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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $932 per month in Chiang Mai vs $350 in Zliten, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,399 per month in Chiang Mai vs $539 in Zliten, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $728 in Zliten, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 167% more than Zliten, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Zliten are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 32% lower, Zliten 74% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿69.5

$3.90 LYD 24.72

-46.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.61 ฿655

$12.85 LYD 81.5

52.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.67 ฿189

$2.54 LYD 16.09

123.23%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.45 LYD 2.88

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.61 LYD 3.86

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿60.3

$0.40 LYD 2.55

352.50%

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

$0.77 ฿25.65

$0.41 LYD 2.57

87.80%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.53

$0.11 LYD 0.68

218.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿73.9

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿127

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 ฿68.4

$0.83 LYD 5.25

146.99%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 ฿50.6

$0.20 LYD 1.27

655.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 ฿46.69

$0.81 LYD 5.14

72.84%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿75.4

$1.16 LYD 7.33

94.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿540

$5.07 LYD 32.11

219.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.90 ฿96.7

$2.90 LYD 18.40

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.42 ฿314

$9.34 LYD 59.2

0.86%

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 ฿89.4

$2.29 LYD 14.51

17.03%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.37

$1.51 LYD 9.56

-27.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.0

$0.72 LYD 4.58

125.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.74

$0.57 LYD 3.58

156.14%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.65

$0.71 LYD 4.52

80.28%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 ฿35.31

$0.46 LYD 2.89

130.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.94

$0.43 LYD 2.72

67.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.56

$0.20 LYD 1.24

165.00%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.78 LYD 11.30

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 LYD 6.76

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.80 LYD 5.06

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.23 ฿141

$2.00 LYD 12.67

111.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.29 ฿611

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ฿54.4

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿96.8

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.32

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.8 ฿1,795

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 ฿39.14

$0.78 LYD 4.93

50.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿19.30

$0.49 LYD 3.12

18.37%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.39 ฿79.6

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.41

$0.02 LYD 0.13

7150.00%

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

$21.0K ฿701.4K

$23.7K LYD 150.3K

-11.37%

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

$26.4K ฿882.0K

$14.2K LYD 90.3K

85.44%

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

$63.7 ฿2,125

$95.1 LYD 603

-33.07%

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

$12.89 ฿430

$5.94 LYD 37.64

117.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.52 ฿685

$27.82 LYD 176

-26.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.02 ฿1,302

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.92 ฿131

Cinema Ticket

$6.58 ฿220

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

$784 ฿26.2K

$53.5 LYD 339

1366.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿489.8K

$625 LYD 3,959

2248.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 ฿1,840

$20.76 LYD 132

165.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.74 ฿826

$17.71 LYD 112

39.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.1 ฿3,142

$56.3 LYD 357

67.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.0 ฿2,469

$67.8 LYD 430

9.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.4K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$288 ฿9,620

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$891 ฿29.8K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$521 ฿17.4K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,974 ฿65.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,444 ฿48.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿20.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 13, 2026

Last update for Zliten: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $13.00 in Zliten. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $241 vs $109 – making Zliten 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 Zliten: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 167% more than Zliten, 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 $1,398 per month in Chiang Mai and $525 in Zliten. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Chiang Mai and $13.00 in Zliten. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 121% 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.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Zliten, where all-in costs run around $350, than in Chiang Mai at $932. In Zliten it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiang Mai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Zliten costs $350 versus $932 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 Zliten. 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.