Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Zgharta and Chiang Mai

For one person, living is cheaper in Chiang Mai: $938 a month against $1,002 in Zgharta, rent and utilities included – about $770 less a year. The total is higher in Zgharta despite lower rent and utilities.

Zgharta
🇱🇧 Lebanon
$1,002
/mo nomad
Chiang Mai
🇹🇭 Thailand
$938
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Zgharta 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 Zgharta and in Chiang Mai actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,002 per month in Zgharta vs $938 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

  • Zgharta $1,002
  • Chiang Mai $938

A couple spends around $1,605 per month in Zgharta vs $1,426 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

  • Zgharta $1,605
  • Chiang Mai $1,426

A family of three spends $2,208 per month in Zgharta vs $1,914 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

  • Zgharta $2,208
  • Chiang Mai $1,914

Zgharta costs about 7% more than Chiang Mai, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Zgharta and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Zgharta 26% lower, Chiang Mai 30% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Zgharta
Chiang Mai
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.76 LBP 1.1M
$2.26 ฿75.4
420.35%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$69.5 LBP 6.2M
$19.18 ฿641
262.15%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.90 LBP 885.6K
$5.59 ฿187
77.10%
Cappuccino
$4.66 LBP 417.0K
$1.72 ฿57.6
170.93%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.31 LBP 206.7K
$0.64 ฿21.54
260.94%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.91 LBP 81.2K
$0.33 ฿11.18
175.76%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.09 LBP 456.0K
$2.36 ฿78.7
115.68%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.64 LBP 415.4K
$3.90 ฿130
18.97%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Zgharta
Chiang Mai
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.00 LBP 179.3K
$2.05 ฿68.6
-2.44%
White Bread (500g)
$0.91 LBP 81.1K
$1.40 ฿46.70
-35.00%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.26 LBP 202.2K
$1.28 ฿42.89
76.56%
Eggs
$3.60 LBP 322.5K
$2.25 ฿75.3
60.00%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.20 LBP 1.0M
$16.94 ฿566
-33.88%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.47 LBP 937.4K
$2.74 ฿91.6
282.12%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$14.77 LBP 1.3M
$9.36 ฿313
57.80%
Apples (1kg)
$3.09 LBP 276.2K
$2.40 ฿80.3
28.75%
Banana (1kg)
$1.71 LBP 152.9K
$1.01 ฿33.92
69.31%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.63 LBP 145.5K
$1.61 ฿53.9
1.24%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.46 LBP 130.8K
$1.52 ฿50.7
-3.95%
Potato (1kg)
$1.20 LBP 107.6K
$1.28 ฿42.90
-6.25%
Onion (1kg)
$1.62 LBP 144.6K
$1.11 ฿37.22
45.95%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.16 LBP 103.9K
$0.72 ฿24.09
61.11%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.71 LBP 63.7K
$0.52 ฿17.54
36.54%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.92 LBP 261.4K
$4.33 ฿145
-32.56%
Wine (Bottle)
$11.16 LBP 998.9K
$17.73 ฿593
-37.06%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.28 LBP 114.2K
$1.63 ฿54.4
-21.47%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.57 LBP 230.1K
$2.85 ฿95.3
-9.82%
🚌 Getting Around
Zgharta
Chiang Mai
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
-
$0.85 ฿28.31
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$53.9 ฿1,801
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.89 LBP 437.8K
$1.17 ฿39.18
317.95%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.27 LBP 202.8K
$0.57 ฿19.00
298.25%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$22.53 LBP 2.0M
$2.37 ฿79.2
850.63%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.04 LBP 93.3K
$1.45 ฿48.32
-28.28%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$54.0K LBP 4.8B
$20.5K ฿684.3K
163.50%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.7K LBP 2.9B
$26.5K ฿886.1K
23.18%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Zgharta
Chiang Mai
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$234 LBP 20.9M
$62.3 ฿2,083
275.52%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.49 LBP 2.0M
$12.27 ฿410
83.29%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$37.90 LBP 3.4M
$19.97 ฿668
89.78%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Zgharta
Chiang Mai
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
-
$37.91 ฿1,267
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$3.76 ฿126
-
Cinema Ticket
$9.86 LBP 882.2K
$6.71 ฿224
46.94%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Zgharta
Chiang Mai
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$679 LBP 60.8M
$797 ฿26.6K
-14.84%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$10.5K LBP 937.2M
$14.8K ฿495.7K
-29.40%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Zgharta
Chiang Mai
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$66.6 LBP 6.0M
$53.3 ฿1,780
25.03%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$49.64 LBP 4.4M
$25.05 ฿837
98.16%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$138 LBP 12.4M
$91.6 ฿3,062
50.73%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$119 LBP 10.6M
$73.5 ฿2,455
61.37%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Zgharta
Chiang Mai
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
-
$464 ฿15.5K
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
-
$305 ฿10.2K
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
-
$915 ฿30.6K
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
-
$552 ฿18.5K
-
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
-
$1,912 ฿63.9K
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
-
$1,438 ฿48.1K
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Zgharta
Chiang Mai
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$595 ฿19.9K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11
5.57
97.49%

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

Last update for Zgharta: October 11, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Zgharta
$294
Chiang Mai
$95 67.9% $200
Groceries & Markets
Zgharta
$276
Chiang Mai
$238 13.8% $38
Eating Out
Zgharta
$227
Chiang Mai
$79 65.2% $148
Clothing & Footwear
Zgharta
$168
Chiang Mai
$110 34.7% $58
Sport & Entertainment
Zgharta
$20 *
Chiang Mai
$51 161% $32
Getting Around
Zgharta
$16 *
Chiang Mai
$61 278% $45
Accommodation & Living
Zgharta
- *
Chiang Mai
$305

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $69.0 in Zgharta versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $276 vs $238 – making Chiang Mai the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇱🇧 Zgharta
🇹🇭 Chiang Mai
🕒 Local time
03:16 3:16 AM
07:16 7:16 AM
4 h ahead of Zgharta
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
127,240
💱 Currency
Thai Baht THB ฿
Exchange rates and currency converter

THB, USD, EUR to LBP – Lebanese Pound Converter

Lebanese Pound exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 89,500 LBP (100,000 LBP = 1.12 USD). 1 EUR = 100,618 LBP (1,000,000 LBP = 9.94 EUR).

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 33.42 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.57 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Zgharta Chiang Mai 6,410 km ≈ 9 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Zgharta
  • 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
Zgharta vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Zgharta or Chiang Mai?
Zgharta costs about 7% more than Chiang Mai, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from eating out. 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 Zgharta and in Chiang Mai?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,503 per month in Zgharta and $1,408 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do dining costs compare in Zgharta and in Chiang Mai?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $69.0 in Zgharta and $19.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Are groceries more expensive in Zgharta or in Chiang Mai?
Groceries cost about 16% more in Zgharta, 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 $1,000/month in Zgharta or in Chiang Mai?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $938, than in Zgharta at $1,002. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Zgharta it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Zgharta or Chiang Mai?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $938 versus $1,002 in Zgharta. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.
How safe is Zgharta compared to Chiang Mai?
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.
Should I move to Zgharta or to Chiang Mai?
If budget matters most, go with Chiang Mai. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Zgharta makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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