Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Bungoma and Chiang Mai

For one person, living is cheaper in Bungoma: $144 a month against $936 in Chiang Mai, rent and utilities included – about $9,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

45

Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
Learn more

Chiang Mai Living Index

Jump to prices

Bungoma

🇰🇪 Kenya

$144

/mo nomad

Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$936

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $144 in Bungoma versus $936 in Chiang Mai.

Bungoma $144
Chiang Mai $936

Estimated couple costs with rent: $290 in Bungoma versus $1,457 in Chiang Mai.

Bungoma $290
Chiang Mai $1,457

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $436 in Bungoma versus $1,979 in Chiang Mai.

Bungoma $436
Chiang Mai $1,979

Living in Bungoma costs roughly 85% less than in Chiang Mai, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bungoma 89% lower, Chiang Mai 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.24 ฿75.6

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.00 ฿641

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.55 ฿187

Cappuccino

$5.49 KES 712

$1.67 ฿56.5

228.74%

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

$0.64 ฿21.53

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.30

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.57 KES 204

$2.36 ฿79.5

-33.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.68 KES 218

$3.66 ฿124

-54.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 ฿65.7

White Bread (500g)

$1.44 ฿48.45

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 ฿45.01

Eggs

$1.24 KES 161

$2.28 ฿77.0

-45.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.45 ฿555

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.78 ฿93.8

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.31 ฿314

Apples (1kg)

$3.17 KES 411

$2.35 ฿79.4

34.89%

Banana (1kg)

$0.97 KES 125

$0.97 ฿32.78

Oranges (1kg)

$1.60 ฿53.9

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.6

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿43.10

Onion (1kg)

$1.10 ฿37.17

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 ฿23.81

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.36

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.14 ฿140

Wine (Bottle)

$17.52 ฿591

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.57 KES 204

$1.61 ฿54.5

-2.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.68 KES 218

$2.78 ฿93.9

-39.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.87 ฿29.29

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.1 ฿1,825

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.16 ฿39.03

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ฿17.79

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.42 ฿81.7

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.40 KES 182

$1.45 ฿48.87

-3.45%

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

$21.1K ฿710.3K

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

$26.9K ฿908.7K

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

$62.2 ฿2,097

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

$12.17 ฿410

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.15 KES 3,783

$20.12 ฿679

44.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.31 ฿1,259

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.77 ฿127

Cinema Ticket

$6.49 ฿219

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

$736 ฿24.8K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿498.0K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.4 ฿1,800

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.64 ฿831

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.5 ฿3,086

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.9 ฿2,426

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.3K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$309 ฿10.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 ฿33.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$169 KES 21.9K

$633 ฿21.4K

-73.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,363 ฿79.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,589 ฿53.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$590 ฿19.9K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

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

Last update for Bungoma: October 25, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Bungoma

–

Chiang Mai

$309 33%

Groceries & Markets

Bungoma

–

Chiang Mai

$234 25.1%

Clothing & Footwear

Bungoma

–

Chiang Mai

$109 11.6%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Bungoma

–

Chiang Mai

$94 10.1%

Eating Out

Bungoma

–

Chiang Mai

$78 8.3%

Getting Around

Bungoma

–

Chiang Mai

$61 6.6%

Sport & Entertainment

Bungoma

–

Chiang Mai

$50 5.4%

Good to know

🇰🇪 Bungoma

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🕒 Local time

18:07 6:07 PM

22:07 10:07 PM

4 h ahead of Bungoma

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

60,000

127,240

💱 Currency

Kenyan Shilling KES Sh

Thai Baht THB ฿

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 KES = 7.7 USD

1,000 KES = 6.9 EUR

100 THB = 2.96 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

THB, USD, EUR to KES – Kenyan Shilling Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇰🇪 Kenyan Shilling (Sh)

Kenyan Shilling exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 130 KES (1,000 KES = 7.7 USD). 1 EUR = 145 KES (1,000 KES = 6.9 EUR).

Thai Baht exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 33.73 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.64 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

USD to KES in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Bungoma Chiang Mai 7,300 km ≈ 10 h nonstop flight

From you

Bungoma
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

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

Bungoma is about 85% cheaper overall, especially in groceries and utilities. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You’d need roughly $216 in Bungoma and $1,403 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.

Supermarket bills run roughly 520% higher in Chiang Mai. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you’ll spend $144 per month in Bungoma versus $936 in Chiang Mai – Bungoma is about 85% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Bungoma and Chiang Mai are both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.