Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Garissa

For one person, living is cheaper in Garissa: $381 a month against $938 in Chiang Mai, rent and utilities included – about $6,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai Living Index

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Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$938

/mo nomad

Garissa

🇰🇪 Kenya

$381

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chiang Mai and in Garissa

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Chiang Mai and in Garissa actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $938 per month in Chiang Mai vs $381 in Garissa, rent included.

Chiang Mai $938
Garissa $381

A couple spends around $1,426 per month in Chiang Mai vs $667 in Garissa, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,426
Garissa $667

A family of three spends $1,914 per month in Chiang Mai vs $952 in Garissa, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,914
Garissa $952

Chiang Mai costs about 146% more than Garissa, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Chiang Mai and Garissa are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 30% lower, Garissa 72% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.26 ฿75.4

$11.79 KES 1,528

-80.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.18 ฿641

$23.02 KES 2,984

-16.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.59 ฿187

Cappuccino

$1.72 ฿57.6

$7.73 KES 1,002

-77.75%

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

$0.64 ฿21.54

$1.88 KES 244

-65.96%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 ฿11.18

$1.13 KES 147

-70.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.36 ฿78.7

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.90 ฿130

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 ฿68.6

$0.52 KES 66.9

294.23%

White Bread (500g)

$1.40 ฿46.70

$0.59 KES 76.9

137.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.89

$1.47 KES 191

-12.93%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.3

$1.92 KES 249

17.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.94 ฿566

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.74 ฿91.6

$6.10 KES 791

-55.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.36 ฿313

$5.39 KES 698

73.65%

Apples (1kg)

$2.40 ฿80.3

$3.78 KES 490

-36.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.01 ฿33.92

$3.11 KES 403

-67.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.61 ฿53.9

$4.69 KES 608

-65.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿50.7

$0.79 KES 102

92.41%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.90

$1.22 KES 158

4.92%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 ฿37.22

$1.57 KES 204

-29.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿24.09

$2.37 KES 307

-69.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.54

$0.56 KES 72.3

-7.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.33 ฿145

Wine (Bottle)

$17.73 ฿593

$5.71 KES 741

210.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ฿54.4

$1.67 KES 217

-2.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.85 ฿95.3

$3.82 KES 496

-25.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 ฿28.31

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.9 ฿1,801

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 ฿39.18

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.57 ฿19.00

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.37 ฿79.2

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.32

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

$20.5K ฿684.3K

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

$26.5K ฿886.1K

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

$62.3 ฿2,083

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

$12.27 ฿410

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.97 ฿668

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.91 ฿1,267

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.76 ฿126

Cinema Ticket

$6.71 ฿224

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

$797 ฿26.6K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿495.7K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.3 ฿1,780

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.05 ฿837

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.6 ฿3,062

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.5 ฿2,455

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$464 ฿15.5K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$305 ฿10.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$915 ฿30.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$552 ฿18.5K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,912 ฿63.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,438 ฿48.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

$129 KES 16.8K

360.42%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 13, 2026

Last update for Garissa: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$305 32.5%

Garissa

–

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$238 25.4%

Garissa

–

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$110 11.7%

Garissa

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$95 10.1%

Garissa

–

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$79 8.4%

Garissa

–

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$61 6.5%

Garissa

–

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$51 5.5%

Garissa

–

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 360% 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 $23.00 in Garissa. Groceries tell a different story – $238 in Chiang Mai vs $182 in Garissa – so Garissa wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇰🇪 Garissa

🕒 Local time

03:33 3:33 AM

23:33 11:33 PM

4 h behind Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

119,696

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Kenyan Shilling KES Sh

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.99 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

1,000 KES = 7.71 USD

1,000 KES = 6.86 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

KES, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 33.42 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.57 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

Kenyan Shilling exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 130 KES (1,000 KES = 7.71 USD). 1 EUR = 146 KES (1,000 KES = 6.86 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Chiang Mai Garissa 6,820 km ≈ 9 h nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
Garissa

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 146% more than Garissa, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from eating out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,408 per month in Chiang Mai and $572 in Garissa. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $938 in Chiang Mai and $381 in Garissa. That's a gap of about 146%.

Groceries cost about 31% 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.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Garissa, where all-in costs run around $381, than in Chiang Mai at $938. In Garissa it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiang Mai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Garissa costs $381 versus $938 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.