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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $256 in Bungoma versus $848 in Chiang Mai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $372 in Bungoma versus $1,331 in Chiang Mai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $488 in Bungoma versus $1,814 in Chiang Mai.

Living in Bungoma costs roughly 70% less than in Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bungoma 81% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿63.6

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.39 ฿598

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.87 ฿256

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.4

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

$0.85 ฿27.57

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ฿10.52

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.58 KES 204

$2.14 ฿69.6

-26.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 KES 225

$3.68 ฿120

-52.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.99 KES 128

$1.66 ฿53.9

-40.36%

White Bread (500g)

$0.48 KES 62.5

$1.56 ฿50.7

-69.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.35 KES 175

$1.19 ฿38.63

13.45%

Eggs

$1.29 KES 166

$1.99 ฿64.7

-35.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.24 ฿528

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.17 ฿103

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.76 KES 486

$10.84 ฿352

-65.31%

Apples (1kg)

$3.03 KES 393

$2.65 ฿86.2

14.34%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿39.67

Oranges (1kg)

$1.65 ฿53.7

Tomato (1kg)

$1.55 ฿50.3

Potato (1kg)

$1.33 ฿43.17

Onion (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.43

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 ฿22.04

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 KES 146

$0.57 ฿18.38

98.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.68 ฿152

Wine (Bottle)

$16.99 ฿552

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.51 KES 196

$1.82 ฿59.3

-17.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 KES 226

$3.18 ฿103

-45.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿29.46

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.74 ฿609

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.80

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.57 KES 203

$1.34 ฿43.52

17.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.74 KES 95.5

$8.14 ฿265

-90.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 KES 178

$1.28 ฿41.53

7.03%

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

$21.8K ฿709.3K

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

$22.4K ฿728.0K

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

$70.5 ฿2,291

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

$14.05 ฿457

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.36 KES 3,799

$17.65 ฿574

66.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.29 ฿1,342

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.09 KES 2,470

$6.76 ฿220

182.40%

Cinema Ticket

$3.89 KES 503

$5.96 ฿194

-34.73%

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

$62.4 KES 8,077

$303 ฿9,846

-79.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿486.2K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$11.81 KES 1,529

$54.7 ฿1,778

-78.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.29 ฿854

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$38.26 KES 4,950

$85.8 ฿2,788

-55.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$19.64 KES 2,542

$69.7 ฿2,265

-71.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$116 KES 15.0K

$428 ฿13.9K

-72.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$91.8 KES 11.9K

$239 ฿7,769

-61.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$266 KES 34.4K

$811 ฿26.4K

-67.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$147 KES 19.1K

$510 ฿16.6K

-71.07%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,025 ฿65.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,502 ฿48.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$623 ฿20.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

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

Last update for Bungoma: June 15, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $116 in Bungoma and $428 in Chiang Mai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

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

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

Bungoma is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Eating Out, Getting Around. The 232% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $383 in Bungoma and $1,272 in Chiang Mai to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $116 in Bungoma versus $428 in Chiang Mai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 218% higher in Chiang Mai. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Childcare runs $62.4 in Bungoma versus $303 in Chiang Mai. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Bungoma gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

For families, Bungoma is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Chiang Mai, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Bungoma and Chiang Mai are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Bungoma gentler on the wallet – expenses run 232% less than in Chiang Mai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.