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 $848 per month in Chiang Mai vs $533 in Eldoret, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,331 per month in Chiang Mai vs $927 in Eldoret, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,814 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,320 in Eldoret, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 59% 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 ฿64.1

$5.49 KES 712

-64.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.39 ฿603

$38.81 KES 5,028

-52.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.87 ฿258

$6.90 KES 894

14.06%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.9

$2.38 KES 308

-18.07%

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

$0.85 ฿27.80

$0.72 KES 93.0

18.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ฿10.61

$0.53 KES 69.2

-39.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿70.2

$2.29 KES 297

-6.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.68 ฿121

$2.93 KES 380

25.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.66 ฿54.4

$0.69 KES 89.9

140.58%

White Bread (500g)

$1.56 ฿51.1

$0.45 KES 58.2

246.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.95

$1.19 KES 155

Eggs

$1.99 ฿65.2

$1.59 KES 206

25.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.24 ฿532

$3.97 KES 514

309.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.17 ฿104

$3.66 KES 474

-13.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.84 ฿355

$4.16 KES 539

160.58%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 ฿87.0

$3.12 KES 404

-15.06%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿40.00

$0.93 KES 121

31.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.65 ฿54.1

$1.62 KES 210

1.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.55 ฿50.7

$1.06 KES 137

46.23%

Potato (1kg)

$1.33 ฿43.53

$0.52 KES 67.6

155.77%

Onion (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.75

$0.88 KES 114

37.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 ฿22.22

$0.68 KES 88.1

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 ฿18.54

$0.64 KES 82.3

-10.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.68 ฿154

$3.14 KES 407

49.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.99 ฿557

$5.87 KES 761

189.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.82 ฿59.8

$1.78 KES 230

2.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 ฿104

$1.59 KES 207

100.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿29.70

$1.37 KES 178

-33.58%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.74 ฿614

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿46.18

$1.54 KES 199

-8.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿43.88

$1.57 KES 204

-14.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.14 ฿267

$2.86 KES 371

184.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 ฿41.88

$1.54 KES 200

-16.88%

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

$21.8K ฿715.2K

$21.3K KES 2.8M

2.57%

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

$22.4K ฿734.1K

$20.3K KES 2.6M

10.14%

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

$70.5 ฿2,310

$34.97 KES 4,530

101.54%

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

$14.05 ฿460

$16.86 KES 2,184

-16.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.65 ฿578

$39.80 KES 5,156

-55.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.29 ฿1,353

$38.34 KES 4,967

7.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.76 ฿222

Cinema Ticket

$5.96 ฿195

$5.01 KES 648

18.96%

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

$303 ฿9,928

$64.2 KES 8,319

371.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿490.2K

$7,886 KES 1.0M

89.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,793

$11.47 KES 1,487

376.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.29 ฿861

$24.12 KES 3,125

9.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 ฿2,811

$19.64 KES 2,545

336.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.7 ฿2,284

$34.42 KES 4,459

102.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

$92.4 KES 12.0K

363.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿7,834

$90.0 KES 11.7K

165.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$811 ฿26.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$510 ฿16.7K

$270 KES 35.0K

88.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,025 ฿66.4K

$618 KES 80.0K

227.85%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,502 ฿49.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$623 ฿20.4K

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: June 13, 2026

Last update for Eldoret: June 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $428 in Chiang Mai versus $92.4 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 $18.00 in Chiang Mai versus $39.00 in Eldoret. Groceries tell a different story – $242 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 59% 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 $1,272 per month in Chiang Mai and $800 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 $18.00 in Chiang Mai and $39.00 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 $848 in Chiang Mai and $533 in Eldoret, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Eldoret costs $533 versus $848 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.