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 $866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $880 in Zgharta, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,351 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,415 in Zgharta, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,835 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,951 in Zgharta, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 2% cheaper than Zgharta, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and Zgharta are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Zgharta 34% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ฿63.5

$10.86 LBP 972.0K

-82.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 ฿609

$61.0 LBP 5.5M

-69.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 ฿255

$8.18 LBP 731.7K

-4.40%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.8

$3.38 LBP 302.3K

-42.31%

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

$0.85 ฿27.77

$1.63 LBP 146.2K

-47.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.58

$0.93 LBP 83.3K

-62.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.6

$3.58 LBP 320.5K

-40.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

$5.12 LBP 458.3K

-27.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿56.0

$1.76 LBP 157.8K

-2.84%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$0.79 LBP 70.3K

106.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ฿37.15

$1.74 LBP 155.8K

-34.48%

Eggs

$1.93 ฿63.1

$3.23 LBP 288.7K

-40.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ฿530

$11.44 LBP 1.0M

41.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿102

$9.69 LBP 867.3K

-67.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿356

$11.49 LBP 1.0M

-5.13%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ฿90.0

$1.72 LBP 154.4K

59.88%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.52

$1.52 LBP 136.5K

-20.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.0

$1.10 LBP 98.9K

47.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$1.04 LBP 92.9K

52.88%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿45.70

$0.94 LBP 84.0K

48.94%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.17

$0.99 LBP 88.6K

18.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.60

$0.82 LBP 73.3K

-19.51%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.22

$0.52 LBP 46.8K

1.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿153

$2.54 LBP 227.5K

84.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿609

$10.01 LBP 896.2K

86.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.8

$1.23 LBP 110.1K

46.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$2.24 LBP 200.4K

44.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.26

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.91

$4.99 LBP 446.5K

-71.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.12

$1.23 LBP 109.8K

4.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$19.99 LBP 1.8M

-60.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.58

$0.93 LBP 83.3K

36.56%

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

$21.3K ฿694.9K

$34.4K LBP 3.1B

-38.10%

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

$22.2K ฿725.4K

$28.3K LBP 2.5B

-21.50%

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

$69.1 ฿2,256

$213 LBP 19.0M

-67.50%

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

$14.08 ฿460

$37.06 LBP 3.3M

-62.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿588

$37.33 LBP 3.3M

-51.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,341

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿193

$8.02 LBP 718.1K

-26.18%

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

$299 ฿9,766

$303 LBP 27.1M

-1.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿488.3K

$4,430 LBP 396.5M

237.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,787

$71.3 LBP 6.4M

-23.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.77 ฿874

$45.72 LBP 4.1M

-41.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 ฿2,776

$123 LBP 11.0M

-31.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,306

$93.7 LBP 8.4M

-24.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,752

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.16

-55.20%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Last update for Zgharta: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $61.0 in Zgharta. Groceries tell a different story – $246 in Chiang Mai vs $235 in Zgharta – so Zgharta 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 Zgharta: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Zgharta costs about 2% 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 $1,300 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,320 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 $61.0 in Zgharta. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 5% cheaper in Zgharta – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $866 in Chiang Mai and $880 in Zgharta, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $866 versus $880 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.