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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $861 per month in Chiang Mai vs $467 in Garissa, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,350 per month in Chiang Mai vs $774 in Garissa, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,838 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,082 in Garissa, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 84% more than Garissa, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Garissa are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Garissa 65% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿65.7

$6.55 KES 846

-70.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.35 ฿616

$23.28 KES 3,008

-21.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.48 ฿251

$2.78 KES 359

169.06%

Cappuccino

$2.02 ฿67.7

$4.36 KES 563

-53.67%

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

$0.85 ฿28.45

$1.15 KES 148

-26.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.94

$0.68 KES 87.5

-47.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.7

$1.88 KES 243

13.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 ฿121

$2.74 KES 354

31.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿55.4

$0.86 KES 111

91.86%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.6

$0.52 KES 66.8

201.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿39.95

$1.10 KES 142

8.18%

Eggs

$1.94 ฿65.0

$1.70 KES 219

14.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿544

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.99 ฿100

$6.28 KES 811

-52.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿367

$4.31 KES 557

153.83%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 ฿91.0

$3.03 KES 391

-10.56%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿39.18

$2.35 KES 304

-50.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 ฿56.6

$3.14 KES 405

-46.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 ฿53.9

$0.68 KES 88.2

135.29%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.45

$0.86 KES 112

60.47%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.38

$1.13 KES 145

6.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿22.46

$0.66 KES 84.8

1.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.70

$0.48 KES 62.1

16.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.64 ฿156

$2.37 KES 306

95.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.62 ฿591

$5.65 KES 730

211.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.4

$1.83 KES 237

1.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 ฿111

$3.34 KES 432

-1.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.63

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ฿649

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿45.82

$2.36 KES 304

-42.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.90

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.21 ฿276

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ฿41.11

$1.07 KES 139

14.02%

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

$21.4K ฿716.8K

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

$22.5K ฿756.3K

$9,144 KES 1.2M

146.39%

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

$70.7 ฿2,372

$15.34 KES 1,982

360.69%

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

$14.04 ฿471

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.49 ฿587

$22.96 KES 2,967

-23.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.15 ฿1,415

$23.01 KES 2,973

83.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿199

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

$309 ฿10.4K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K ฿499.5K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,872

$11.45 KES 1,480

386.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.11 ฿877

$7.86 KES 1,015

232.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.0 ฿2,787

$23.53 KES 3,040

252.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 ฿2,365

$22.86 KES 2,953

208.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$432 ฿14.5K

$103 KES 13.3K

321.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿8,020

$76.1 KES 9,831

214.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$822 ฿27.6K

$193 KES 24.9K

326.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$512 ฿17.2K

$171 KES 22.1K

199.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,915 ฿64.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 ฿49.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$579 ฿19.4K

$130 KES 16.8K

346.77%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Last update for Garissa: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $432 in Chiang Mai versus $103 in Garissa. 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 347% 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 $18.00 in Chiang Mai versus $23.00 in Garissa. Groceries tell a different story – $243 in Chiang Mai vs $155 in Garissa – so Garissa 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 Garissa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 84% more than Garissa, 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 $1,292 per month in Chiang Mai and $700 in Garissa. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $861 in Chiang Mai and $467 in Garissa. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Groceries cost about 57% 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 $861 in Chiang Mai and $467 in Garissa, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Garissa costs $467 versus $861 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 Garissa. 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.