Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Kabwe

For one person, living is cheaper in Kabwe: $567 a month against $936 in Chiang Mai, rent and utilities included – about $4,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

45

Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai Living Index
27

Cost of Living Index in Kabwe
Learn more

Kabwe Living Index

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Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$936

/mo nomad

Kabwe

🇿🇲 Zambia

$567

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

A single person spends $936 per month in Chiang Mai vs $567 in Kabwe, rent included.

Chiang Mai $936
Kabwe $567

A couple spends around $1,457 per month in Chiang Mai vs $899 in Kabwe, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,457
Kabwe $899

A family of three spends $1,979 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,232 in Kabwe, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,979
Kabwe $1,232

Chiang Mai costs about 65% more than Kabwe, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Chiang Mai and Kabwe are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 31% lower, Kabwe 58% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.24 ฿75.6

$5.59 ZMW 113

-59.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.00 ฿641

$30.24 ZMW 611

-37.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.55 ฿187

$5.03 ZMW 102

10.34%

Cappuccino

$1.67 ฿56.5

$2.72 ZMW 55.0

-38.60%

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

$0.64 ฿21.53

$0.76 ZMW 15.45

-15.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.30

$0.45 ZMW 9.14

-31.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.36 ฿79.5

$1.25 ZMW 25.28

88.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿124

$2.27 ZMW 45.82

61.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 ฿65.7

$1.66 ZMW 33.59

17.47%

White Bread (500g)

$1.44 ฿48.45

$1.21 ZMW 24.53

19.01%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 ฿45.01

$2.09 ZMW 42.29

-36.36%

Eggs

$2.28 ฿77.0

$1.18 ZMW 23.92

93.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.45 ฿555

$10.35 ZMW 209

58.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.78 ฿93.8

$6.43 ZMW 130

-56.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.31 ฿314

$6.41 ZMW 130

45.24%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 ฿79.4

$3.24 ZMW 65.5

-27.47%

Banana (1kg)

$0.97 ฿32.78

$0.95 ZMW 19.28

2.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.60 ฿53.9

$3.63 ZMW 73.3

-55.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.6

$1.54 ZMW 31.04

-2.60%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿43.10

$2.57 ZMW 51.9

-50.19%

Onion (1kg)

$1.10 ฿37.17

$1.84 ZMW 37.19

-40.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 ฿23.81

$1.13 ZMW 22.86

-37.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.36

$0.75 ZMW 15.07

-34.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.14 ฿140

$3.03 ZMW 61.1

36.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.52 ฿591

$9.71 ZMW 196

80.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.61 ฿54.5

$1.40 ZMW 28.31

15.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿93.9

$2.32 ZMW 46.77

19.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.87 ฿29.29

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.1 ฿1,825

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.16 ฿39.03

$2.53 ZMW 51.1

-54.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ฿17.79

$1.48 ZMW 29.80

-64.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.42 ฿81.7

$4.85 ZMW 97.9

-50.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.87

$1.37 ZMW 27.59

5.84%

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

$21.1K ฿710.3K

$7,409 ZMW 149.7K

184.24%

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

$26.9K ฿908.7K

$27.2K ZMW 549.2K

-0.90%

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

$62.2 ฿2,097

$78.5 ZMW 1,586

-20.82%

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

$12.17 ฿410

$10.37 ZMW 210

17.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.12 ฿679

$54.2 ZMW 1,095

-62.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.31 ฿1,259

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.77 ฿127

Cinema Ticket

$6.49 ฿219

$5.85 ZMW 118

10.94%

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

$736 ฿24.8K

$137 ZMW 2,762

438.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿498.0K

$16.4K ZMW 331.1K

-9.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.4 ฿1,800

$22.90 ZMW 463

133.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.64 ฿831

$15.36 ZMW 310

60.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.5 ฿3,086

$44.90 ZMW 907

103.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.9 ฿2,426

$71.3 ZMW 1,441

0.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.3K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$309 ฿10.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 ฿33.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$633 ฿21.4K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,363 ฿79.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,589 ฿53.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$590 ฿19.9K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

-80.79%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 26, 2026

Last update for Kabwe: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$309 33%

Kabwe

- * 0% 100%

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$234 25.1%

Kabwe

$224 39.6% 4.2% $10

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$109 11.6%

Kabwe

$70 12.3% 36% $39

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$94 10.1%

Kabwe

$143 25.3% 51.5% $49

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$78 8.3%

Kabwe

$108 19.1% 39.4% $31

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$61 6.6%

Kabwe

$9.9 * 1.8% 83.8% $51

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$50 5.4%

Kabwe

$12 * 2.1% 76.7% $39

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19 in Chiang Mai versus $30 in Kabwe. Groceries tell a different story – $234 in Chiang Mai vs $224 in Kabwe – so Kabwe wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇿🇲 Kabwe

🕒 Local time

07:29 7:29 AM

02:29 2:29 AM

5 h behind Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

117,517

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Zambian Kwacha ZMW ZK

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.96 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

100 ZMW = 4.95 USD

100 ZMW = 4.44 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

ZMW, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 30, 2026: 1 USD = 33.73 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.59 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

Zambian Kwacha exchange rates as of October 30, 2026: 1 USD = 20.2 ZMW (100 ZMW = 4.95 USD). 1 EUR = 22.51 ZMW (100 ZMW = 4.44 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Chiang Mai Kabwe 8,560 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
Kabwe

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 Kabwe: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 65% more than Kabwe, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from transport. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,403 per month in Chiang Mai and $850 in Kabwe. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19 in Chiang Mai and $30 in Kabwe. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 4% more in Chiang Mai, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A $800 monthly budget goes further in Kabwe, where all-in costs run around $567, than in Chiang Mai at $936. In Kabwe it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiang Mai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Chiang Mai has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $567 in Kabwe to $936 in Chiang Mai. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.