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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $576 in Entebbe, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,354 per month in Chiang Mai vs $900 in Entebbe, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,857 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,224 in Entebbe, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 48% more than Entebbe, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Entebbe are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Entebbe 57% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿64.0

$2.85 UGX 10.6K

-31.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.81 ฿615

$26.27 UGX 97.4K

-28.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.92 ฿259

$8.37 UGX 31.0K

-5.38%

Cappuccino

$1.91 ฿62.6

$2.73 UGX 10.1K

-30.04%

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

$0.84 ฿27.41

$0.51 UGX 1,887

64.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.51

$0.29 UGX 1,063

20.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$1.43 UGX 5,299

54.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 ฿124

$2.73 UGX 10.1K

39.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$0.70 UGX 2,590

134.29%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 ฿53.1

$1.26 UGX 4,657

28.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.62

$1.34 UGX 4,965

-11.94%

Eggs

$2.01 ฿65.8

$1.78 UGX 6,618

12.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.89 ฿520

$4.41 UGX 16.4K

260.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.01 ฿98.5

$4.95 UGX 18.4K

-39.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.77 ฿352

$4.20 UGX 15.6K

156.43%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 ฿85.5

$2.73 UGX 10.1K

-4.40%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿39.88

$1.48 UGX 5,473

-17.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.7

$1.67 UGX 6,180

1.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 ฿51.5

$1.54 UGX 5,715

2.60%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 ฿43.14

$1.56 UGX 5,798

-15.38%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.23

$1.86 UGX 6,885

-37.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿21.98

$1.01 UGX 3,751

-33.66%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.32

$0.58 UGX 2,156

-3.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.53 ฿148

$2.97 UGX 11.0K

52.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.20 ฿595

$9.12 UGX 33.8K

99.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿60.0

$1.20 UGX 4,440

52.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$2.12 UGX 7,846

52.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ฿29.00

$0.54 UGX 2,004

64.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.38 ฿634

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.35 ฿44.20

$0.59 UGX 2,178

128.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 ฿44.05

$0.26 UGX 952

419.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.25 ฿270

$4.15 UGX 15.4K

98.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.64

$1.37 UGX 5,094

-7.30%

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

$21.2K ฿691.8K

$9,207 UGX 34.1M

129.79%

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

$22.5K ฿735.3K

$8,718 UGX 32.3M

157.93%

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

$70.2 ฿2,294

$41.77 UGX 154.9K

67.94%

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

$13.77 ฿450

$14.11 UGX 52.3K

-2.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.60 ฿575

$44.06 UGX 163.4K

-60.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.57 ฿1,360

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.60 ฿216

Cinema Ticket

$5.78 ฿189

$6.35 UGX 23.6K

-8.98%

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

$306 ฿10.0K

$164 UGX 607.6K

86.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿484.8K

$4,363 UGX 16.2M

239.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.4 ฿1,778

$17.26 UGX 64.0K

215.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.14 ฿855

$14.24 UGX 52.8K

83.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.5 ฿2,764

$38.41 UGX 142.4K

120.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.4 ฿2,270

$46.74 UGX 173.3K

48.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$424 ฿13.9K

$255 UGX 946.4K

65.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$238 ฿7,788

$140 UGX 520.3K

69.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$825 ฿27.0K

$414 UGX 1.5M

99.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$277 UGX 1.0M

85.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,049 ฿67.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,523 ฿49.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$635 ฿20.8K

$133 UGX 493.2K

377.55%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

20.8

-75.96%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 27, 2026

Last update for Entebbe: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $424 in Chiang Mai versus $255 in Entebbe. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 378% higher in Chiang Mai, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $26.00 in Entebbe. Groceries tell a different story – $243 in Chiang Mai vs $167 in Entebbe – so Entebbe 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 Entebbe: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 48% more than Entebbe, 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 $864 in Entebbe. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Entebbe, 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 $26.00 in Entebbe. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 45% 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.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $852 in Chiang Mai and $576 in Entebbe, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Entebbe costs $576 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 Entebbe. 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.