Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Derna

For one person, living is cheaper in Derna: $173 a month against $936 in Chiang Mai, rent and utilities included – about $9,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai Living Index

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Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$936

/mo nomad

Derna

🇱🇾 Libya

$173

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chiang Mai and in Derna

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Chiang Mai and in Derna actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $936 per month in Chiang Mai vs $173 in Derna, rent included.

Chiang Mai $936
Derna $173

A couple spends around $1,457 per month in Chiang Mai vs $335 in Derna, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,457
Derna $335

A family of three spends $1,979 per month in Chiang Mai vs $497 in Derna, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,979
Derna $497

Chiang Mai costs about 441% more than Derna, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chiang Mai and Derna are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 31% lower, Derna 87% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.24 ฿75.6

$3.79 LYD 24.33

-40.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.00 ฿641

$7.79 LYD 49.95

143.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.55 ฿187

$3.14 LYD 20.12

76.75%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.46 LYD 2.93

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.59 LYD 3.80

Cappuccino

$1.67 ฿56.5

$0.49 LYD 3.13

240.82%

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

$0.64 ฿21.55

$0.32 LYD 2.08

100.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.31

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.36 ฿79.6

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿124

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 ฿65.8

$0.73 LYD 4.66

167.12%

White Bread (500g)

$1.44 ฿48.48

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 ฿45.04

$2.38 LYD 15.29

-44.12%

Eggs

$2.28 ฿77.1

$0.90 LYD 5.76

153.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.45 ฿555

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.78 ฿93.9

$3.18 LYD 20.41

-12.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.31 ฿314

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 ฿79.4

Banana (1kg)

$0.97 ฿32.80

$0.80 LYD 5.13

21.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.60 ฿53.9

$0.91 LYD 5.87

75.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.6

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿43.12

Onion (1kg)

$1.10 ฿37.19

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 ฿23.82

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.37

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.14 ฿140

Wine (Bottle)

$17.52 ฿591

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.61 ฿54.5

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿94.0

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.87 ฿29.31

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.1 ฿1,826

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.16 ฿39.06

$0.74 LYD 4.75

56.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ฿17.80

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.42 ฿81.8

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.90

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

$21.1K ฿710.7K

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

$26.9K ฿909.3K

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

$62.2 ฿2,098

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

$12.17 ฿411

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.12 ฿679

$13.96 LYD 89.6

44.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.31 ฿1,259

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.77 ฿127

Cinema Ticket

$6.49 ฿219

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

$736 ฿24.8K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿498.3K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.4 ฿1,801

$31.77 LYD 204

67.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.64 ฿831

$38.45 LYD 247

-35.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.5 ฿3,087

$38.87 LYD 249

135.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.9 ฿2,428

$38.67 LYD 248

86.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.3K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$309 ฿10.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 ฿33.9K

$156 LYD 1,000

545.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$633 ฿21.4K

$91.9 LYD 590

589.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,363 ฿79.8K

$195 LYD 1,250

1112.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,589 ฿53.6K

$76.7 LYD 492

1971.75%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$590 ฿19.9K

$168 LYD 1,078

250.84%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 26, 2026

Last update for Derna: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$309 33%

Derna

–

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$234 25.1%

Derna

–

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$109 11.6%

Derna

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$94 10.1%

Derna

–

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$78 8.3%

Derna

–

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$61 6.6%

Derna

–

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$50 5.4%

Derna

–

Cost Breakdown

Salaries in Chiang Mai are about 3.5 times higher, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19 in Chiang Mai versus $8 in Derna. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $234 vs $45 – making Derna the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇱🇾 Derna

🕒 Local time

12:01 12:01 PM

07:01 7:01 AM

5 h behind Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

50,000

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Libyan Dinar LYD ل.د

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.96 USD

100 THB = 2.65 EUR

1 LYD = 0.156 USD

1 LYD = 0.14 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

LYD, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

Thai Baht exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 33.75 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.68 THB (100 THB = 2.65 EUR).

Libyan Dinar exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 6.41 LYD (1 LYD = 0.156 USD). 1 EUR = 7.16 LYD (1 LYD = 0.14 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Chiang Mai Derna 7,650 km ≈ 10 h nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
Derna

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Derna: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 441% more than Derna, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,403 per month in Chiang Mai and $259 in Derna. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $936 in Chiang Mai and $173 in Derna. That makes Derna about 82% cheaper.

Groceries cost about 424% more in Chiang Mai, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A $800 monthly budget goes further in Derna, where all-in costs run around $173, than in Chiang Mai at $936. In Derna it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiang Mai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Chiang Mai has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $173 in Derna to $936 in Chiang Mai. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Derna. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chiang Mai makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.