.32%

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

$14.04 ฿472

$9.12 LYD 58.1

53.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.49 ฿588

$45.01 LYD 287

-61.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.15 ฿1,417

$11.84 LYD 75.4

256.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿199

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

$309 ฿10.4K

$27.60 LYD 176

1017.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K ฿500.4K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,875

$36.13 LYD 230

54.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.11 ฿878

$37.34 LYD 238

-30.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.0 ฿2,792

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 ฿2,369

$74.9 LYD 477

-5.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$432 ฿14.5K

$131 LYD 833

230.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿8,035

$74.0 LYD 471

222.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$822 ฿27.7K

$186 LYD 1,185

342.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$512 ฿17.2K

$127 LYD 812

301.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,915 ฿64.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 ฿49.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$579 ฿19.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Last update for Al Bayda: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $432 in Chiang Mai and $131 in Al Bayda. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $18.00 in Chiang Mai vs $16.00 in Al Bayda for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $243 vs $98.0 per month, with Al Bayda 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 Bayda: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Al Bayda is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 121% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,292 in Chiang Mai and $583 in Al Bayda 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $432 in Chiang Mai versus $131 in Al Bayda. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $309 in Chiang Mai versus $27.60 in Al Bayda. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Al Bayda – a meal for two runs $16.00 versus $18.00 in Chiang Mai. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Al Bayda gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

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

Safety-wise, Chiang Mai and Al Bayda 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 Bayda gentler on the wallet – expenses run 121% less than in Chiang Mai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.