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: $932 in Chiang Mai versus $393 in Bagamoyo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,399 in Chiang Mai versus $655 in Bagamoyo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,866 in Chiang Mai versus $916 in Bagamoyo.

Living in Chiang Mai is roughly 137% more expensive than in Bagamoyo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Chiang Mai 32% lower, Bagamoyo 71% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿69.5

$1.87 TZS 4,920

11.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.61 ฿655

$11.11 TZS 29.2K

76.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.67 ฿189

$8.66 TZS 22.8K

-34.53%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿60.3

$1.89 TZS 4,967

-4.23%

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

$0.77 ฿25.65

$0.33 TZS 867

133.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.53

$0.18 TZS 462

94.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿73.9

$0.94 TZS 2,461

135.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿127

$1.84 TZS 4,839

105.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 ฿68.4

$0.79 TZS 2,087

159.49%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 ฿50.6

$0.58 TZS 1,517

160.34%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 ฿46.69

$0.40 TZS 1,046

250.00%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿75.4

$1.93 TZS 5,067

17.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿540

$9.38 TZS 24.7K

72.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.90 ฿96.7

$4.82 TZS 12.7K

-39.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.42 ฿314

$3.99 TZS 10.5K

136.09%

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 ฿89.4

$2.50 TZS 6,571

7.20%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.37

$0.96 TZS 2,526

13.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.0

$1.00 TZS 2,635

62.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.74

$0.59 TZS 1,555

147.46%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.65

$0.29 TZS 758

341.38%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 ฿35.31

$0.29 TZS 755

265.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.94

$0.89 TZS 2,343

-19.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.56

$0.36 TZS 940

47.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.23 ฿141

$2.32 TZS 6,105

82.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.29 ฿611

$6.86 TZS 18.0K

166.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ฿54.4

$0.83 TZS 2,176

96.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿96.8

$1.53 TZS 4,016

89.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.32

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.8 ฿1,795

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 ฿39.14

$1.63 TZS 4,279

-28.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿19.30

$1.49 TZS 3,908

-61.07%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.39 ฿79.6

$13.44 TZS 35.3K

-82.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.41

$1.36 TZS 3,586

6.62%

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

$21.0K ฿701.4K

$16.9K TZS 44.3M

24.65%

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

$26.4K ฿882.0K

$26.0K TZS 68.2M

1.83%

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

$63.7 ฿2,125

$57.7 TZS 151.8K

10.25%

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

$12.89 ฿430

$4.64 TZS 12.2K

177.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.52 ฿685

$22.61 TZS 59.4K

-9.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.02 ฿1,302

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.92 ฿131

Cinema Ticket

$6.58 ฿220

$4.97 TZS 13.1K

32.39%

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

$784 ฿26.2K

$559 TZS 1.5M

40.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿489.8K

$13.5K TZS 35.6M

8.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 ฿1,840

$14.03 TZS 36.9K

292.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.74 ฿826

$26.66 TZS 70.1K

-7.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.1 ฿3,142

$43.94 TZS 115.5K

114.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.0 ฿2,469

$66.3 TZS 174.2K

11.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.4K

$56.2 TZS 147.7K

772.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$288 ฿9,620

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$891 ฿29.8K

$229 TZS 603.3K

288.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$521 ฿17.4K

$115 TZS 301.1K

354.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,974 ฿65.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,444 ฿48.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿20.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

18.25

-69.48%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 13, 2026

Last update for Bagamoyo: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $490 in Chiang Mai and $56.2 in Bagamoyo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $20.00 in Chiang Mai vs $11.00 in Bagamoyo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $241 vs $143 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 137% 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 $1,398 in Chiang Mai and $589 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: $490 in Chiang Mai versus $56.2 in Bagamoyo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $784 in Chiang Mai versus $559 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $393 in Bagamoyo versus $932 in Chiang Mai, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Bagamoyo but tight or insufficient in Chiang Mai. The gap between the two cities makes Bagamoyo the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Bagamoyo delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $393 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 137% less than in Chiang Mai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.