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 $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $539 in Eldoret, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,354 per month in Chiang Mai vs $940 in Eldoret, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,857 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,340 in Eldoret, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 58% more than Eldoret, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Eldoret are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Eldoret 60% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿64.0

$5.54 KES 715

-64.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.81 ฿615

$38.10 KES 4,917

-50.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.92 ฿259

$6.95 KES 898

13.96%

Cappuccino

$1.91 ฿62.6

$2.44 KES 315

-21.72%

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

$0.84 ฿27.41

$0.74 KES 95.7

13.51%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.51

$0.54 KES 69.5

-35.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$2.27 KES 293

-2.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 ฿124

$2.85 KES 368

33.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$0.70 KES 90.4

134.29%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 ฿53.1

$0.48 KES 61.8

237.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.62

$1.24 KES 160

-4.84%

Eggs

$2.01 ฿65.8

$1.64 KES 212

22.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.89 ฿520

$3.97 KES 512

300.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.01 ฿98.5

$3.64 KES 470

-17.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.77 ฿352

$4.17 KES 538

158.27%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 ฿85.5

$3.15 KES 407

-17.14%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿39.88

$0.89 KES 114

37.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.7

$1.64 KES 211

3.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 ฿51.5

$1.04 KES 135

51.92%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 ฿43.14

$0.56 KES 72.4

135.71%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.23

$0.89 KES 115

31.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿21.98

$0.65 KES 84.2

3.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.32

$0.64 KES 82.3

-12.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.53 ฿148

$3.17 KES 409

42.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.20 ฿595

$5.94 KES 766

206.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿60.0

$1.69 KES 218

8.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$1.57 KES 203

105.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ฿29.00

$1.37 KES 177

-35.04%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.38 ฿634

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.35 ฿44.20

$1.58 KES 203

-14.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 ฿44.05

$1.52 KES 196

-11.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.25 ฿270

$2.95 KES 381

179.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.64

$1.53 KES 198

-16.99%

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

$21.2K ฿691.8K

$21.6K KES 2.8M

-2.13%

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

$22.5K ฿735.3K

$19.9K KES 2.6M

12.83%

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

$70.2 ฿2,294

$33.93 KES 4,380

106.75%

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

$13.77 ฿450

$16.66 KES 2,150

-17.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.60 ฿575

$38.81 KES 5,009

-54.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.57 ฿1,360

$38.19 KES 4,929

8.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.60 ฿216

Cinema Ticket

$5.78 ฿189

$5.15 KES 664

12.23%

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

$306 ฿10.0K

$65.5 KES 8,450

367.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿484.8K

$8,025 KES 1.0M

84.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.4 ฿1,778

$11.66 KES 1,504

366.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.14 ฿855

$23.97 KES 3,094

9.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.5 ฿2,764

$19.57 KES 2,526

331.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.4 ฿2,270

$34.63 KES 4,469

100.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$424 ฿13.9K

$91.6 KES 11.8K

362.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$238 ฿7,788

$90.6 KES 11.7K

163.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$825 ฿27.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$268 KES 34.6K

91.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,049 ฿67.0K

$627 KES 80.9K

226.83%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,523 ฿49.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$635 ฿20.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

-58.33%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 27, 2026

Last update for Eldoret: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $424 in Chiang Mai versus $91.6 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $38.00 in Eldoret. Groceries tell a different story – $243 in Chiang Mai vs $136 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 58% 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 $1,278 per month in Chiang Mai and $809 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai and $38.00 in Eldoret. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 79% 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.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $852 in Chiang Mai and $539 in Eldoret, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Eldoret costs $539 versus $852 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.