Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Kasese

For one person, living is cheaper in Kasese: $186 a month against $925 in Chiang Mai, rent and utilities included – about $8,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai Living Index

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Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$925

/mo nomad

Kasese

🇺🇬 Uganda

$186

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

A single person spends $925 per month in Chiang Mai vs $186 in Kasese, rent included.

Chiang Mai $925
Kasese $186

A couple spends around $1,414 per month in Chiang Mai vs $298 in Kasese, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,414
Kasese $298

A family of three spends $1,903 per month in Chiang Mai vs $410 in Kasese, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,903
Kasese $410

Chiang Mai costs about 398% more than Kasese, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chiang Mai and Kasese are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 32% lower, Kasese 86% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.29 ฿76.5

$1.67 UGX 6,865

37.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.64 ฿656

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.61 ฿188

Cappuccino

$1.66 ฿55.6

$2.48 UGX 10.2K

-33.06%

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

$0.70 ฿23.40

$0.37 UGX 1,534

89.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.24

$0.23 UGX 938

34.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿80.4

$0.75 UGX 3,093

221.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.71 ฿124

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 ฿65.3

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 ฿47.03

$0.99 UGX 4,067

42.42%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.31 ฿43.62

$0.80 UGX 3,301

63.75%

Eggs

$2.18 ฿72.9

$2.63 UGX 10.8K

-17.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.65 ฿556

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.76 ฿92.2

$4.72 UGX 19.4K

-41.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.11 ฿304

$3.72 UGX 15.3K

144.89%

Apples (1kg)

$2.39 ฿80.0

$2.39 UGX 9,851

Banana (1kg)

$1.03 ฿34.26

Oranges (1kg)

$1.63 ฿54.4

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.0

$0.50 UGX 2,057

200.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.29 ฿43.13

$0.49 UGX 2,032

163.27%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 ฿37.03

$0.50 UGX 2,055

122.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿24.08

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.59

$0.46 UGX 1,900

15.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.31 ฿144

Wine (Bottle)

$17.95 ฿600

$3.53 UGX 14.5K

408.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 ฿52.9

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 ฿95.0

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 ฿28.86

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.3 ฿1,780

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.21 ฿40.29

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.57 ฿18.99

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.35 ฿78.6

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 ฿47.96

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

$20.7K ฿692.8K

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

$26.8K ฿895.7K

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

$62.3 ฿2,083

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

$12.11 ฿405

$12.07 UGX 49.6K

0.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.94 ฿666

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.07 ฿1,239

$23.74 UGX 97.6K

56.15%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.78 ฿126

Cinema Ticket

$6.50 ฿217

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

$793 ฿26.5K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿494.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.7 ฿1,796

$12.05 UGX 49.6K

345.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.62 ฿823

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.9 ฿3,036

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.1 ฿2,378

$16.55 UGX 68.1K

329.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$455 ฿15.2K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$298 ฿9,954

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$908 ฿30.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$554 ฿18.5K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,931 ฿64.5K

$362 UGX 1.5M

433.77%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,445 ฿48.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$591 ฿19.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 17, 2026

Last update for Kasese: October 20, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$298 32.2%

Kasese

–

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$235 25.5%

Kasese

–

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$108 11.7%

Kasese

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$94 10.2%

Kasese

–

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$79 8.5%

Kasese

–

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$61 6.6%

Kasese

–

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$50 5.4%

Kasese

–

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇺🇬 Kasese

🕒 Local time

03:31 3:31 AM

23:31 11:31 PM

4 h behind Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

101,679

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Ugandan Shilling UGX Sh

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.99 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

10,000 UGX = 2.43 USD

10,000 UGX = 2.16 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

UGX, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 33.42 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.57 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

Ugandan Shilling exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 4,113 UGX (10,000 UGX = 2.43 USD). 1 EUR = 4,624 UGX (10,000 UGX = 2.16 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Chiang Mai Kasese 7,790 km ≈ 10 h nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
Kasese

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 Kasese: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 398% more than Kasese, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,388 per month in Chiang Mai and $279 in Kasese. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $925 in Chiang Mai and $186 in Kasese. That's a gap of about 398%.

Groceries cost about 168% 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 $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Kasese, where all-in costs run around $186, than in Chiang Mai at $925. In Kasese 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. Kasese costs $186 versus $925 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 Kasese. 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.