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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $861 per month in Chiang Mai vs $329 in Sabratha, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,350 per month in Chiang Mai vs $545 in Sabratha, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,838 per month in Chiang Mai vs $761 in Sabratha, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 162% more than Sabratha, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Sabratha are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Sabratha 75% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿65.8

$4.72 LYD 30.09

-58.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.35 ฿617

$18.23 LYD 116

0.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.48 ฿252

$3.62 LYD 23.09

106.63%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.56 LYD 3.60

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.66 LYD 4.23

Cappuccino

$2.02 ฿67.8

$0.52 LYD 3.30

288.46%

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

$0.85 ฿28.50

$0.49 LYD 3.13

73.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.96

$0.10 LYD 0.62

260.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.8

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 ฿121

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿55.5

$1.03 LYD 6.57

60.19%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.7

$0.23 LYD 1.47

582.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿40.02

$1.19 LYD 7.60

Eggs

$1.94 ฿65.1

$1.44 LYD 9.19

34.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿544

$4.97 LYD 31.66

225.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.99 ฿101

$3.28 LYD 20.90

-8.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿368

$10.12 LYD 64.5

8.10%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 ฿91.2

$2.21 LYD 14.05

22.62%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿39.25

$1.34 LYD 8.55

-12.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 ฿56.7

$0.75 LYD 4.79

125.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 ฿54.0

$0.52 LYD 3.32

207.69%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.54

$0.68 LYD 4.35

102.94%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.45

$0.53 LYD 3.37

126.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿22.50

$0.39 LYD 2.48

71.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.73

$0.22 LYD 1.40

154.55%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.23 LYD 7.86

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 LYD 4.56

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.66 LYD 4.20

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.64 ฿156

$1.88 LYD 11.97

146.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.62 ฿593

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.5

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 ฿111

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.68

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ฿650

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿45.90

$0.94 LYD 6.01

44.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.98

$0.89 LYD 5.66

50.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.21 ฿276

$4.48 LYD 28.53

83.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ฿41.18

$0.03 LYD 0.17

3966.67%

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

$21.4K ฿718.1K

$14.0K LYD 89.2K

52.55%

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

$22.5K ฿757.7K

$16.2K LYD 103.3K

38.91%

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

$70.7 ฿2,376

$31.71 LYD 202

122.86%

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

$14.04 ฿472

$7.99 LYD 50.9

75.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.49 ฿588

$23.19 LYD 148

-24.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.15 ฿1,417

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿199

$4.50 LYD 28.67

31.56%

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

$309 ฿10.4K

$53.2 LYD 339

479.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K ฿500.4K

$913 LYD 5,813

1530.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,875

$21.31 LYD 136

161.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.11 ฿878

$35.64 LYD 227

-26.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.0 ฿2,792

$50.9 LYD 324

63.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 ฿2,369

$56.8 LYD 362

24.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$432 ฿14.5K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿8,035

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$822 ฿27.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$512 ฿17.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,915 ฿64.4K

$282 LYD 1,794

579.91%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 ฿49.3K

$190 LYD 1,210

672.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$579 ฿19.5K

$189 LYD 1,202

206.92%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Sabratha: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 207% higher in Chiang Mai, 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 $18.00 in Chiang Mai versus $18.00 in Sabratha. Groceries tell a different story – $243 in Chiang Mai vs $117 in Sabratha – so Sabratha wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Sabratha: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 162% more than Sabratha, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,292 per month in Chiang Mai and $493 in Sabratha. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 108% 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.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $861 in Chiang Mai and $329 in Sabratha, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Sabratha costs $329 versus $861 in Chiang Mai. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Sabratha. 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.