Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Zliten and Chiang Mai

For one person, living is cheaper in Zliten: $361 a month against $935 in Chiang Mai, rent and utilities included – about $6,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Zliten, Libya
Chiang Mai, Thailand
Zliten
🇱🇾 Libya
$361
/mo nomad
Chiang Mai
🇹🇭 Thailand
$935
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $361 per month in Zliten vs $935 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

  • Zliten $361
  • Chiang Mai $935

A couple spends around $549 per month in Zliten vs $1,467 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

  • Zliten $549
  • Chiang Mai $1,467

A family of three spends $738 per month in Zliten vs $1,999 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

  • Zliten $738
  • Chiang Mai $1,999

Zliten is about 61% cheaper than Chiang Mai, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Zliten and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Zliten 73% lower, Chiang Mai 31% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Zliten
Chiang Mai
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.86 LYD 24.67
$2.13 ฿71.4
81.22%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$12.65 LYD 80.8
$18.62 ฿623
-32.06%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$2.61 LYD 16.66
$5.60 ฿187
-53.39%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$0.45 LYD 2.86
-
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.68 LYD 4.31
-
-
Cappuccino
$0.37 LYD 2.37
$1.66 ฿55.6
-77.71%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.40 LYD 2.57
$0.65 ฿21.63
-38.46%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.09 LYD 0.60
$0.30 ฿10.20
-70.00%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
-
$2.32 ฿77.7
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$3.67 ฿123
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Zliten
Chiang Mai
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.75 LYD 4.82
$2.02 ฿67.4
-62.87%
White Bread (500g)
$0.22 LYD 1.41
$1.41 ฿47.08
-84.40%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$0.75 LYD 4.79
$1.39 ฿46.54
-46.04%
Eggs
$1.10 LYD 7.01
$2.37 ฿79.2
-53.59%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$5.36 LYD 34.23
$16.52 ฿552
-67.55%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$2.76 LYD 17.63
$2.67 ฿89.3
3.37%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$9.14 LYD 58.3
$9.02 ฿302
1.33%
Apples (1kg)
$2.30 LYD 14.67
$2.40 ฿80.2
-4.17%
Banana (1kg)
$1.49 LYD 9.48
$1.04 ฿34.82
43.27%
Oranges (1kg)
$0.75 LYD 4.81
$1.66 ฿55.5
-54.82%
Tomato (1kg)
$0.57 LYD 3.64
$1.56 ฿52.1
-63.46%
Potato (1kg)
$0.73 LYD 4.66
$1.24 ฿41.39
-41.13%
Onion (1kg)
$0.49 LYD 3.14
$1.09 ฿36.34
-55.05%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.43 LYD 2.71
$0.76 ฿25.47
-43.42%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.18 LYD 1.13
$0.51 ฿17.19
-64.71%
Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)
$1.82 LYD 11.65
-
-
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.00 LYD 6.40
-
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.83 LYD 5.32
-
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$1.90 LYD 12.14
$4.12 ฿138
-53.88%
Wine (Bottle)
-
$17.93 ฿600
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
-
$1.62 ฿54.3
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$2.82 ฿94.4
-
🚌 Getting Around
Zliten
Chiang Mai
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
-
$0.93 ฿31.25
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$52.9 ฿1,769
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.76 LYD 4.87
$1.18 ฿39.35
-35.59%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.48 LYD 3.07
$0.17 ฿5.73
182.35%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
-
$1.81 ฿60.6
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.02 LYD 0.14
$1.47 ฿49.25
-98.64%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$23.8K LYD 152.2K
$21.0K ฿702.6K
13.43%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$21.5K LYD 137.6K
$26.5K ฿886.7K
-18.74%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Zliten
Chiang Mai
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$95.1 LYD 607
$62.6 ฿2,092
52.03%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$6.07 LYD 38.75
$11.60 ฿388
-47.67%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$27.21 LYD 174
$20.30 ฿679
34.04%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Zliten
Chiang Mai
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
-
$37.88 ฿1,267
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$3.70 ฿124
-
Cinema Ticket
-
$6.51 ฿218
-
🧸 Childcare & Education
Zliten
Chiang Mai
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$53.2 LYD 340
$727 ฿24.3K
-92.68%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$1,542 LYD 9,847
$16.6K ฿554.2K
-90.70%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Zliten
Chiang Mai
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$22.64 LYD 145
$53.5 ฿1,790
-57.71%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$17.54 LYD 112
$24.80 ฿829
-29.27%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$64.2 LYD 410
$90.4 ฿3,023
-29.03%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$65.5 LYD 418
$72.0 ฿2,407
-8.96%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Zliten
Chiang Mai
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
-
$481 ฿16.1K
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
-
$310 ฿10.4K
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
-
$1,058 ฿35.4K
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
-
$659 ฿22.0K
-
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
-
$2,418 ฿80.8K
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
-
$1,609 ฿53.8K
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Zliten
Chiang Mai
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$595 ฿19.9K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
0
5.57
-

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

Last update for Zliten: November 1, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: November 1, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Zliten
–
Chiang Mai
$310
Groceries & Markets
Zliten
–
Chiang Mai
$237
Clothing & Footwear
Zliten
–
Chiang Mai
$108
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Zliten
–
Chiang Mai
$94
Eating Out
Zliten
–
Chiang Mai
$77
Getting Around
Zliten
–
Chiang Mai
$59
Sport & Entertainment
Zliten
–
Chiang Mai
$51

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $13 in Zliten versus $19 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $108 vs $237 – making Zliten the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇱🇾 Zliten
🇹🇭 Chiang Mai
🕒 Local time
14:54 2:54 PM
19:54 7:54 PM
5 h ahead of Zliten
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
240,000
127,240
💱 Currency
Libyan Dinar LYD ل.د
Thai Baht THB ฿
Exchange rates and currency converter

THB, USD, EUR to LYD – Libyan Dinar Converter

Libyan Dinar exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 6.39 LYD (1 LYD = 0.157 USD). 1 EUR = 7.17 LYD (1 LYD = 0.139 EUR).

Thai Baht exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 33.44 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.56 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Zliten Chiang Mai 8,390 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Zliten
  • 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
Zliten vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Zliten or Chiang Mai?
Chiang Mai costs about 159% more than Zliten, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. 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 Zliten and in Chiang Mai?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $541 per month in Zliten and $1,403 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 Zliten and in Chiang Mai?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $13 in Zliten and $19 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 Zliten or in Chiang Mai?
Groceries cost about 120% more in Chiang Mai, though the gap depends on what you buy.
Can you live on $1,200/month in Zliten or in Chiang Mai?
$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $361 in Zliten and $935 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.
Which city offers a better quality of life: Zliten or Chiang Mai?
It depends on your priorities. Chiang Mai has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $361 in Zliten to $935 in Chiang Mai. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Zliten vs other spots: cost of living compared

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