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: $848 in Chiang Mai versus $1,009 in Byblos.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,331 in Chiang Mai versus $1,609 in Byblos.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,814 in Chiang Mai versus $2,209 in Byblos.

Living in Chiang Mai costs roughly 16% less than in Byblos, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Chiang Mai 36% lower, Byblos 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿63.6

$8.09 LBP 724.1K

-75.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.39 ฿598

$42.13 LBP 3.8M

-56.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.87 ฿256

$8.13 LBP 728.0K

-3.20%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.4

$3.06 LBP 273.6K

-36.27%

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

$0.85 ฿27.57

$0.97 LBP 87.1K

-12.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ฿10.52

$1.01 LBP 90.6K

-68.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿69.6

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.68 ฿120

Milk (1 liter)

$1.66 ฿53.9

$1.21 LBP 108.5K

37.19%

White Bread (500g)

$1.56 ฿50.7

$0.65 LBP 58.6K

140.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.63

$1.61 LBP 143.7K

-26.09%

Eggs

$1.99 ฿64.7

$2.12 LBP 190.2K

-6.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.24 ฿528

$8.90 LBP 796.5K

82.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.17 ฿103

$8.08 LBP 723.3K

-60.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.84 ฿352

$12.04 LBP 1.1M

-9.97%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 ฿86.2

$3.06 LBP 274.3K

-13.40%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿39.67

$1.97 LBP 176.0K

-38.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.65 ฿53.7

$0.97 LBP 86.9K

70.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.55 ฿50.3

$1.97 LBP 175.9K

-21.32%

Potato (1kg)

$1.33 ฿43.17

$0.99 LBP 88.5K

34.34%

Onion (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.43

$0.97 LBP 86.9K

24.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 ฿22.04

$1.03 LBP 92.2K

-33.98%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 ฿18.38

$1.02 LBP 91.6K

-44.12%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.68 ฿152

Wine (Bottle)

$16.99 ฿552

$3.96 LBP 354.2K

329.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.82 ฿59.3

$1.48 LBP 132.6K

22.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 ฿103

$1.98 LBP 177.0K

60.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿29.46

$0.98 LBP 87.6K

-7.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.74 ฿609

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.80

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿43.52

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.14 ฿265

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 ฿41.53

$0.91 LBP 81.1K

40.66%

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

$21.8K ฿709.3K

$22.6K LBP 2.0B

-3.46%

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

$22.4K ฿728.0K

$22.1K LBP 2.0B

1.15%

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

$70.5 ฿2,291

$101 LBP 9.1M

-30.38%

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

$14.05 ฿457

$22.86 LBP 2.0M

-38.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.65 ฿574

$25.15 LBP 2.3M

-29.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.29 ฿1,342

$37.76 LBP 3.4M

9.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.76 ฿220

$18.40 LBP 1.6M

-63.26%

Cinema Ticket

$5.96 ฿194

$10.09 LBP 902.9K

-40.93%

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

$303 ฿9,846

$405 LBP 36.3M

-25.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿486.2K

$3,042 LBP 272.2M

391.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,778

$99.8 LBP 8.9M

-45.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.29 ฿854

$101 LBP 9.0M

-73.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 ฿2,788

$118 LBP 10.5M

-27.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.7 ฿2,265

$153 LBP 13.7M

-54.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿13.9K

$301 LBP 26.9M

42.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿7,769

$223 LBP 20.0M

7.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$811 ฿26.4K

$784 LBP 70.2M

3.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$510 ฿16.6K

$393 LBP 35.2M

29.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,025 ฿65.8K

$1,324 LBP 118.5M

53.00%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,502 ฿48.8K

$845 LBP 75.6M

77.76%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$623 ฿20.2K

$986 LBP 88.2M

-36.83%

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: June 13, 2026

Last update for Byblos: June 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $428 in Chiang Mai and $301 in Byblos. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Byblos pays 58% 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: $18.00 in Chiang Mai vs $42.00 in Byblos. Groceries flip the comparison at $242 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 19% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Byblos earns 58% less. 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: $428 in Chiang Mai versus $301 in Byblos. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $303 in Chiang Mai versus $405 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 $18.00 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 19% less than in Byblos. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.