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 $861 per month in Chiang Mai vs $422 in Zawiya, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,350 per month in Chiang Mai vs $694 in Zawiya, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,838 per month in Chiang Mai vs $967 in Zawiya, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 104% more than Zawiya, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Zawiya are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Zawiya 68% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿65.8

$2.73 LYD 17.41

-28.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.35 ฿617

$18.45 LYD 118

-0.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.48 ฿252

$3.75 LYD 23.89

99.47%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.53 LYD 3.40

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.66 LYD 4.23

Cappuccino

$2.02 ฿67.8

$0.48 LYD 3.03

320.83%

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

$0.85 ฿28.50

$0.46 LYD 2.91

84.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.96

$0.11 LYD 0.67

227.27%

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 6.54

60.19%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.7

$0.23 LYD 1.47

582.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿40.02

$1.18 LYD 7.49

0.85%

Eggs

$1.94 ฿65.1

$1.17 LYD 7.48

65.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿544

$4.99 LYD 31.76

224.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.99 ฿101

$3.30 LYD 21.04

-9.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿368

$10.39 LYD 66.2

5.29%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 ฿91.2

$2.06 LYD 13.11

31.55%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿39.25

$1.33 LYD 8.49

-12.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 ฿56.7

$0.75 LYD 4.81

125.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 ฿54.0

$0.53 LYD 3.36

201.89%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.54

$0.62 LYD 3.94

122.58%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.45

$0.33 LYD 2.12

263.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿22.50

$0.38 LYD 2.43

76.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.73

$0.17 LYD 1.10

229.41%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$0.76 LYD 4.83

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.68 LYD 4.31

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 LYD 4.47

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.64 ฿156

$1.85 LYD 11.76

150.81%

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

$0.91 LYD 5.78

-3.30%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ฿650

$46.79 LYD 298

-58.67%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿45.90

$0.90 LYD 5.74

51.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.98

$0.89 LYD 5.66

50.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.21 ฿276

$2.77 LYD 17.62

196.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ฿41.18

$0.03 LYD 0.18

3966.67%

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

$21.4K ฿718.1K

$13.7K LYD 87.2K

55.99%

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

$22.5K ฿757.7K

$16.4K LYD 104.7K

37.09%

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

$70.7 ฿2,376

$32.61 LYD 208

116.71%

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

$14.04 ฿472

$6.29 LYD 40.07

123.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.49 ฿588

$14.17 LYD 90.2

23.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.15 ฿1,417

$20.19 LYD 129

108.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

$4.68 LYD 29.82

47.01%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿199

$4.50 LYD 28.69

31.56%

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

$309 ฿10.4K

$52.3 LYD 333

489.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K ฿500.4K

$908 LYD 5,786

1538.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,875

$21.44 LYD 137

160.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.11 ฿878

$34.92 LYD 222

-25.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.0 ฿2,792

$32.12 LYD 205

158.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 ฿2,369

$36.80 LYD 234

91.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$432 ฿14.5K

$106 LYD 674

308.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿8,035

$69.9 LYD 445

241.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$822 ฿27.7K

$199 LYD 1,268

312.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$512 ฿17.2K

$136 LYD 864

277.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,915 ฿64.4K

$467 LYD 2,975

310.01%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 ฿49.3K

$38.16 LYD 243

3744.65%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$579 ฿19.5K

$253 LYD 1,613

128.87%

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 Zawiya: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $432 in Chiang Mai versus $106 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 129% 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 Zawiya. Groceries tell a different story – $243 in Chiang Mai vs $115 in Zawiya – so Zawiya 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 Zawiya: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 104% 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 $1,292 per month in Chiang Mai and $632 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 $309 per month in Chiang Mai and $52.3 in Zawiya. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 112% 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 $422 in Zawiya, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Zawiya costs $422 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 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.