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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $852 in Chiang Mai versus $435 in Bagamoyo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,360 in Chiang Mai versus $708 in Bagamoyo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,867 in Chiang Mai versus $980 in Bagamoyo.

Living in Chiang Mai is roughly 96% more expensive than in Bagamoyo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Chiang Mai 36% lower, Bagamoyo 67% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.04 ฿68.2

$1.94 TZS 5,105

5.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.71 ฿624

$11.42 TZS 30.0K

63.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.86 ฿262

$7.87 TZS 20.7K

-0.13%

Cappuccino

$2.03 ฿67.7

$1.96 TZS 5,158

3.57%

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

$0.80 ฿26.64

$0.33 TZS 880

142.42%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.68

$0.18 TZS 478

94.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.5

$1.04 TZS 2,746

105.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿122

$1.97 TZS 5,176

86.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 ฿57.6

$0.75 TZS 1,964

130.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.4

$0.78 TZS 2,058

101.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 ฿39.99

$0.38 TZS 996

215.79%

Eggs

$1.97 ฿65.8

$2.08 TZS 5,466

-5.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.23 ฿541

$9.47 TZS 24.9K

71.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.06 ฿102

$5.88 TZS 15.5K

-47.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.80 ฿360

$4.18 TZS 11.0K

158.37%

Apples (1kg)

$2.77 ฿92.3

$2.59 TZS 6,799

6.95%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.94

$1.01 TZS 2,648

15.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 ฿57.0

$1.01 TZS 2,668

69.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿53.2

$0.60 TZS 1,566

165.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.51

$0.30 TZS 786

363.33%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 ฿38.56

$0.30 TZS 778

286.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿22.05

$0.89 TZS 2,340

-25.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.31

$0.37 TZS 981

40.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 ฿155

$2.08 TZS 5,468

123.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.78 ฿593

$6.89 TZS 18.1K

158.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ฿59.6

$0.90 TZS 2,364

98.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 ฿111

$1.61 TZS 4,241

107.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿30.27

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.64 ฿622

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿47.04

$1.47 TZS 3,855

-4.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.70

$1.13 TZS 2,973

18.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.11 ฿270

$13.63 TZS 35.8K

-40.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿41.16

$1.26 TZS 3,321

-2.38%

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

$21.4K ฿715.1K

$17.1K TZS 45.0M

25.30%

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

$21.8K ฿728.0K

$16.9K TZS 44.4M

29.19%

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

$71.3 ฿2,379

$96.1 TZS 252.7K

-25.79%

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

$14.01 ฿467

$4.77 TZS 12.5K

193.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.93 ฿598

$23.10 TZS 60.7K

-22.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.82 ฿1,362

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿230

Cinema Ticket

$5.72 ฿191

$4.77 TZS 12.5K

19.92%

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

$308 ฿10.3K

$252 TZS 661.9K

22.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿489.7K

$19.3K TZS 50.8M

-24.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,860

$26.07 TZS 68.5K

113.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.04 ฿869

$43.11 TZS 113.3K

-39.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 ฿2,829

$45.49 TZS 119.6K

86.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.0 ฿2,368

$41.64 TZS 109.5K

70.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$423 ฿14.1K

$57.7 TZS 151.7K

633.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 ฿8,088

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$797 ฿26.6K

$231 TZS 607.9K

244.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$507 ฿16.9K

$115 TZS 301.9K

341.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,918 ฿64.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,464 ฿48.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

19.67

-74.58%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 27, 2026

Last update for Bagamoyo: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $423 in Chiang Mai and $57.7 in Bagamoyo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $19.00 in Chiang Mai vs $11.00 in Bagamoyo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $244 vs $153 per month, with Bagamoyo cheaper across the board.

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

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

Bagamoyo wins on cost – living expenses run 96% lower than in Chiang Mai. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Bagamoyo the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $1,279 in Chiang Mai and $653 in Bagamoyo 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: $423 in Chiang Mai versus $57.7 in Bagamoyo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $308 in Chiang Mai versus $252 in Bagamoyo. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Bagamoyo – a meal for two runs $11.00 versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Either city works on $800 a month, though Bagamoyo gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

Both work as nomad bases, but Bagamoyo delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $435 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Bagamoyo hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Chiang Mai and Bagamoyo 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 Bagamoyo gentler on the wallet – expenses run 96% less than in Chiang Mai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.