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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $989 per month in Zgharta vs $947 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,578 per month in Zgharta vs $1,411 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,167 per month in Zgharta vs $1,874 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Zgharta costs about 4% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Zgharta and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Zgharta 28% lower, Chiang Mai 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.10 LBP 1.1M

$2.08 ฿69.2

481.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.9 LBP 5.7M

$19.64 ฿651

225.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.08 LBP 901.9K

$5.65 ฿188

78.41%

Cappuccino

$4.60 LBP 411.6K

$1.81 ฿59.9

154.14%

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

$2.30 LBP 206.1K

$0.71 ฿23.66

223.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.85 LBP 76.1K

$0.32 ฿10.48

165.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.11 LBP 457.2K

$2.24 ฿74.2

128.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.10 LBP 456.1K

$3.63 ฿121

40.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 LBP 168.0K

$1.96 ฿65.0

-4.08%

White Bread (500g)

$0.90 LBP 80.2K

$1.50 ฿49.83

-40.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.15 LBP 192.6K

$1.34 ฿44.32

60.45%

Eggs

$3.47 LBP 310.6K

$2.26 ฿75.1

53.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.30 LBP 1.2M

$16.26 ฿539

-18.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.57 LBP 946.4K

$2.95 ฿98.0

258.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.37 LBP 1.3M

$9.94 ฿330

44.57%

Apples (1kg)

$3.03 LBP 271.4K

$2.57 ฿85.3

17.90%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 LBP 151.9K

$1.06 ฿35.04

60.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 LBP 151.2K

$1.61 ฿53.5

4.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.54 LBP 137.4K

$1.52 ฿50.4

1.32%

Potato (1kg)

$1.35 LBP 120.5K

$1.27 ฿42.14

6.30%

Onion (1kg)

$1.64 LBP 146.8K

$1.07 ฿35.37

53.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.22 LBP 109.3K

$0.72 ฿23.89

69.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.69 LBP 61.4K

$0.51 ฿16.87

35.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.92 LBP 261.2K

$4.19 ฿139

-30.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.12 LBP 906.1K

$17.87 ฿593

-43.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.34 LBP 119.8K

$1.69 ฿56.2

-20.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.56 LBP 229.3K

$2.84 ฿94.1

-9.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.93 ฿30.70

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.9 ฿1,787

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.15 LBP 460.8K

$1.23 ฿40.95

318.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.18 LBP 195.4K

$0.58 ฿19.13

275.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$22.34 LBP 2.0M

$2.42 ฿80.4

823.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 LBP 90.3K

$1.41 ฿46.84

-28.37%

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

$54.5K LBP 4.9B

$21.4K ฿711.3K

153.97%

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

$32.7K LBP 2.9B

$27.3K ฿906.7K

19.46%

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

$227 LBP 20.3M

$63.7 ฿2,112

255.79%

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

$23.76 LBP 2.1M

$12.85 ฿426

84.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.38 LBP 3.3M

$20.22 ฿671

84.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.74 ฿1,285

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.97 ฿132

Cinema Ticket

$9.83 LBP 879.7K

$6.74 ฿223

45.85%

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

$670 LBP 59.9M

$778 ฿25.8K

-13.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K LBP 955.3M

$14.6K ฿484.6K

-26.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.8 LBP 6.2M

$54.3 ฿1,801

26.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.39 LBP 4.3M

$25.45 ฿844

90.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 LBP 12.3M

$94.3 ฿3,129

46.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 LBP 10.8M

$73.4 ฿2,436

64.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.2K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$289 ฿9,596

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$894 ฿29.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$517 ฿17.1K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,955 ฿64.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,477 ฿49.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿20.0K

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 Zgharta: September 1, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $64.0 in Zgharta versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $278 vs $240 – 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

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

Zgharta costs about 4% 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 $1,483 per month in Zgharta and $1,421 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 Zgharta 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 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.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $947, than in Zgharta at $989. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Zgharta it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $947 versus $989 in Zgharta. 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, Zgharta makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.