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 $1,069 per month in Zahlah vs $852 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,668 per month in Zahlah vs $1,354 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,266 per month in Zahlah vs $1,857 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Zahlah costs about 25% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Zahlah and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Zahlah 20% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.84 LBP 969.9K

$1.96 ฿63.6

453.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.4 LBP 5.4M

$18.81 ฿611

221.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.95 LBP 712.0K

$7.92 ฿258

0.38%

Cappuccino

$3.26 LBP 292.1K

$1.91 ฿62.2

70.68%

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

$1.59 LBP 142.1K

$0.84 ฿27.25

89.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.86 LBP 77.2K

$0.35 ฿11.44

145.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.55 LBP 317.6K

$2.21 ฿71.7

60.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 LBP 182.1K

$3.80 ฿124

-46.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.01 LBP 90.5K

$1.64 ฿53.2

-38.41%

White Bread (500g)

$0.84 LBP 75.4K

$1.62 ฿52.8

-48.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.78 LBP 159.3K

$1.18 ฿38.40

50.85%

Eggs

$3.22 LBP 288.3K

$2.01 ฿65.4

60.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.51 LBP 1.0M

$15.89 ฿517

-27.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.73 LBP 870.6K

$3.01 ฿98.0

223.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.35 LBP 1.0M

$10.77 ฿350

5.39%

Apples (1kg)

$1.81 LBP 162.1K

$2.61 ฿85.0

-30.65%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 LBP 135.6K

$1.22 ฿39.65

23.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.09 LBP 98.0K

$1.70 ฿55.4

-35.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.04 LBP 93.4K

$1.58 ฿51.2

-34.18%

Potato (1kg)

$0.95 LBP 85.5K

$1.32 ฿42.89

-28.03%

Onion (1kg)

$1.01 LBP 90.1K

$1.17 ฿38.01

-13.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.81 LBP 72.7K

$0.67 ฿21.85

20.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 LBP 46.4K

$0.56 ฿18.21

-7.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.57 LBP 230.2K

$4.53 ฿147

-43.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.20 LBP 1.0M

$18.20 ฿592

-38.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 LBP 110.9K

$1.83 ฿59.6

-32.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.12 LBP 189.7K

$3.23 ฿105

-34.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ฿28.83

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.38 ฿630

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.03 LBP 450.1K

$1.35 ฿43.95

272.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.22 LBP 108.9K

$1.35 ฿43.79

-9.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.02 LBP 1.8M

$8.25 ฿268

142.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 LBP 83.7K

$1.27 ฿41.40

-25.98%

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

$34.8K LBP 3.1B

$21.2K ฿687.8K

64.39%

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

$27.5K LBP 2.5B

$22.5K ฿731.0K

22.20%

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

$217 LBP 19.4M

$70.2 ฿2,281

208.94%

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

$37.65 LBP 3.4M

$13.77 ฿448

173.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.82 LBP 3.4M

$17.60 ฿572

114.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.57 ฿1,352

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.60 ฿215

Cinema Ticket

$8.08 LBP 723.4K

$5.78 ฿188

39.79%

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

$296 LBP 26.5M

$306 ฿9,953

-3.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,467 LBP 399.8M

$14.8K ฿482.0K

-69.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.7 LBP 6.3M

$54.4 ฿1,768

30.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.79 LBP 4.0M

$26.14 ฿850

71.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$125 LBP 11.2M

$84.5 ฿2,748

47.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.8 LBP 8.3M

$69.4 ฿2,257

33.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$424 ฿13.8K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$199 LBP 17.8M

$238 ฿7,743

-16.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$825 ฿26.8K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$401 LBP 35.9M

$515 ฿16.7K

-22.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,049 ฿66.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,523 ฿49.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$635 ฿20.6K

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: April 25, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $60.0 in Zahlah versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $231 in Zahlah vs $243 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 25% 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 $1,604 per month in Zahlah and $1,278 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 $60.0 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 5% 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 $1,069 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 $1,069 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.