Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Bani Walid Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Bani Walid

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $869 per month in Chiang Mai vs $324 in Bani Walid, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,362 per month in Chiang Mai vs $539 in Bani Walid, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,855 per month in Chiang Mai vs $754 in Bani Walid, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 168% more than Bani Walid, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Bani Walid are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Bani Walid 76% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.98 ฿64.3

$4.65 LYD 29.59

-57.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.80 ฿612

$18.18 LYD 116

3.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.75 ฿252

$3.59 LYD 22.82

115.88%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.58 LYD 3.67

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 LYD 4.58

Cappuccino

$1.92 ฿62.5

$0.52 LYD 3.28

269.23%

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

$0.79 ฿25.79

$0.48 LYD 3.08

64.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.62

$0.11 LYD 0.70

227.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿53.8

$1.02 LYD 6.51

61.76%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$0.21 LYD 1.33

676.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.86

$1.18 LYD 7.52

0.85%

Eggs

$2.00 ฿65.1

$1.43 LYD 9.12

39.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.98 ฿520

$4.97 LYD 31.60

221.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.03 ฿98.5

$3.26 LYD 20.74

-7.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 ฿354

$10.41 LYD 66.2

4.32%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 ฿90.0

$2.18 LYD 13.89

26.61%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.42

$1.35 LYD 8.57

-12.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$0.78 LYD 4.95

110.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.51

$0.56 LYD 3.58

171.43%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿45.10

$0.66 LYD 4.17

109.09%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.84

$0.53 LYD 3.39

124.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ฿22.86

$0.42 LYD 2.66

66.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.13

$0.22 LYD 1.40

154.55%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.27 LYD 8.08

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 LYD 4.57

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.64 LYD 4.08

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.58 ฿149

$1.79 LYD 11.36

155.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.56 ฿539

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿59.5

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 ฿104

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿28.56

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.72 ฿610

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿44.16

$0.91 LYD 5.76

49.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿43.65

$0.85 LYD 5.38

57.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$4.49 LYD 28.54

74.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿39.92

$0.03 LYD 0.19

4000.00%

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

$21.6K ฿704.3K

$13.9K LYD 88.7K

55.08%

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

$22.5K ฿734.3K

$16.2K LYD 103.2K

38.91%

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

$70.5 ฿2,298

$31.94 LYD 203

120.85%

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

$13.68 ฿445

$8.38 LYD 53.3

63.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.45 ฿568

$23.16 LYD 147

-24.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.33 ฿1,346

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

Cinema Ticket

$5.77 ฿188

$4.71 LYD 29.98

22.51%

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

$307 ฿10.0K

$51.6 LYD 328

495.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿475.9K

$901 LYD 5,734

1520.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,817

$21.48 LYD 137

159.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.21 ฿854

$34.97 LYD 222

-25.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 ฿2,793

$49.85 LYD 317

72.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.2 ฿2,353

$55.2 LYD 351

30.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$430 ฿14.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿7,774

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$817 ฿26.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$511 ฿16.6K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,983 ฿64.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,484 ฿48.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$619 ฿20.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

17.5

-71.43%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 7, 2026

Last update for Bani Walid: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $18.00 in Bani Walid. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $241 vs $118 – making Bani Walid 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

Chiang Mai vs Bani Walid: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $869 in Chiang Mai, $324 in Bani Walid – roughly 168% apart. Chiang Mai costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,303 per month in Chiang Mai and $486 in Bani Walid. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai and $18.00 in Bani Walid. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 105% 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.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $869 in Chiang Mai and $324 in Bani Walid, 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 $324 in Bani Walid to $869 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 Bani Walid. 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.