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 $1,095 per month in Zahlah vs $852 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,704 per month in Zahlah vs $1,360 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,313 per month in Zahlah vs $1,867 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Zahlah costs about 28% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Zahlah and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Zahlah 18% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.02 LBP 986.1K

$2.04 ฿68.2

440.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$58.9 LBP 5.3M

$18.71 ฿624

214.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 LBP 700.0K

$7.86 ฿262

-0.51%

Cappuccino

$3.29 LBP 294.3K

$2.03 ฿67.7

62.07%

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

$1.63 LBP 145.8K

$0.80 ฿26.64

103.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.87 LBP 78.0K

$0.35 ฿11.68

148.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.57 LBP 319.3K

$2.14 ฿71.5

66.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.02 LBP 181.0K

$3.67 ฿122

-44.96%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.01 LBP 90.5K

$1.73 ฿57.6

-41.62%

White Bread (500g)

$0.84 LBP 75.3K

$1.57 ฿52.4

-46.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.82 LBP 162.9K

$1.20 ฿39.99

51.67%

Eggs

$3.06 LBP 274.1K

$1.97 ฿65.8

55.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.24 LBP 1.0M

$16.23 ฿541

-30.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.51 LBP 851.2K

$3.06 ฿102

210.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.55 LBP 1.0M

$10.80 ฿360

6.94%

Apples (1kg)

$1.72 LBP 154.1K

$2.77 ฿92.3

-37.91%

Banana (1kg)

$1.47 LBP 131.2K

$1.17 ฿38.94

25.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.13 LBP 101.2K

$1.71 ฿57.0

-33.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.04 LBP 92.9K

$1.59 ฿53.2

-34.59%

Potato (1kg)

$0.99 LBP 88.9K

$1.39 ฿46.51

-28.78%

Onion (1kg)

$1.01 LBP 90.0K

$1.16 ฿38.56

-12.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.81 LBP 72.3K

$0.66 ฿22.05

22.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 LBP 49.9K

$0.52 ฿17.31

7.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.57 LBP 229.9K

$4.65 ฿155

-44.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.91 LBP 887.3K

$17.78 ฿593

-44.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.27 LBP 113.9K

$1.79 ฿59.6

-29.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 LBP 198.9K

$3.34 ฿111

-33.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿30.27

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.64 ฿622

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.09 LBP 455.2K

$1.41 ฿47.04

260.99%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.22 LBP 109.6K

$1.34 ฿44.70

-8.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.97 LBP 1.8M

$8.11 ฿270

146.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.88 LBP 79.2K

$1.23 ฿41.16

-28.46%

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

$34.7K LBP 3.1B

$21.4K ฿715.1K

61.84%

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

$27.9K LBP 2.5B

$21.8K ฿728.0K

27.89%

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

$217 LBP 19.4M

$71.3 ฿2,379

203.52%

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

$36.97 LBP 3.3M

$14.01 ฿467

163.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.82 LBP 3.3M

$17.93 ฿598

105.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.82 ฿1,362

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿230

Cinema Ticket

$8.17 LBP 731.0K

$5.72 ฿191

42.83%

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

$300 LBP 26.9M

$308 ฿10.3K

-2.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,530 LBP 405.4M

$14.7K ฿489.7K

-69.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$69.9 LBP 6.3M

$55.8 ฿1,860

25.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.20 LBP 4.0M

$26.04 ฿869

73.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$121 LBP 10.8M

$84.8 ฿2,829

42.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.0 LBP 8.5M

$71.0 ฿2,368

33.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$423 ฿14.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$201 LBP 17.9M

$242 ฿8,088

-17.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$797 ฿26.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$393 LBP 35.2M

$507 ฿16.9K

-22.38%

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 %)

11.16

123.20%

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

Last update for Zahlah: July 25, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $59.0 in Zahlah versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $227 in Zahlah vs $244 in Chiang Mai – so Zahlah 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

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

Zahlah costs about 28% 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 $1,642 per month in Zahlah and $1,279 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 $59.0 in Zahlah and $19.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 8% cheaper in Zahlah – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $1,095 in Zahlah and $852 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $852 versus $1,095 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.