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 $575 in Entebbe, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,360 per month in Chiang Mai vs $913 in Entebbe, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,867 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,250 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

$2.04 ฿68.2

$2.82 UGX 10.6K

-27.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.71 ฿624

$25.96 UGX 97.2K

-27.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.86 ฿262

$8.58 UGX 32.1K

-8.39%

Cappuccino

$2.03 ฿67.7

$2.81 UGX 10.5K

-27.76%

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

$0.80 ฿26.64

$0.47 UGX 1,751

70.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.68

$0.31 UGX 1,175

12.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.5

$1.42 UGX 5,325

50.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿122

$2.76 UGX 10.3K

32.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 ฿57.6

$0.75 UGX 2,806

130.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.4

$1.25 UGX 4,696

25.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 ฿39.99

$1.37 UGX 5,146

-12.41%

Eggs

$1.97 ฿65.8

$1.82 UGX 6,808

8.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.23 ฿541

$4.39 UGX 16.4K

269.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.06 ฿102

$5.12 UGX 19.2K

-40.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.80 ฿360

$4.27 UGX 16.0K

152.93%

Apples (1kg)

$2.77 ฿92.3

$2.78 UGX 10.4K

-0.36%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.94

$1.53 UGX 5,743

-23.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 ฿57.0

$1.67 UGX 6,241

2.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿53.2

$1.54 UGX 5,782

3.25%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.51

$1.57 UGX 5,885

-11.46%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 ฿38.56

$1.86 UGX 6,961

-37.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿22.05

$1.07 UGX 3,996

-38.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.31

$0.54 UGX 2,004

-3.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 ฿155

$2.85 UGX 10.7K

63.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.78 ฿593

$8.21 UGX 30.8K

116.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ฿59.6

$1.25 UGX 4,662

43.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 ฿111

$2.10 UGX 7,874

59.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿30.27

$0.58 UGX 2,168

56.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.64 ฿622

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿47.04

$0.55 UGX 2,057

156.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.70

$0.26 UGX 969

415.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.11 ฿270

$4.05 UGX 15.2K

100.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿41.16

$1.40 UGX 5,254

-12.14%

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

$21.4K ฿715.1K

$9,121 UGX 34.2M

135.01%

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

$21.8K ฿728.0K

$8,804 UGX 33.0M

147.87%

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

$71.3 ฿2,379

$41.40 UGX 155.0K

72.29%

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

$14.01 ฿467

$14.39 UGX 53.9K

-2.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.93 ฿598

$44.60 UGX 167.0K

-59.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.82 ฿1,362

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿230

Cinema Ticket

$5.72 ฿191

$6.09 UGX 22.8K

-6.08%

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

$308 ฿10.3K

$160 UGX 599.7K

92.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿489.7K

$4,339 UGX 16.2M

238.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,860

$16.93 UGX 63.4K

229.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.04 ฿869

$14.39 UGX 53.9K

80.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 ฿2,829

$38.75 UGX 145.1K

118.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.0 ฿2,368

$47.40 UGX 177.5K

49.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$423 ฿14.1K

$246 UGX 922.9K

71.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 ฿8,088

$141 UGX 527.7K

72.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$797 ฿26.6K

$411 UGX 1.5M

93.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$507 ฿16.9K

$281 UGX 1.1M

80.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,918 ฿64.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,464 ฿48.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

$132 UGX 494.1K

350.93%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Entebbe: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $423 in Chiang Mai versus $246 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 351% 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 – $244 in Chiang Mai vs $168 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 $1,279 per month in Chiang Mai and $863 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 $575 in Entebbe, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Entebbe costs $575 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.