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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $932 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,188 in Kaka, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,399 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,274 in Kaka, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $4,360 in Kaka, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 57% cheaper than Kaka, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Chiang Mai sits 32% below the global median, while Kaka is 60% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿69.5

$31.57 TMT 106

-93.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.61 ฿655

$87.1 TMT 292

-77.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.67 ฿189

$12.97 TMT 43.46

-56.28%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿60.3

$6.95 TMT 23.30

-73.96%

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

$0.77 ฿25.65

$1.56 TMT 5.22

-50.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.53

$0.83 TMT 2.77

-57.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿73.9

$5.78 TMT 19.35

-61.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿127

$13.80 TMT 46.24

-72.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 ฿68.4

$4.40 TMT 14.73

-53.41%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 ฿50.6

$2.09 TMT 7.00

-27.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 ฿46.69

$5.69 TMT 19.07

-75.40%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿75.4

$5.95 TMT 19.92

-62.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿540

$37.71 TMT 126

-57.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.90 ฿96.7

$20.20 TMT 67.7

-85.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.42 ฿314

$23.26 TMT 77.9

-59.50%

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 ฿89.4

$5.16 TMT 17.30

-48.06%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.37

$8.31 TMT 27.84

-86.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.0

$7.58 TMT 25.39

-78.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.74

$3.74 TMT 12.52

-60.96%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.65

$2.34 TMT 7.86

-45.30%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 ฿35.31

$1.47 TMT 4.93

-27.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.94

$2.73 TMT 9.14

-73.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.56

$1.12 TMT 3.75

-52.68%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.23 ฿141

$25.58 TMT 85.7

-83.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.29 ฿611

$41.35 TMT 139

-55.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ฿54.4

$5.19 TMT 17.39

-68.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿96.8

$2.79 TMT 9.34

3.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.32

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.8 ฿1,795

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 ฿39.14

$2.79 TMT 9.33

-58.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿19.30

$0.84 TMT 2.83

-30.95%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.39 ฿79.6

$8.82 TMT 29.54

-72.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.41

$0.41 TMT 1.38

253.66%

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

$21.0K ฿701.4K

$43.7K TMT 146.5K

-51.96%

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

$26.4K ฿882.0K

$57.5K TMT 192.7K

-54.06%

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

$63.7 ฿2,125

$561 TMT 1,880

-88.66%

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

$12.89 ฿430

$58.2 TMT 195

-77.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.52 ฿685

$103 TMT 347

-80.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.02 ฿1,302

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.92 ฿131

Cinema Ticket

$6.58 ฿220

$8.81 TMT 29.52

-25.31%

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

$784 ฿26.2K

$23.08 TMT 77.3

3296.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿489.8K

$24.9K TMT 83.3K

-41.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 ฿1,840

$55.0 TMT 184

0.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.74 ฿826

$113 TMT 379

-78.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.1 ฿3,142

$361 TMT 1,208

-73.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.0 ฿2,469

$192 TMT 642

-61.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.4K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$288 ฿9,620

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$891 ฿29.8K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$521 ฿17.4K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,974 ฿65.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,444 ฿48.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿20.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

9.5

-41.37%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 13, 2026

Last update for Kaka: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $87.0 in Kaka. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $241 vs $669 – making Chiang Mai the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Kaka: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kaka costs about 135% more than Chiang Mai, 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 $1,398 per month in Chiang Mai and $3,282 in Kaka. 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 $87.0 in Kaka. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 178% more in Kaka, 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 Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $932, than in Kaka at $2,188. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Kaka it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $932 versus $2,188 in Kaka. 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 Chiang Mai. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Kaka makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.