Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Zagazig and Chiang Mai

For one person, living is cheaper in Zagazig: $359 a month against $925 in Chiang Mai, rent and utilities included – about $6,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Zagazig, Egypt
Chiang Mai, Thailand
Zagazig
🇪🇬 Egypt
$359
/mo nomad
Chiang Mai
🇹🇭 Thailand
$925
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Zagazig and in Chiang Mai

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Zagazig and in Chiang Mai actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $359 per month in Zagazig vs $925 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

  • Zagazig $359
  • Chiang Mai $925

A couple spends around $599 per month in Zagazig vs $1,414 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

  • Zagazig $599
  • Chiang Mai $1,414

A family of three spends $838 per month in Zagazig vs $1,903 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

  • Zagazig $838
  • Chiang Mai $1,903

Zagazig is about 61% cheaper than Chiang Mai, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Zagazig and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Zagazig 73% lower, Chiang Mai 32% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Zagazig
Chiang Mai
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.65 E£203
$2.29 ฿77.2
59.39%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$14.80 E£825
$19.64 ฿663
-24.64%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$4.96 E£277
$5.61 ฿189
-11.59%
Cappuccino
$0.93 E£51.6
$1.66 ฿56.1
-43.98%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.27 E£14.98
$0.70 ฿23.61
-61.43%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.14 E£7.87
$0.31 ฿10.33
-54.84%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.46 E£81.4
$2.41 ฿81.1
-39.42%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.21 E£123
$3.71 ฿125
-40.43%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Zagazig
Chiang Mai
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.75 E£41.57
$1.95 ฿65.9
-61.54%
White Bread (500g)
$0.29 E£16.18
$1.41 ฿47.47
-79.43%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$0.59 E£32.78
$1.31 ฿44.03
-54.96%
Eggs
$1.17 E£65.2
$2.18 ฿73.6
-46.33%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$3.77 E£210
$16.65 ฿562
-77.36%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.96 E£221
$2.76 ฿93.0
43.48%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$7.58 E£423
$9.11 ฿307
-16.79%
Apples (1kg)
$1.33 E£74.4
$2.39 ฿80.7
-44.35%
Banana (1kg)
$0.73 E£40.66
$1.03 ฿34.58
-29.13%
Oranges (1kg)
$0.38 E£21.36
$1.63 ฿54.9
-76.69%
Tomato (1kg)
$0.23 E£12.60
$1.50 ฿50.5
-84.67%
Potato (1kg)
$0.38 E£21.19
$1.29 ฿43.53
-70.54%
Onion (1kg)
$0.35 E£19.62
$1.11 ฿37.37
-68.47%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.08 E£4.30
$0.72 ฿24.30
-88.89%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.23 E£12.85
$0.53 ฿17.76
-56.60%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$1.94 E£108
$4.31 ฿145
-54.99%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.51 E£419
$17.95 ฿605
-58.16%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.55 E£86.4
$1.58 ฿53.4
-1.90%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.03 E£113
$2.84 ฿95.9
-28.52%
🚌 Getting Around
Zagazig
Chiang Mai
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.11 E£6.11
$0.86 ฿29.13
-87.21%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$5.41 E£302
$53.3 ฿1,797
-89.85%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.21 E£11.97
$1.21 ฿40.66
-82.64%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.18 E£9.87
$0.57 ฿19.16
-68.42%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$1.45 E£80.9
$2.35 ฿79.4
-38.30%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.41 E£22.83
$1.44 ฿48.40
-71.53%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$33.7K E£1.9M
$20.7K ฿699.2K
62.43%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.7K E£1.4M
$26.8K ฿904.0K
-4.12%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Zagazig
Chiang Mai
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$14.13 E£788
$62.3 ฿2,102
-77.33%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$4.84 E£270
$12.11 ฿408
-60.03%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$10.27 E£573
$19.94 ฿673
-48.50%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Zagazig
Chiang Mai
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$9.84 E£549
$37.07 ฿1,250
-73.46%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$3.78 ฿127
-
Cinema Ticket
$1.89 E£106
$6.50 ฿219
-70.92%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Zagazig
Chiang Mai
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$118 E£6,561
$793 ฿26.7K
-85.16%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$3,513 E£195.9K
$14.8K ฿499.5K
-76.27%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Zagazig
Chiang Mai
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$18.90 E£1,054
$53.7 ฿1,813
-64.83%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$48.48 E£2,704
$24.62 ฿831
96.91%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$111 E£6,198
$90.9 ฿3,064
22.32%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$16.86 E£940
$71.1 ฿2,400
-76.30%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Zagazig
Chiang Mai
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
-
$455 ฿15.4K
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$36.54 E£2,038
$298 ฿10.0K
-87.73%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
-
$908 ฿30.6K
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$93.5 E£5,213
$554 ฿18.7K
-83.12%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
-
$1,931 ฿65.1K
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$283 E£15.8K
$1,445 ฿48.7K
-80.41%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Zagazig
Chiang Mai
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$153 E£8,526
$591 ฿19.9K
-74.13%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
10
5.57
79.53%

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

Last update for Zagazig: October 18, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 17, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Groceries & Markets
Zagazig
$117
Chiang Mai
$235 102% $119
Clothing & Footwear
Zagazig
$88
Chiang Mai
$108 23% $20
Eating Out
Zagazig
$69
Chiang Mai
$79 14.7% $10
Accommodation & Living
Zagazig
$37
Chiang Mai
$298 715% $261
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Zagazig
$29
Chiang Mai
$94 223% $65
Sport & Entertainment
Zagazig
$14
Chiang Mai
$50 268% $36
Getting Around
Zagazig
$7
Chiang Mai
$61 775% $54

Cost Breakdown

Salaries in Chiang Mai are about 3.9 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $15 in Zagazig versus $20 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $117 vs $235 – making Zagazig the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇪🇬 Zagazig
🇹🇭 Chiang Mai
🕒 Local time
09:17 9:17 AM
13:17 1:17 PM
4 h ahead of Zagazig
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
285,097
127,240
💱 Currency
Thai Baht THB ฿
Exchange rates and currency converter

THB, USD, EUR to EGP – Egyptian Pound Converter

Egyptian Pound exchange rates as of October 26, 2026: 1 USD = 55.77 EGP (100 EGP = 1.79 USD). 1 EUR = 62.57 EGP (100 EGP = 1.6 EUR).

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 26, 2026: 1 USD = 33.73 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.84 THB (100 THB = 2.64 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Zagazig Chiang Mai 6,850 km ≈ 9 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Zagazig
  • Chiang Mai

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Zagazig vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Zagazig or Chiang Mai?
Chiang Mai costs about 157% more than Zagazig, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Zagazig and in Chiang Mai?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $539 per month in Zagazig and $1,388 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do childcare costs compare in Zagazig and in Chiang Mai?
Kindergarten costs $118 per month in Zagazig and $793 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Are groceries more expensive in Zagazig or in Chiang Mai?
Groceries cost about 102% 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.
Can you live on $800/month in Zagazig or in Chiang Mai?
A $800 monthly budget goes further in Zagazig, where all-in costs run around $359, than in Chiang Mai at $925. In Zagazig it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiang Mai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city offers a better quality of life: Zagazig or Chiang Mai?
It depends on your priorities. Chiang Mai has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $359 in Zagazig to $925 in Chiang Mai. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Should I move to Zagazig or to Chiang Mai?
If budget matters most, go with Zagazig. 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.

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