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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $410 in Zawiya, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,351 per month in Chiang Mai vs $688 in Zawiya, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,835 per month in Chiang Mai vs $965 in Zawiya, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 111% more than Zawiya, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Zawiya are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Zawiya 69% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ฿63.6

$2.80 LYD 17.78

-30.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 ฿609

$18.48 LYD 118

0.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 ฿256

$3.63 LYD 23.10

115.43%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.57 LYD 3.61

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.68 LYD 4.30

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.9

$0.49 LYD 3.10

297.96%

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

$0.85 ฿27.80

$0.49 LYD 3.12

73.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.60

$0.12 LYD 0.75

191.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.7

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿56.0

$1.03 LYD 6.55

66.02%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.3

$0.23 LYD 1.46

608.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ฿37.18

$1.24 LYD 7.86

-8.06%

Eggs

$1.93 ฿63.2

$1.23 LYD 7.85

56.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ฿530

$5.02 LYD 31.94

222.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿102

$3.27 LYD 20.81

-4.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿356

$10.09 LYD 64.2

8.03%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ฿90.1

$2.06 LYD 13.11

33.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.56

$1.27 LYD 8.09

-4.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.0

$0.83 LYD 5.25

95.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.9

$0.55 LYD 3.52

189.09%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿45.75

$0.58 LYD 3.66

141.38%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.20

$0.31 LYD 1.97

277.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.62

$0.38 LYD 2.43

73.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.24

$0.17 LYD 1.07

211.76%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$0.75 LYD 4.78

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.70 LYD 4.46

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.64 LYD 4.07

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿153

$1.84 LYD 11.73

154.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿610

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.8

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.28

$0.93 LYD 5.92

-3.23%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

$46.59 LYD 296

-58.77%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.96

$0.96 LYD 6.11

46.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.16

$0.89 LYD 5.67

44.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$2.74 LYD 17.42

186.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.62

$0.03 LYD 0.18

4133.33%

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

$21.3K ฿695.5K

$13.7K LYD 87.4K

54.80%

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

$22.2K ฿726.1K

$16.2K LYD 103.1K

37.07%

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

$69.1 ฿2,258

$32.55 LYD 207

112.20%

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

$14.08 ฿460

$6.52 LYD 41.44

115.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿588

$14.02 LYD 89.2

28.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,342

$20.08 LYD 128

104.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$4.48 LYD 28.49

55.36%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿193

$4.55 LYD 28.93

30.11%

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

$299 ฿9,775

$53.1 LYD 337

463.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿488.8K

$908 LYD 5,772

1547.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,788

$21.60 LYD 137

153.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.77 ฿875

$34.94 LYD 222

-23.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 ฿2,778

$31.97 LYD 203

165.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,308

$36.00 LYD 229

96.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

$107 LYD 679

300.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,759

$69.1 LYD 440

243.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.2K

$201 LYD 1,280

298.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.9K

$136 LYD 863

279.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

$470 LYD 2,988

320.17%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

$38.66 LYD 246

3715.31%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

$260 LYD 1,653

137.58%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Zawiya: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $428 in Chiang Mai versus $107 in Zawiya. 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 138% 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $18.00 in Zawiya. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $246 vs $114 – making Zawiya 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 Zawiya: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 111% more than Zawiya, 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 $1,300 per month in Chiang Mai and $615 in Zawiya. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $299 per month in Chiang Mai and $53.1 in Zawiya. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 116% 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 $866 in Chiang Mai and $410 in Zawiya, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Zawiya costs $410 versus $866 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 Zawiya. 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.