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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $932 in Chiang Mai versus $992 in Byblos.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,399 in Chiang Mai versus $1,626 in Byblos.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,866 in Chiang Mai versus $2,261 in Byblos.

Living in Chiang Mai costs roughly 6% less than in Byblos, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Chiang Mai 32% lower, Byblos 28% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿69.5

$9.24 LBP 827.3K

-77.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.61 ฿655

$43.14 LBP 3.9M

-54.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.67 ฿189

$7.06 LBP 631.7K

-19.69%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿60.3

$3.08 LBP 275.2K

-41.23%

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

$0.77 ฿25.65

$0.97 LBP 87.0K

-20.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.53

$0.98 LBP 87.7K

-64.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿73.9

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿127

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 ฿68.4

$1.26 LBP 112.3K

62.70%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 ฿50.6

$0.61 LBP 54.6K

147.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 ฿46.69

$1.55 LBP 139.1K

-9.68%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿75.4

$2.16 LBP 193.0K

4.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿540

$8.78 LBP 785.9K

84.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.90 ฿96.7

$8.29 LBP 741.7K

-65.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.42 ฿314

$11.77 LBP 1.1M

-19.97%

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 ฿89.4

$2.97 LBP 265.4K

-9.76%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.37

$2.03 LBP 181.7K

-46.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.0

$0.99 LBP 88.4K

63.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.74

$1.98 LBP 176.8K

-26.26%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.65

$0.99 LBP 88.2K

29.29%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 ฿35.31

$0.99 LBP 88.4K

7.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.94

$0.99 LBP 88.3K

-27.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.56

$0.98 LBP 87.6K

-45.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.23 ฿141

Wine (Bottle)

$18.29 ฿611

$3.94 LBP 352.2K

364.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ฿54.4

$1.56 LBP 139.8K

4.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿96.8

$1.95 LBP 174.5K

48.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.32

$1.01 LBP 90.4K

-12.87%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.8 ฿1,795

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 ฿39.14

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿19.30

$0.98 LBP 87.8K

-40.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.39 ฿79.6

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.41

$0.90 LBP 81.0K

61.11%

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

$21.0K ฿701.4K

$22.8K LBP 2.0B

-8.03%

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

$26.4K ฿882.0K

$22.6K LBP 2.0B

17.15%

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

$63.7 ฿2,125

$101 LBP 9.0M

-36.97%

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

$12.89 ฿430

$22.88 LBP 2.0M

-43.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.52 ฿685

$25.04 LBP 2.2M

-18.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.02 ฿1,302

$38.03 LBP 3.4M

2.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.92 ฿131

$39.82 LBP 3.6M

-90.16%

Cinema Ticket

$6.58 ฿220

$10.08 LBP 902.2K

-34.72%

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

$784 ฿26.2K

$402 LBP 36.0M

94.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿489.8K

$2,973 LBP 266.1M

393.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 ฿1,840

$101 LBP 9.0M

-45.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.74 ฿826

$99.8 LBP 8.9M

-75.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.1 ฿3,142

$121 LBP 10.8M

-22.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.0 ฿2,469

$149 LBP 13.3M

-50.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.4K

$294 LBP 26.3M

66.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$288 ฿9,620

$226 LBP 20.3M

27.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$891 ฿29.8K

$815 LBP 72.9M

9.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$521 ฿17.4K

$397 LBP 35.5M

31.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,974 ฿65.9K

$1,340 LBP 119.9M

47.31%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,444 ฿48.2K

$849 LBP 76.0M

70.07%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿20.1K

$991 LBP 88.7M

-39.28%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

-30.37%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 13, 2026

Last update for Byblos: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $490 in Chiang Mai and $294 in Byblos. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Byblos pays 65% 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: $20.00 in Chiang Mai vs $43.00 in Byblos. Groceries flip the comparison at $241 vs $218, 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

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

Chiang Mai is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 6% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 65% lower in Byblos. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $490 in Chiang Mai versus $294 in Byblos. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $784 in Chiang Mai versus $402 in Byblos. 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 $20.00 versus $43.00 in Byblos. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $932 in Chiang Mai versus $992 in Byblos, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Chiang Mai but tight or insufficient in Byblos. The gap between the two cities makes Chiang Mai the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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, Chiang Mai and Byblos 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 6% less than in Byblos. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.