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 $861 per month in Chiang Mai vs $894 in Zgharta, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,350 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,430 in Zgharta, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,838 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,965 in Zgharta, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 4% cheaper than Zgharta, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and Zgharta are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Zgharta 33% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿65.9

$10.89 LBP 974.8K

-82.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.35 ฿617

$58.9 LBP 5.3M

-68.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.48 ฿252

$7.93 LBP 709.8K

-5.67%

Cappuccino

$2.02 ฿67.8

$3.26 LBP 292.2K

-38.04%

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

$0.85 ฿28.52

$1.65 LBP 147.6K

-48.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.97

$0.88 LBP 78.6K

-59.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.9

$3.46 LBP 309.6K

-38.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 ฿121

$5.05 LBP 452.4K

-28.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿55.5

$1.78 LBP 159.3K

-7.30%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.7

$0.86 LBP 76.7K

82.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿40.05

$1.82 LBP 162.9K

-34.62%

Eggs

$1.94 ฿65.1

$3.08 LBP 276.0K

-37.01%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿545

$11.27 LBP 1.0M

43.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.99 ฿101

$9.54 LBP 853.5K

-68.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿368

$11.25 LBP 1.0M

-2.76%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 ฿91.2

$1.82 LBP 162.6K

48.90%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿39.27

$1.48 LBP 132.4K

-20.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 ฿56.8

$1.15 LBP 103.0K

46.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 ฿54.0

$1.10 LBP 98.1K

45.45%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.56

$0.95 LBP 84.8K

45.26%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.47

$1.00 LBP 89.6K

20.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿22.51

$0.88 LBP 78.9K

-23.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.74

$0.53 LBP 47.1K

5.66%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.64 ฿156

$2.46 LBP 220.2K

88.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.62 ฿593

$10.07 LBP 901.1K

74.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.6

$1.25 LBP 111.7K

48.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 ฿111

$2.12 LBP 189.8K

55.66%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.70

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ฿651

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿45.92

$4.95 LBP 442.9K

-72.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿45.00

$1.28 LBP 114.6K

4.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.21 ฿276

$20.13 LBP 1.8M

-59.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ฿41.20

$0.95 LBP 84.6K

28.42%

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

$21.4K ฿718.5K

$34.7K LBP 3.1B

-38.49%

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

$22.5K ฿758.1K

$27.8K LBP 2.5B

-18.94%

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

$70.7 ฿2,378

$212 LBP 19.0M

-66.65%

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

$14.04 ฿472

$38.20 LBP 3.4M

-63.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.49 ฿589

$37.60 LBP 3.4M

-53.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.15 ฿1,418

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿199

$8.19 LBP 733.1K

-27.72%

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

$309 ฿10.4K

$308 LBP 27.5M

0.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K ฿500.7K

$4,370 LBP 391.1M

240.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,876

$70.8 LBP 6.3M

-21.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.11 ฿879

$45.84 LBP 4.1M

-43.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.0 ฿2,793

$125 LBP 11.1M

-33.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 ฿2,371

$93.3 LBP 8.4M

-24.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$432 ฿14.5K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿8,040

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$822 ฿27.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$512 ฿17.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,915 ฿64.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 ฿49.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$579 ฿19.5K

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Zgharta: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $18.00 in Chiang Mai versus $59.0 in Zgharta. Groceries tell a different story – $243 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 4% 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 $1,292 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,342 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 $18.00 in Chiang Mai and $59.0 in Zgharta. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 4% 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 $861 in Chiang Mai and $894 in Zgharta, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $861 versus $894 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.