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 $869 per month in Chiang Mai vs $495 in Isiolo, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,362 per month in Chiang Mai vs $814 in Isiolo, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,855 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,134 in Isiolo, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 76% more than Isiolo, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Chiang Mai and Isiolo are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Isiolo 63% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.98 ฿64.3

$5.57 KES 722

-64.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.80 ฿612

$29.83 KES 3,867

-36.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.75 ฿252

$3.88 KES 503

99.74%

Cappuccino

$1.92 ฿62.5

$2.44 KES 316

-21.31%

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

$0.79 ฿25.79

$0.26 KES 33.49

203.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.62

$0.24 KES 31.28

50.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$2.26 KES 293

-2.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

$2.86 KES 371

27.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿53.8

$0.82 KES 107

101.22%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$0.41 KES 53.2

297.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.86

$1.59 KES 206

-25.16%

Eggs

$2.00 ฿65.1

$1.43 KES 185

39.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.98 ฿520

$11.48 KES 1,489

39.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.03 ฿98.5

$6.80 KES 881

-55.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 ฿354

$5.54 KES 718

96.03%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 ฿90.0

$3.14 KES 407

-12.10%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.42

$1.07 KES 139

10.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$2.13 KES 277

-23.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.51

$1.02 KES 132

49.02%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿45.10

$1.03 KES 133

33.98%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.84

$1.17 KES 152

1.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ฿22.86

$0.69 KES 89.9

1.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.13

$0.75 KES 97.6

-25.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.58 ฿149

$3.06 KES 397

49.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.56 ฿539

$11.39 KES 1,477

45.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿59.5

$2.21 KES 287

-17.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 ฿104

$2.83 KES 366

13.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿28.56

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.72 ฿610

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿44.16

$1.52 KES 197

-10.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿43.65

$1.58 KES 205

-15.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$2.86 KES 371

174.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿39.92

$1.45 KES 188

-15.17%

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

$21.6K ฿704.3K

$21.6K KES 2.8M

0.06%

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

$22.5K ฿734.3K

$20.3K KES 2.6M

11.06%

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

$70.5 ฿2,298

$34.71 KES 4,500

103.23%

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

$13.68 ฿445

$16.86 KES 2,186

-18.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.45 ฿568

$38.74 KES 5,023

-54.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.33 ฿1,346

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

Cinema Ticket

$5.77 ฿188

$6.03 KES 781

-4.31%

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

$307 ฿10.0K

$202 KES 26.2K

52.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿475.9K

$8,080 KES 1.0M

80.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,817

$18.30 KES 2,372

204.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.21 ฿854

$23.77 KES 3,082

10.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 ฿2,793

$65.5 KES 8,491

30.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.2 ฿2,353

$57.5 KES 7,458

25.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$430 ฿14.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿7,774

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$817 ฿26.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$511 ฿16.6K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,983 ฿64.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,484 ฿48.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$619 ฿20.2K

$776 KES 100.6K

-20.28%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Isiolo: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 25% 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 $30.00 in Isiolo. Groceries tell a different story – $241 in Chiang Mai vs $202 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 76% 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 $1,303 per month in Chiang Mai and $742 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 $30.00 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 $869 in Chiang Mai and $495 in Isiolo, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Isiolo costs $495 versus $869 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.