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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $487 in Isiolo, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,354 per month in Chiang Mai vs $813 in Isiolo, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,857 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,140 in Isiolo, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 75% more than Isiolo, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Chiang Mai and Isiolo are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Isiolo 64% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿64.0

$5.54 KES 715

-64.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.81 ฿615

$30.53 KES 3,940

-38.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.92 ฿259

$3.89 KES 503

103.60%

Cappuccino

$1.91 ฿62.6

$2.39 KES 309

-20.08%

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

$0.84 ฿27.41

$0.28 KES 36.23

200.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.51

$0.22 KES 28.28

59.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$2.38 KES 307

-7.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 ฿124

$2.98 KES 384

27.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$0.88 KES 114

86.36%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 ฿53.1

$0.42 KES 53.8

285.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.62

$1.59 KES 205

-25.79%

Eggs

$2.01 ฿65.8

$1.42 KES 183

41.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.89 ฿520

$11.77 KES 1,520

35.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.01 ฿98.5

$6.80 KES 877

-55.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.77 ฿352

$5.45 KES 703

97.61%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 ฿85.5

$3.19 KES 411

-18.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿39.88

$1.08 KES 139

12.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.7

$2.10 KES 271

-19.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 ฿51.5

$1.02 KES 131

54.90%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 ฿43.14

$1.08 KES 139

22.22%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.23

$1.13 KES 145

3.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿21.98

$0.69 KES 88.4

-2.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.32

$0.80 KES 104

-30.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.53 ฿148

$3.12 KES 403

45.19%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.20 ฿595

$11.54 KES 1,489

57.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿60.0

$2.18 KES 282

-16.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$2.72 KES 351

18.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ฿29.00

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.38 ฿634

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.35 ฿44.20

$1.54 KES 199

-12.34%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 ฿44.05

$1.53 KES 197

-11.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.25 ฿270

$2.81 KES 363

193.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.64

$1.40 KES 180

-9.29%

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

$21.2K ฿691.8K

$22.0K KES 2.8M

-3.97%

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

$22.5K ฿735.3K

$20.2K KES 2.6M

11.55%

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

$70.2 ฿2,294

$34.61 KES 4,467

102.69%

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

$13.77 ฿450

$17.03 KES 2,199

-19.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.60 ฿575

$38.85 KES 5,014

-54.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.57 ฿1,360

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.60 ฿216

Cinema Ticket

$5.78 ฿189

$6.17 KES 797

-6.32%

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

$306 ฿10.0K

$201 KES 26.0K

52.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿484.8K

$8,040 KES 1.0M

84.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.4 ฿1,778

$18.30 KES 2,363

197.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.14 ฿855

$23.64 KES 3,051

10.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.5 ฿2,764

$65.1 KES 8,405

29.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.4 ฿2,270

$56.6 KES 7,300

22.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$424 ฿13.9K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$238 ฿7,788

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$825 ฿27.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

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

$782 KES 100.9K

-18.76%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

14.84

-66.31%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 27, 2026

Last update for Isiolo: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 23% higher in Isiolo, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $31.00 in Isiolo. Groceries tell a different story – $243 in Chiang Mai vs $204 in Isiolo – so Isiolo 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 Isiolo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 75% more than Isiolo, with the gap driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment. 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 $731 in Isiolo. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai and $31.00 in Isiolo. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 19% 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.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $852 in Chiang Mai and $487 in Isiolo, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Isiolo costs $487 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 Isiolo. 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.