😐A single person spends $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $622 in Kadoma, rent included.
😐A couple spends around $1,354 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,024 in Kadoma, rent included.
😐A family of three spends $1,857 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,425 in Kadoma, rent included.
😐Chiang Mai costs about 37% more than Kadoma, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.
📊Both Chiang Mai and Kadoma are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai36% lower, Kadoma54% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Chiang Mai
Kadoma
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$1.96฿64.0
$10.19ZWL 258
-80.77%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$18.81฿615
$50.7ZWL 1,283
-62.92%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$7.92฿259
$7.20ZWL 182
10.00%
Cappuccino
$1.91฿62.6
$2.90ZWL 73.5
-34.14%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.84฿27.41
$0.68ZWL 17.17
23.53%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.35฿11.51
$0.44ZWL 11.08
-20.45%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.21฿72.1
$1.54ZWL 39.06
43.51%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.80฿124
$2.02ZWL 51.0
88.12%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Chiang Mai
Kadoma
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.64฿53.5
$1.57ZWL 39.65
4.46%
White Bread(500g)
$1.62฿53.1
$1.03ZWL 26.01
57.28%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.18฿38.62
$1.88ZWL 47.62
-37.23%
Eggs
$2.01฿65.8
$2.08ZWL 52.7
-3.37%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$15.89฿520
$10.79ZWL 273
47.27%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.01฿98.5
$6.61ZWL 167
-54.46%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$10.77฿352
$6.35ZWL 161
69.61%
Apples(1kg)
$2.61฿85.5
$2.91ZWL 73.6
-10.31%
Banana(1kg)
$1.22฿39.88
$1.69ZWL 42.67
-27.81%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.70฿55.7
$2.24ZWL 56.7
-24.11%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.58฿51.5
$1.70ZWL 42.98
-7.06%
Potato(1kg)
$1.32฿43.14
$1.49ZWL 37.82
-11.41%
Onion(1kg)
$1.17฿38.23
$2.06ZWL 52.2
-43.20%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.67฿21.98
$1.02ZWL 25.68
-34.31%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.56฿18.32
$0.94ZWL 23.86
-40.43%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.53฿148
$1.12ZWL 28.22
304.46%
Wine(Bottle)
$18.20฿595
$8.53ZWL 216
113.36%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.83฿60.0
$1.13ZWL 28.47
61.95%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.23฿106
$1.71ZWL 43.30
88.89%
🚌 Getting Around
Chiang Mai
Kadoma
Difference
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
$5.07ZWL 128
-73.37%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.35฿44.05
$1.98ZWL 50.1
-31.82%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$8.25฿270
$4.90ZWL 124
68.37%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.27฿41.64
$1.60ZWL 40.57
-20.63%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.2K฿691.8K
$19.7KZWL 498.4K
7.40%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$22.5K฿735.3K
$23.5KZWL 594.1K
-4.25%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Chiang Mai
Kadoma
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$70.2฿2,294
$58.1ZWL 1,470
20.76%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.77฿450
$17.65ZWL 447
-21.98%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$17.60฿575
$93.5ZWL 2,365
-81.17%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Chiang Mai
Kadoma
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$41.57฿1,360
-
-
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$6.60฿216
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$5.78฿189
$9.96ZWL 252
-41.97%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Chiang Mai
Kadoma
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$306฿10.0K
$275ZWL 6,956
11.36%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$14.8K฿484.8K
$7,376ZWL 186.6K
100.99%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Chiang Mai
Kadoma
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$54.4฿1,778
$19.25ZWL 487
182.44%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$26.14฿855
$21.32ZWL 539
22.61%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$84.5฿2,764
$34.83ZWL 881
142.72%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$69.4฿2,270
$40.35ZWL 1,021
72.07%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Chiang Mai
Kadoma
Difference
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
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Chiang Mai
Kadoma
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$635฿20.8K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5
13.31
-62.43%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Chiang Mai: April 27, 2026
Last update for Kadoma: April 27, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🛒A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $51.0 in Kadoma. Groceries tell a different story – $243 in Chiang Mai vs $219 in Kadoma – so Kadoma 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 Kadoma: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Chiang Mai or Kadoma?
Chiang Mai costs about 37% more than Kadoma, with the gap driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Chiang Mai vs Kadoma?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,278 per month in Chiang Mai and $933 in Kadoma. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do dining costs compare in Chiang Mai vs Kadoma?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai and $51.0 in Kadoma. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Are groceries more expensive in Chiang Mai or Kadoma?
Groceries cost about 11% 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.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Chiang Mai or Kadoma?
$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $852 in Chiang Mai and $622 in Kadoma, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Chiang Mai or Kadoma?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Kadoma costs $622 versus $852 in Chiang Mai. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.
How safe is Chiang Mai compared to Kadoma?
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.
Should I move to Chiang Mai or Kadoma?
If budget matters most, go with Kadoma. 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.
Chiang Mai vs other spots: cost of living compared