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 $920 per month in Chiang Mai vs $445 in Kajansi, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,408 per month in Chiang Mai vs $698 in Kajansi, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,895 per month in Chiang Mai vs $951 in Kajansi, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 107% more than Kajansi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Kajansi are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 33% lower, Kajansi 68% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.11 ฿69.1

$2.62 UGX 9,725

-19.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.75 ฿648

$26.55 UGX 98.7K

-25.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.85 ฿192

$7.66 UGX 28.5K

-23.63%

Cappuccino

$1.76 ฿57.8

$2.55 UGX 9,470

-30.98%

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

$0.74 ฿24.37

$0.40 UGX 1,483

85.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 ฿10.90

$0.30 UGX 1,117

10.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.47 ฿81.0

$1.31 UGX 4,883

88.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.88 ฿127

$2.05 UGX 7,616

89.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.90 ฿62.4

$0.87 UGX 3,243

118.39%

White Bread (500g)

$1.67 ฿54.7

$0.94 UGX 3,488

77.66%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.35 ฿44.24

$1.41 UGX 5,230

-4.26%

Eggs

$2.14 ฿70.2

$1.52 UGX 5,632

40.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.89 ฿521

$4.71 UGX 17.5K

237.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.83 ฿92.9

$4.85 UGX 18.0K

-41.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.53 ฿345

$5.31 UGX 19.7K

98.31%

Apples (1kg)

$2.38 ฿78.2

$2.32 UGX 8,628

2.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 ฿35.01

$1.28 UGX 4,769

-16.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.79

$1.45 UGX 5,385

4.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 ฿49.30

$1.33 UGX 4,943

12.78%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿41.96

$1.42 UGX 5,276

-9.86%

Onion (1kg)

$1.10 ฿36.17

$1.52 UGX 5,660

-27.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.69 ฿22.54

$0.81 UGX 3,027

-14.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.18

$0.56 UGX 2,087

-12.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 ฿140

$2.67 UGX 9,919

59.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.78 ฿550

$8.21 UGX 30.5K

104.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 ฿54.4

$1.13 UGX 4,185

46.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.81 ฿92.3

$2.11 UGX 7,840

33.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.44

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.9 ฿1,801

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.20 ฿39.24

$0.51 UGX 1,907

135.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.54 ฿17.78

$0.35 UGX 1,302

54.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.37 ฿77.9

$3.31 UGX 12.3K

-28.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 ฿46.88

$1.48 UGX 5,513

-3.38%

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

$21.1K ฿691.5K

$7,991 UGX 29.7M

163.75%

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

$27.1K ฿890.2K

$7,910 UGX 29.4M

243.01%

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

$64.7 ฿2,124

$75.1 UGX 278.9K

-13.74%

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

$13.19 ฿433

$14.92 UGX 55.4K

-11.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.44 ฿638

$39.59 UGX 147.1K

-50.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.45 ฿1,294

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.77 ฿124

Cinema Ticket

$6.62 ฿217

$7.30 UGX 27.1K

-9.32%

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

$805 ฿26.4K

$252 UGX 935.7K

219.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.1K ฿496.1K

$8,455 UGX 31.4M

78.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.8 ฿1,796

$15.35 UGX 57.0K

256.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.43 ฿834

$14.02 UGX 52.1K

81.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.9 ฿3,015

$35.07 UGX 130.3K

162.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.7 ฿2,449

$47.69 UGX 177.2K

56.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$467 ฿15.3K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$282 ฿9,251

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$891 ฿29.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$521 ฿17.1K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,985 ฿65.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,462 ฿48.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$592 ฿19.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

20.75

-73.16%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 17, 2026

Last update for Kajansi: August 17, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $27.00 in Kajansi. Groceries tell a different story – $237 in Chiang Mai vs $159 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 107% 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 $1,380 per month in Chiang Mai and $668 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 $20.00 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 49% 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.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Kajansi, where all-in costs run around $445, than in Chiang Mai at $920. In Kajansi it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiang Mai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Kajansi costs $445 versus $920 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.