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 $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $321 in Zliten, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,360 per month in Chiang Mai vs $516 in Zliten, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,867 per month in Chiang Mai vs $712 in Zliten, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 166% more than Zliten, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Zliten are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Zliten 76% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.04 ฿68.2

$3.01 LYD 19.18

-32.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.71 ฿624

$14.61 LYD 93.2

28.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.86 ฿262

$2.41 LYD 15.38

226.14%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.53 LYD 3.36

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 LYD 4.61

Cappuccino

$2.03 ฿67.7

$0.42 LYD 2.66

383.33%

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

$0.80 ฿26.64

$0.45 LYD 2.85

77.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.68

$0.11 LYD 0.69

218.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.5

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿122

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 ฿57.6

$0.86 LYD 5.46

101.16%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.4

$0.21 LYD 1.33

647.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 ฿39.99

$0.86 LYD 5.47

39.53%

Eggs

$1.97 ฿65.8

$1.24 LYD 7.87

58.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.23 ฿541

$4.42 LYD 28.17

267.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.06 ฿102

$2.85 LYD 18.15

7.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.80 ฿360

$10.19 LYD 65.0

5.99%

Apples (1kg)

$2.77 ฿92.3

$1.08 LYD 6.91

156.48%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.94

$1.20 LYD 7.68

-2.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 ฿57.0

$0.63 LYD 4.00

171.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿53.2

$0.56 LYD 3.59

183.93%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.51

$0.70 LYD 4.45

98.57%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 ฿38.56

$0.51 LYD 3.24

127.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿22.05

$0.33 LYD 2.13

100.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.31

$0.20 LYD 1.27

160.00%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.21 LYD 7.74

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 LYD 4.23

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.44 LYD 2.80

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 ฿155

$1.84 LYD 11.75

152.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.78 ฿593

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ฿59.6

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 ฿111

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿30.27

$0.18 LYD 1.17

405.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.64 ฿622

$8.22 LYD 52.4

126.76%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿47.04

$0.88 LYD 5.63

60.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.70

$0.89 LYD 5.65

50.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.11 ฿270

$3.68 LYD 23.46

120.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿41.16

$0.03 LYD 0.20

4000.00%

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

$21.4K ฿715.1K

$14.0K LYD 89.1K

53.33%

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

$21.8K ฿728.0K

$15.8K LYD 100.8K

38.01%

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

$71.3 ฿2,379

$18.66 LYD 119

282.26%

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

$14.01 ฿467

$5.35 LYD 34.08

161.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.93 ฿598

$22.61 LYD 144

-20.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.82 ฿1,362

$16.32 LYD 104

150.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿230

Cinema Ticket

$5.72 ฿191

$4.48 LYD 28.54

27.68%

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

$308 ฿10.3K

$36.57 LYD 233

743.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿489.7K

$645 LYD 4,109

2177.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,860

$11.06 LYD 70.5

404.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.04 ฿869

$11.81 LYD 75.3

120.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 ฿2,829

$42.03 LYD 268

101.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.0 ฿2,368

$22.22 LYD 142

219.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$423 ฿14.1K

$73.4 LYD 468

476.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 ฿8,088

$51.0 LYD 325

375.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$797 ฿26.6K

$194 LYD 1,236

311.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$507 ฿16.9K

$90.9 LYD 580

457.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,918 ฿64.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,464 ฿48.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.5

-60.00%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 27, 2026

Last update for Zliten: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $423 in Chiang Mai versus $73.4 in Zliten. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $15.00 in Zliten. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $244 vs $102 – 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 166% 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 $1,279 per month in Chiang Mai and $481 in Zliten. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Zliten, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $308 per month in Chiang Mai and $36.57 in Zliten. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 140% 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.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $852 in Chiang Mai and $321 in Zliten, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Zliten costs $321 versus $852 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.