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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $986 per month in Zahlah vs $932 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,607 per month in Zahlah vs $1,399 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,227 per month in Zahlah vs $1,866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Zahlah costs about 6% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Zahlah and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Zahlah 28% lower, Chiang Mai 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.07 LBP 1.1M

$2.08 ฿69.5

480.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.6 LBP 5.7M

$19.61 ฿655

224.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.87 LBP 883.7K

$5.67 ฿189

74.07%

Cappuccino

$4.70 LBP 420.5K

$1.81 ฿60.3

159.67%

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

$2.27 LBP 203.4K

$0.77 ฿25.65

194.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 LBP 74.2K

$0.35 ฿11.53

137.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.01 LBP 448.8K

$2.21 ฿73.9

126.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.14 LBP 459.9K

$3.79 ฿127

35.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.93 LBP 172.7K

$2.05 ฿68.4

-5.85%

White Bread (500g)

$0.87 LBP 78.1K

$1.51 ฿50.6

-42.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.12 LBP 189.3K

$1.40 ฿46.69

51.43%

Eggs

$3.53 LBP 315.8K

$2.26 ฿75.4

56.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.26 LBP 1.2M

$16.19 ฿540

-18.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.47 LBP 937.3K

$2.90 ฿96.7

261.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.33 LBP 1.3M

$9.42 ฿314

52.12%

Apples (1kg)

$2.98 LBP 266.9K

$2.68 ฿89.4

11.19%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 LBP 152.7K

$1.09 ฿36.37

56.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 LBP 151.7K

$1.62 ฿54.0

4.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 LBP 136.0K

$1.46 ฿48.74

4.11%

Potato (1kg)

$1.42 LBP 126.8K

$1.28 ฿42.65

10.94%

Onion (1kg)

$1.69 LBP 150.8K

$1.06 ฿35.31

59.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.16 LBP 103.9K

$0.72 ฿23.94

61.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.69 LBP 61.9K

$0.53 ฿17.56

30.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.09 LBP 276.4K

$4.23 ฿141

-26.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.10 LBP 903.7K

$18.29 ฿611

-44.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.34 LBP 119.7K

$1.63 ฿54.4

-17.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.56 LBP 229.3K

$2.90 ฿96.8

-11.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.32

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.8 ฿1,795

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.08 LBP 454.4K

$1.17 ฿39.14

334.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.26 LBP 202.4K

$0.58 ฿19.30

289.66%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$22.27 LBP 2.0M

$2.39 ฿79.6

831.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.00 LBP 89.4K

$1.45 ฿48.41

-31.03%

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

$53.7K LBP 4.8B

$21.0K ฿701.4K

155.46%

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

$32.6K LBP 2.9B

$26.4K ฿882.0K

23.33%

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

$232 LBP 20.8M

$63.7 ฿2,125

264.89%

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

$23.16 LBP 2.1M

$12.89 ฿430

79.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.07 LBP 3.4M

$20.52 ฿685

85.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.02 ฿1,302

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.92 ฿131

Cinema Ticket

$9.91 LBP 887.0K

$6.58 ฿220

50.61%

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

$688 LBP 61.6M

$784 ฿26.2K

-12.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K LBP 957.1M

$14.7K ฿489.8K

-27.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.3 LBP 6.1M

$55.1 ฿1,840

23.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.59 LBP 4.3M

$24.74 ฿826

96.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 LBP 12.3M

$94.1 ฿3,142

46.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 LBP 10.7M

$74.0 ฿2,469

61.75%

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

97.49%

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

Last update for Zahlah: September 14, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $64.0 in Zahlah versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $278 vs $241 – making Chiang Mai 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

Zahlah vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Zahlah costs about 6% 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 $1,479 per month in Zahlah and $1,398 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $64.0 in Zahlah and $20.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 15% more in Zahlah, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $932, than in Zahlah at $986. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Zahlah it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $932 versus $986 in Zahlah. 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, Zahlah makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.