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 $861 per month in Chiang Mai vs $411 in Zagazig, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,350 per month in Chiang Mai vs $657 in Zagazig, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,838 per month in Chiang Mai vs $902 in Zagazig, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 109% more than Zagazig, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Zagazig are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Zagazig 69% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿65.8

$3.99 E£204

-50.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.35 ฿617

$13.07 E£667

40.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.48 ฿252

$3.03 E£155

146.86%

Cappuccino

$2.02 ฿67.8

$0.83 E£42.15

143.37%

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

$0.85 ฿28.50

$0.31 E£15.94

174.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.96

$0.11 E£5.43

227.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.8

$1.35 E£69.2

58.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 ฿121

$2.67 E£136

34.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿55.5

$0.68 E£34.59

142.65%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.7

$0.31 E£16.02

406.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿40.02

$0.58 E£29.49

105.17%

Eggs

$1.94 ฿65.1

$1.40 E£71.5

38.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿544

$3.37 E£172

380.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.99 ฿101

$3.65 E£186

-18.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿368

$7.41 E£379

47.64%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 ฿91.2

$1.16 E£59.5

133.62%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿39.25

$0.41 E£21.07

185.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 ฿56.7

$0.31 E£16.00

445.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 ฿54.0

$0.22 E£11.00

627.27%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.54

$0.39 E£19.82

253.85%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.45

$0.43 E£22.05

179.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿22.50

$0.10 E£5.09

570.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.73

$0.18 E£9.24

211.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.64 ฿156

$1.96 E£99.9

136.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.62 ฿593

$7.91 E£404

122.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.5

$1.24 E£63.1

50.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 ฿111

$1.78 E£90.7

85.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.68

$0.18 E£9.36

388.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ฿650

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿45.90

$0.20 E£10.14

580.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.98

$0.45 E£23.22

197.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.21 ฿276

$0.98 E£49.84

737.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ฿41.18

$0.30 E£15.19

306.67%

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

$21.4K ฿718.1K

$35.5K E£1.8M

-39.78%

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

$22.5K ฿757.7K

$29.9K E£1.5M

-24.53%

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

$70.7 ฿2,376

$16.06 E£820

340.04%

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

$14.04 ฿472

$2.89 E£147

385.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.49 ฿588

$3.89 E£199

349.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.15 ฿1,417

$22.65 E£1,156

86.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿199

$3.51 E£179

68.66%

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

$309 ฿10.4K

$93.4 E£4,768

230.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K ฿500.4K

$1,998 E£102.0K

644.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,875

$20.07 E£1,024

177.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.11 ฿878

$45.04 E£2,299

-42.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.0 ฿2,792

$107 E£5,466

-22.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 ฿2,369

$17.99 E£918

291.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$432 ฿14.5K

$193 E£9,849

123.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿8,035

$97.8 E£4,990

144.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$822 ฿27.7K

$305 E£15.6K

169.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$512 ฿17.2K

$175 E£8,927

192.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,915 ฿64.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 ฿49.3K

$301 E£15.3K

388.19%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$579 ฿19.5K

$160 E£8,148

262.99%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

16.67

-70.01%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Last update for Zagazig: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $432 in Chiang Mai versus $193 in Zagazig. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 263% 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 $13.00 in Zagazig. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $243 vs $109 – 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 109% 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 $1,292 per month in Chiang Mai and $617 in Zagazig. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Zagazig, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $18.00 in Chiang Mai and $13.00 in Zagazig. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 123% 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 $411 in Zagazig, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Zagazig costs $411 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 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.