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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $861 per month in Chiang Mai vs $550 in Zhlobin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,350 per month in Chiang Mai vs $906 in Zhlobin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,838 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,262 in Zhlobin, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 57% more than Zhlobin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Zhlobin are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Zhlobin 59% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿66.0

$9.21 BYN 26.42

-78.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.35 ฿618

$30.72 BYN 88.2

-40.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.48 ฿252

$5.55 BYN 15.94

34.77%

Cappuccino

$2.02 ฿68.0

$1.75 BYN 5.04

15.43%

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

$0.85 ฿28.57

$0.65 BYN 1.85

30.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.99

$0.46 BYN 1.31

-21.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿72.0

$1.22 BYN 3.50

75.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 ฿121

$2.17 BYN 6.21

65.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿55.6

$0.79 BYN 2.28

108.86%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.8

$0.57 BYN 1.63

175.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿40.12

$1.21 BYN 3.48

-1.65%

Eggs

$1.94 ฿65.2

$1.36 BYN 3.91

42.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿546

$6.37 BYN 18.29

154.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.99 ฿101

$4.24 BYN 12.16

-29.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿369

$7.92 BYN 22.74

38.13%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 ฿91.4

$1.13 BYN 3.24

139.82%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿39.34

$1.71 BYN 4.92

-31.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 ฿56.9

$1.82 BYN 5.23

-7.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 ฿54.1

$2.50 BYN 7.19

-36.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.65

$0.43 BYN 1.24

220.93%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.54

$0.57 BYN 1.64

110.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿22.55

$1.32 BYN 3.80

-49.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.77

$0.59 BYN 1.68

-5.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.64 ฿156

$1.88 BYN 5.39

146.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.62 ฿594

$8.95 BYN 25.70

96.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.7

$1.00 BYN 2.86

86.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 ฿111

$1.77 BYN 5.07

86.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.75

$0.28 BYN 0.80

214.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ฿652

$12.82 BYN 36.79

50.86%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿46.01

$1.36 BYN 3.91

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿45.08

$0.32 BYN 0.93

318.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.21 ฿277

$5.80 BYN 16.63

41.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ฿41.28

$0.78 BYN 2.23

56.41%

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

$21.4K ฿719.8K

$19.6K BYN 56.4K

8.75%

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

$22.5K ฿759.5K

$24.4K BYN 69.9K

-7.52%

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

$70.7 ฿2,382

$53.3 BYN 153

32.61%

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

$14.04 ฿473

$7.73 BYN 22.17

81.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.49 ฿590

$10.46 BYN 30.01

67.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.15 ฿1,421

$30.60 BYN 87.8

37.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿232

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿200

$4.58 BYN 13.15

29.26%

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

$309 ฿10.4K

$304 BYN 873

1.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K ฿501.5K

$10.1K BYN 29.0K

47.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,880

$51.8 BYN 149

7.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.11 ฿880

$41.88 BYN 120

-37.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.0 ฿2,798

$116 BYN 332

-28.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 ฿2,375

$98.1 BYN 281

-28.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$432 ฿14.6K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿8,054

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$822 ฿27.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$512 ฿17.3K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,915 ฿64.5K

$1,005 BYN 2,883

90.57%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 ฿49.5K

$890 BYN 2,556

64.76%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$579 ฿19.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

14.77

-66.15%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Last update for Zhlobin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $18.00 in Chiang Mai versus $31.00 in Zhlobin. Groceries tell a different story – $243 in Chiang Mai vs $165 in Zhlobin – so Zhlobin 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 Zhlobin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 57% more than Zhlobin, 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 $824 in Zhlobin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Kindergarten costs $309 per month in Chiang Mai and $304 in Zhlobin. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 48% 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 $550 in Zhlobin, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Zhlobin costs $550 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 Zhlobin. 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.