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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $950 per month in Chiang Mai vs $508 in Eldoret, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,430 per month in Chiang Mai vs $860 in Eldoret, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,909 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,211 in Eldoret, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 87% more than Eldoret, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Eldoret are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 31% lower, Eldoret 63% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.10 ฿69.3

$1.49 KES 193

40.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.84 ฿656

$34.33 KES 4,439

-42.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.79 ฿191

$6.24 KES 807

-7.21%

Cappuccino

$1.83 ฿60.4

$2.75 KES 355

-33.45%

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

$0.78 ฿25.61

$0.32 KES 41.80

143.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.37

$0.41 KES 52.7

-24.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.34 ฿77.2

$2.27 KES 293

3.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.70 ฿122

$2.63 KES 341

40.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.03 ฿67.1

$0.67 KES 87.0

202.99%

White Bread (500g)

$1.60 ฿52.7

$0.49 KES 63.7

226.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.42 ฿46.75

$1.54 KES 199

-7.79%

Eggs

$2.18 ฿71.9

$1.50 KES 194

45.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.91 ฿526

$3.93 KES 508

304.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.07 ฿102

$4.38 KES 566

-29.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.87 ฿326

$4.23 KES 548

133.33%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 ฿86.8

$2.37 KES 306

10.97%

Banana (1kg)

$1.10 ฿36.19

$1.05 KES 135

4.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.63 ฿53.8

$0.67 KES 86.3

143.28%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿50.6

$0.89 KES 115

71.91%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 ฿41.13

$0.52 KES 67.3

138.46%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 ฿37.37

$0.44 KES 56.8

156.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 ฿24.38

$0.73 KES 94.0

1.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 ฿16.48

$0.67 KES 86.5

-25.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.28 ฿141

$3.39 KES 438

26.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.97 ฿594

$5.82 KES 753

208.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 ฿56.1

$2.01 KES 259

-15.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿95.7

$1.58 KES 204

83.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.94 ฿31.13

$1.35 KES 175

-30.37%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.3 ฿1,827

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.23 ฿40.76

$1.51 KES 196

-18.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ฿17.66

$1.51 KES 195

-64.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.40 ฿79.3

$2.96 KES 383

-18.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 ฿47.55

$1.54 KES 199

-6.49%

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

$21.2K ฿700.2K

$20.2K KES 2.6M

5.11%

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

$27.3K ฿902.1K

$19.9K KES 2.6M

37.39%

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

$64.9 ฿2,145

$40.54 KES 5,242

60.16%

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

$13.35 ฿441

$14.93 KES 1,930

-10.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.83 ฿688

$35.28 KES 4,561

-40.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.42 ฿1,336

$38.18 KES 4,936

5.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.95 ฿131

Cinema Ticket

$6.71 ฿222

$5.12 KES 662

31.05%

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

$787 ฿26.0K

$64.0 KES 8,273

1130.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.1K ฿499.6K

$11.4K KES 1.5M

32.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.2 ฿1,858

$11.55 KES 1,493

386.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.95 ฿824

$25.53 KES 3,301

-2.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.7 ฿3,063

$19.36 KES 2,503

378.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.1 ฿2,482

$34.11 KES 4,410

120.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$484 ฿16.0K

$91.8 KES 11.9K

427.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$287 ฿9,491

$87.7 KES 11.3K

227.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$910 ฿30.1K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$531 ฿17.5K

$267 KES 34.6K

98.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,980 ฿65.4K

$610 KES 78.8K

224.81%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,451 ฿47.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$605 ฿20.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

14.71

-62.13%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 7, 2026

Last update for Eldoret: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $484 in Chiang Mai versus $91.8 in Eldoret. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $34.00 in Eldoret. Groceries tell a different story – $242 in Chiang Mai vs $134 in Eldoret – so Eldoret wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Eldoret: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 87% more than Eldoret, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,426 per month in Chiang Mai and $762 in Eldoret. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Eldoret, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Chiang Mai and $34.00 in Eldoret. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 81% more in Chiang Mai, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Eldoret, where all-in costs run around $508, than in Chiang Mai at $950. In Eldoret it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiang Mai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Eldoret costs $508 versus $950 in Chiang Mai. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Eldoret. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chiang Mai makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.