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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $848 per month in Chiang Mai vs $441 in Kajansi, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,331 per month in Chiang Mai vs $697 in Kajansi, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,814 per month in Chiang Mai vs $953 in Kajansi, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 92% more than Kajansi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Kajansi are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Kajansi 67% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿64.1

$2.73 UGX 9,943

-28.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.39 ฿603

$26.61 UGX 97.1K

-30.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.87 ฿258

$8.38 UGX 30.6K

-6.09%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.9

$2.77 UGX 10.1K

-29.60%

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

$0.85 ฿27.80

$0.51 UGX 1,849

66.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ฿10.61

$0.29 UGX 1,052

10.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿70.2

$1.36 UGX 4,952

57.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.68 ฿121

$2.72 UGX 9,925

35.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.66 ฿54.4

$0.74 UGX 2,710

124.32%

White Bread (500g)

$1.56 ฿51.1

$1.21 UGX 4,396

28.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.95

$1.38 UGX 5,028

-13.77%

Eggs

$1.99 ฿65.2

$1.85 UGX 6,758

7.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.24 ฿532

$4.27 UGX 15.6K

280.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.17 ฿104

$4.91 UGX 17.9K

-35.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.84 ฿355

$4.38 UGX 16.0K

147.49%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 ฿87.0

$2.81 UGX 10.3K

-5.69%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿40.00

$1.52 UGX 5,529

-19.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.65 ฿54.1

$1.68 UGX 6,123

-1.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.55 ฿50.7

$1.53 UGX 5,568

1.31%

Potato (1kg)

$1.33 ฿43.53

$1.63 UGX 5,963

-18.40%

Onion (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.75

$1.87 UGX 6,814

-35.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 ฿22.22

$1.06 UGX 3,857

-35.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 ฿18.54

$0.58 UGX 2,103

-1.72%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.68 ฿154

$2.90 UGX 10.6K

61.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.99 ฿557

$9.35 UGX 34.1K

81.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.82 ฿59.8

$1.24 UGX 4,516

46.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 ฿104

$2.05 UGX 7,466

55.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿29.70

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.74 ฿614

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿46.18

$0.58 UGX 2,107

143.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿43.88

$0.28 UGX 1,027

378.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.14 ฿267

$4.20 UGX 15.3K

93.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 ฿41.88

$1.49 UGX 5,434

-14.09%

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

$21.8K ฿715.2K

$9,179 UGX 33.5M

137.77%

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

$22.4K ฿734.1K

$8,739 UGX 31.9M

156.32%

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

$70.5 ฿2,310

$41.35 UGX 150.8K

70.45%

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

$14.05 ฿460

$14.63 UGX 53.4K

-3.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.65 ฿578

$44.73 UGX 163.1K

-60.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.29 ฿1,353

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.76 ฿222

Cinema Ticket

$5.96 ฿195

$6.23 UGX 22.7K

-4.33%

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

$303 ฿9,928

$164 UGX 598.0K

84.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿490.2K

$4,285 UGX 15.6M

249.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,793

$16.68 UGX 60.8K

227.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.29 ฿861

$14.13 UGX 51.6K

86.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 ฿2,811

$38.80 UGX 141.5K

121.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.7 ฿2,284

$47.12 UGX 171.9K

47.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿7,834

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$811 ฿26.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$510 ฿16.7K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,025 ฿66.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,502 ฿49.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$623 ฿20.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

20.8

-75.96%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 13, 2026

Last update for Kajansi: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $18.00 in Chiang Mai versus $27.00 in Kajansi. Groceries tell a different story – $242 in Chiang Mai vs $169 in Kajansi – so Kajansi 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 Kajansi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 92% more than Kajansi, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,272 per month in Chiang Mai and $662 in Kajansi. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $18.00 in Chiang Mai and $27.00 in Kajansi. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 43% 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 $848 in Chiang Mai and $441 in Kajansi, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Kajansi costs $441 versus $848 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 Kajansi. 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.