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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $926 per month in Chiang Mai vs $998 in Zgharta, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,381 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,601 in Zgharta, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,835 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,205 in Zgharta, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 7% cheaper than Zgharta, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and Zgharta are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 31% lower, Zgharta 26% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.10 ฿70.8

$11.79 LBP 1.1M

-82.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.22 ฿647

$68.6 LBP 6.1M

-71.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.47 ฿184

$9.86 LBP 882.9K

-44.52%

Cappuccino

$1.69 ฿56.8

$4.50 LBP 402.8K

-62.44%

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

$0.65 ฿21.78

$2.38 LBP 212.6K

-72.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.36

$0.89 LBP 79.6K

-65.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.32 ฿78.1

$5.07 LBP 453.7K

-54.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.91 ฿132

$4.83 LBP 432.5K

-19.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.07 ฿69.6

$1.92 LBP 171.7K

7.81%

White Bread (500g)

$1.53 ฿51.6

$0.92 LBP 82.1K

66.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.25 ฿42.08

$2.33 LBP 208.5K

-46.35%

Eggs

$2.19 ฿73.8

$3.51 LBP 314.1K

-37.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.94 ฿537

$11.17 LBP 1.0M

42.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.76 ฿93.0

$10.63 LBP 951.3K

-74.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.74 ฿328

$14.96 LBP 1.3M

-34.89%

Apples (1kg)

$2.66 ฿89.4

$3.03 LBP 271.0K

-12.21%

Banana (1kg)

$1.05 ฿35.45

$1.71 LBP 152.7K

-38.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.66 ฿55.8

$1.68 LBP 150.3K

-1.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.48 ฿49.67

$1.49 LBP 133.1K

-0.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.21 ฿40.88

$1.20 LBP 107.3K

0.83%

Onion (1kg)

$1.10 ฿37.09

$1.52 LBP 136.5K

-27.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.76 ฿25.59

$1.21 LBP 108.2K

-37.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 ฿16.72

$0.68 LBP 60.6K

-26.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.38 ฿147

$3.05 LBP 272.8K

43.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.50 ฿589

$11.12 LBP 995.5K

57.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 ฿55.9

$1.28 LBP 114.9K

29.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿93.5

$2.49 LBP 223.1K

11.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 ฿28.99

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.7 ฿1,809

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.22 ฿41.01

$4.87 LBP 435.6K

-74.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 ฿18.87

$2.29 LBP 205.2K

-75.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.34 ฿78.9

$22.84 LBP 2.0M

-89.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.75

$1.03 LBP 92.2K

40.78%

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

$21.1K ฿708.9K

$53.9K LBP 4.8B

-60.92%

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

$26.3K ฿885.5K

$32.4K LBP 2.9B

-18.83%

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

$63.6 ฿2,141

$229 LBP 20.5M

-72.23%

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

$12.56 ฿423

$21.86 LBP 2.0M

-42.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.04 ฿675

$38.56 LBP 3.5M

-48.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.73 ฿1,304

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.80 ฿128

Cinema Ticket

$6.47 ฿218

$9.81 LBP 878.0K

-34.05%

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

$777 ฿26.2K

$693 LBP 62.0M

12.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿490.8K

$10.5K LBP 940.0M

38.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.2 ฿1,859

$68.3 LBP 6.1M

-19.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.77 ฿834

$48.50 LBP 4.3M

-48.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.3 ฿3,040

$136 LBP 12.2M

-33.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.5 ฿2,476

$122 LBP 10.9M

-39.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$466 ฿15.7K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$286 ฿9,635

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$866 ฿29.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$525 ฿17.7K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,978 ฿66.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,461 ฿49.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$581 ฿19.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

-49.36%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 26, 2026

Last update for Zgharta: September 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $69.0 in Zgharta. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $238 vs $276 – making Chiang Mai 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 Zgharta: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Zgharta costs about 8% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,388 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,497 in Zgharta. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai and $69.0 in Zgharta. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 16% more in Zgharta, 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 Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $926, than in Zgharta at $998. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Zgharta it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $926 versus $998 in Zgharta. 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 Chiang Mai. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Zgharta makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.