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

Name: Chiang Mai
Address: Chiang Mai, TH

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $422 per month in Zawiya vs $861 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $694 per month in Zawiya vs $1,350 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $967 per month in Zawiya vs $1,838 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Zawiya is about 51% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Zawiya and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Zawiya 68% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.73 LYD 17.41

$1.96 ฿65.8

39.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.45 LYD 118

$18.35 ฿617

0.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.75 LYD 23.89

$7.48 ฿252

-49.87%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.53 LYD 3.40

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.66 LYD 4.23

Cappuccino

$0.48 LYD 3.03

$2.02 ฿67.8

-76.24%

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

$0.46 LYD 2.91

$0.85 ฿28.50

-45.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.11 LYD 0.67

$0.36 ฿11.96

-69.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.8

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 ฿121

Milk (1 liter)

$1.03 LYD 6.54

$1.65 ฿55.5

-37.58%

White Bread (500g)

$0.23 LYD 1.47

$1.57 ฿52.7

-85.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 LYD 7.49

$1.19 ฿40.02

-0.84%

Eggs

$1.17 LYD 7.48

$1.94 ฿65.1

-39.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.99 LYD 31.76

$16.19 ฿544

-69.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.30 LYD 21.04

$2.99 ฿101

10.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.39 LYD 66.2

$10.94 ฿368

-5.03%

Apples (1kg)

$2.06 LYD 13.11

$2.71 ฿91.2

-23.99%

Banana (1kg)

$1.33 LYD 8.49

$1.17 ฿39.25

13.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.75 LYD 4.81

$1.69 ฿56.7

-55.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.53 LYD 3.36

$1.60 ฿54.0

-66.88%

Potato (1kg)

$0.62 LYD 3.94

$1.38 ฿46.54

-55.07%

Onion (1kg)

$0.33 LYD 2.12

$1.20 ฿40.45

-72.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.38 LYD 2.43

$0.67 ฿22.50

-43.28%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.17 LYD 1.10

$0.56 ฿18.73

-69.64%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$0.76 LYD 4.83

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.68 LYD 4.31

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 LYD 4.47

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.85 LYD 11.76

$4.64 ฿156

-60.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.62 ฿593

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.5

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 ฿111

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 LYD 5.78

$0.88 ฿29.68

3.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.79 LYD 298

$19.34 ฿650

141.93%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.90 LYD 5.74

$1.36 ฿45.90

-33.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.89 LYD 5.66

$1.34 ฿44.98

-33.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.77 LYD 17.62

$8.21 ฿276

-66.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.03 LYD 0.18

$1.22 ฿41.18

-97.54%

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

$13.7K LYD 87.2K

$21.4K ฿718.1K

-35.89%

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

$16.4K LYD 104.7K

$22.5K ฿757.7K

-27.06%

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

$32.61 LYD 208

$70.7 ฿2,376

-53.86%

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

$6.29 LYD 40.07

$14.04 ฿472

-55.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.17 LYD 90.2

$17.49 ฿588

-18.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$20.19 LYD 129

$42.15 ฿1,417

-52.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.68 LYD 29.82

$6.88 ฿231

-31.98%

Cinema Ticket

$4.50 LYD 28.69

$5.92 ฿199

-23.99%

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

$52.3 LYD 333

$309 ฿10.4K

-83.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$908 LYD 5,786

$14.9K ฿500.4K

-93.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$21.44 LYD 137

$55.8 ฿1,875

-61.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.92 LYD 222

$26.11 ฿878

33.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$32.12 LYD 205

$83.0 ฿2,792

-61.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$36.80 LYD 234

$70.5 ฿2,369

-47.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$106 LYD 674

$432 ฿14.5K

-75.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$69.9 LYD 445

$239 ฿8,035

-70.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$199 LYD 1,268

$822 ฿27.7K

-75.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$136 LYD 864

$512 ฿17.2K

-73.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$467 LYD 2,975

$1,915 ฿64.4K

-75.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$38.16 LYD 243

$1,467 ฿49.3K

-97.40%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$253 LYD 1,613

$579 ฿19.5K

-56.31%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

17.5

250.00%

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

Last update for Zawiya: July 12, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $106 in Zawiya versus $432 in Chiang Mai. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 129% higher in Chiang Mai, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $18.00 in Zawiya versus $18.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $115 vs $243 – making Zawiya 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

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

Chiang Mai costs about 104% more than Zawiya, 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 $632 per month in Zawiya and $1,292 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $52.3 per month in Zawiya and $309 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 112% 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.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $422 in Zawiya and $861 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Zawiya costs $422 versus $861 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 Zawiya. 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.