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: $852 in Chiang Mai versus $1,005 in Byblos.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,360 in Chiang Mai versus $1,614 in Byblos.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,867 in Chiang Mai versus $2,223 in Byblos.

Living in Chiang Mai costs roughly 15% less than in Byblos, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Chiang Mai 36% lower, Byblos 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.04 ฿68.2

$7.89 LBP 705.7K

-74.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.71 ฿624

$42.19 LBP 3.8M

-55.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.86 ฿262

$7.93 LBP 710.1K

-0.88%

Cappuccino

$2.03 ฿67.7

$2.91 LBP 260.6K

-30.24%

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

$0.80 ฿26.64

$0.98 LBP 87.5K

-18.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.68

$1.01 LBP 90.7K

-65.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.5

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿122

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 ฿57.6

$1.20 LBP 107.2K

44.17%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.4

$0.62 LBP 55.8K

153.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 ฿39.99

$1.56 LBP 139.6K

-23.08%

Eggs

$1.97 ฿65.8

$2.08 LBP 186.4K

-5.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.23 ฿541

$8.98 LBP 804.0K

80.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.06 ฿102

$8.07 LBP 722.6K

-62.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.80 ฿360

$12.06 LBP 1.1M

-10.45%

Apples (1kg)

$2.77 ฿92.3

$3.05 LBP 272.6K

-9.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.94

$2.06 LBP 184.3K

-43.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 ฿57.0

$0.98 LBP 87.6K

74.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿53.2

$1.98 LBP 177.6K

-19.70%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.51

$0.99 LBP 88.3K

40.40%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 ฿38.56

$1.02 LBP 91.5K

13.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿22.05

$1.02 LBP 91.1K

-35.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.31

$1.02 LBP 91.0K

-49.02%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 ฿155

Wine (Bottle)

$17.78 ฿593

$3.97 LBP 355.3K

347.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ฿59.6

$1.50 LBP 134.1K

19.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 ฿111

$1.97 LBP 176.1K

69.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿30.27

$1.03 LBP 91.9K

-11.65%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.64 ฿622

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿47.04

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.70

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.11 ฿270

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿41.16

$0.96 LBP 85.6K

28.13%

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

$21.4K ฿715.1K

$22.2K LBP 2.0B

-3.47%

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

$21.8K ฿728.0K

$22.8K LBP 2.0B

-4.39%

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

$71.3 ฿2,379

$102 LBP 9.1M

-30.06%

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

$14.01 ฿467

$22.14 LBP 2.0M

-36.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.93 ฿598

$25.21 LBP 2.3M

-28.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.82 ฿1,362

$37.89 LBP 3.4M

7.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿230

$18.49 LBP 1.7M

-62.79%

Cinema Ticket

$5.72 ฿191

$9.90 LBP 886.0K

-42.22%

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

$308 ฿10.3K

$393 LBP 35.2M

-21.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿489.7K

$3,036 LBP 271.7M

383.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,860

$100 LBP 9.0M

-44.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.04 ฿869

$98.3 LBP 8.8M

-73.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 ฿2,829

$121 LBP 10.8M

-29.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.0 ฿2,368

$152 LBP 13.6M

-53.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$423 ฿14.1K

$298 LBP 26.7M

42.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 ฿8,088

$227 LBP 20.3M

6.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$797 ฿26.6K

$804 LBP 71.9M

-0.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$507 ฿16.9K

$396 LBP 35.4M

28.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,918 ฿64.0K

$1,346 LBP 120.5M

42.50%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,464 ฿48.8K

$826 LBP 73.9M

77.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

$988 LBP 88.4M

-39.77%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

-37.50%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 27, 2026

Last update for Byblos: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $423 in Chiang Mai and $298 in Byblos. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Byblos pays 66% 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: $19.00 in Chiang Mai vs $42.00 in Byblos. Groceries flip the comparison at $244 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 18% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 66% 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: $423 in Chiang Mai versus $298 in Byblos. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $308 in Chiang Mai versus $393 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 $19.00 versus $42.00 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, 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 18% less than in Byblos. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.