Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Gulu

For one person, living is cheaper in Gulu: $113 a month against $925 in Chiang Mai, rent and utilities included – about $9,700 less a year. Other living expenses 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

$925

/mo nomad

Gulu

🇺🇬 Uganda

$113

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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 Gulu actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $925 per month in Chiang Mai vs $113 in Gulu, rent included.

Chiang Mai $925
Gulu $113

A couple spends around $1,414 per month in Chiang Mai vs $165 in Gulu, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,414
Gulu $165

A family of three spends $1,903 per month in Chiang Mai vs $217 in Gulu, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,903
Gulu $217

Chiang Mai costs about 721% more than Gulu, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chiang Mai and Gulu are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 32% lower, Gulu 92% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.29 ฿76.5

$1.22 UGX 5,036

87.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.64 ฿656

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.61 ฿188

$10.81 UGX 44.5K

-48.10%

Cappuccino

$1.66 ฿55.6

$2.38 UGX 9,787

-30.25%

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

$0.70 ฿23.40

$0.25 UGX 1,032

180.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.24

$0.11 UGX 452

181.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿80.4

$0.69 UGX 2,844

249.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.71 ฿124

$2.48 UGX 10.2K

49.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 ฿65.3

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 ฿47.03

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.31 ฿43.62

Eggs

$2.18 ฿72.9

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.65 ฿556

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.76 ฿92.2

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.11 ฿304

Apples (1kg)

$2.39 ฿80.0

Banana (1kg)

$1.03 ฿34.26

Oranges (1kg)

$1.63 ฿54.4

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.0

Potato (1kg)

$1.29 ฿43.13

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 ฿37.03

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿24.08

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.59

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.31 ฿144

Wine (Bottle)

$17.95 ฿600

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 ฿52.9

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 ฿95.0

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 ฿28.86

$0.95 UGX 3,896

-9.47%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.3 ฿1,780

$28.33 UGX 116.5K

88.07%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.21 ฿40.29

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.57 ฿18.99

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.35 ฿78.6

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 ฿47.96

$1.25 UGX 5,138

15.20%

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

$20.7K ฿692.8K

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

$26.8K ฿895.7K

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)

$12.11 ฿405

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.94 ฿666

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.07 ฿1,239

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.78 ฿126

Cinema Ticket

$6.50 ฿217

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

$793 ฿26.5K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿494.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.7 ฿1,796

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.62 ฿823

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.9 ฿3,036

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.1 ฿2,378

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$455 ฿15.2K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$298 ฿9,954

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$908 ฿30.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$554 ฿18.5K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,931 ฿64.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,445 ฿48.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$591 ฿19.7K

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 17, 2026

Last update for Gulu: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$298 32.2%

Gulu

–

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$235 25.5%

Gulu

–

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$108 11.7%

Gulu

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$94 10.2%

Gulu

–

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$79 8.5%

Gulu

–

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$61 6.6%

Gulu

–

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$50 5.4%

Gulu

–

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇺🇬 Gulu

🕒 Local time

18:40 6:40 PM

14:40 2:40 PM

4 h behind Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

152,276

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Ugandan Shilling UGX Sh

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.99 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

10,000 UGX = 2.43 USD

10,000 UGX = 2.16 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

UGX, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 33.42 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.57 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

Ugandan Shilling exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 4,113 UGX (10,000 UGX = 2.43 USD). 1 EUR = 4,624 UGX (10,000 UGX = 2.16 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Chiang Mai Gulu 7,460 km ≈ 10 h nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
Gulu

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 Gulu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 721% more than Gulu, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,388 per month in Chiang Mai and $169 in Gulu. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $925 in Chiang Mai and $113 in Gulu. That's a gap of about 721%.

Public transport costs about 88% less in Gulu. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Gulu, where all-in costs run around $113, than in Chiang Mai at $925. In Gulu 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. Gulu costs $113 versus $925 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 Gulu. 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.