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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $947 per month in Chiang Mai vs $378 in Zagazig, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,411 per month in Chiang Mai vs $632 in Zagazig, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,874 per month in Chiang Mai vs $885 in Zagazig, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 151% more than Zagazig, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Zagazig are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 31% lower, Zagazig 72% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿68.4

$3.92 E£199

-46.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.64 ฿644

$15.93 E£810

23.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.65 ฿186

$5.57 E£283

1.44%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿59.2

$0.92 E£46.97

96.74%

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

$0.71 ฿23.40

$0.29 E£14.57

144.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ฿10.36

$0.17 E£8.61

88.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.24 ฿73.4

$1.50 E£76.4

49.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ฿119

$2.41 E£123

50.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.96 ฿64.3

$0.72 E£36.57

172.22%

White Bread (500g)

$1.50 ฿49.29

$0.29 E£14.65

417.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 ฿43.84

$0.56 E£28.58

139.29%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿74.3

$1.20 E£60.9

88.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.26 ฿533

$3.83 E£195

324.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.95 ฿96.9

$4.25 E£216

-30.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.94 ฿326

$8.13 E£414

22.26%

Apples (1kg)

$2.57 ฿84.4

$1.34 E£68.1

91.79%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 ฿34.66

$0.77 E£39.13

37.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.61 ฿52.9

$0.41 E£20.80

292.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.86

$0.23 E£11.74

560.87%

Potato (1kg)

$1.27 ฿41.68

$0.42 E£21.44

202.38%

Onion (1kg)

$1.07 ฿34.99

$0.40 E£20.57

167.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.63

$0.10 E£4.85

620.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.69

$0.22 E£11.18

131.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 ฿138

$2.12 E£108

97.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.87 ฿586

$8.11 E£412

120.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 ฿55.6

$1.59 E£81.1

6.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 ฿93.1

$2.15 E£110

32.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.93 ฿30.36

$0.12 E£5.96

675.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.9 ฿1,767

$6.01 E£306

796.17%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.23 ฿40.50

$0.22 E£11.29

459.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿18.92

$0.22 E£10.99

163.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.42 ฿79.5

$1.54 E£78.4

57.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 ฿46.34

$0.39 E£20.07

261.54%

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

$21.4K ฿703.6K

$34.5K E£1.8M

-37.89%

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

$27.3K ฿896.8K

$29.4K E£1.5M

-6.94%

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

$63.7 ฿2,089

$14.88 E£757

327.89%

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

$12.85 ฿422

$5.40 E£275

137.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.22 ฿663

$10.97 E£558

84.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.74 ฿1,271

$10.01 E£509

287.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.97 ฿130

Cinema Ticket

$6.74 ฿221

$1.96 E£99.7

243.88%

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

$778 ฿25.5K

$110 E£5,619

604.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿479.4K

$3,392 E£172.5K

330.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.3 ฿1,781

$19.96 E£1,015

171.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.45 ฿835

$47.12 E£2,397

-45.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.3 ฿3,095

$115 E£5,837

-17.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.4 ฿2,410

$17.36 E£883

323.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$289 ฿9,492

$38.60 E£1,963

649.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$894 ฿29.3K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$517 ฿17.0K

$98.1 E£4,991

426.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,955 ฿64.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,477 ฿48.5K

$294 E£15.0K

401.64%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿19.8K

$163 E£8,310

268.57%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

-44.30%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 31, 2026

Last update for Zagazig: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 269% 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $16.00 in Zagazig. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $240 vs $122 – making Zagazig the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Zagazig: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 151% more than Zagazig, 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 $1,421 per month in Chiang Mai and $567 in Zagazig. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Kindergarten costs $778 per month in Chiang Mai and $110 in Zagazig. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 97% 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.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Zagazig, where all-in costs run around $378, than in Chiang Mai at $947. In Zagazig it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiang Mai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Zagazig costs $378 versus $947 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 Zagazig. 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.