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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $458 in Kericho, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,360 per month in Chiang Mai vs $728 in Kericho, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,867 per month in Chiang Mai vs $999 in Kericho, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 86% more than Kericho, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Kericho are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Kericho 66% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.04 ฿68.2

$2.35 KES 304

-13.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.71 ฿624

$20.61 KES 2,663

-9.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.86 ฿262

$6.63 KES 857

18.55%

Cappuccino

$2.03 ฿67.7

$2.49 KES 322

-18.47%

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

$0.80 ฿26.64

$0.37 KES 47.91

116.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.68

$0.54 KES 69.6

-35.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.5

$2.39 KES 308

-10.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿122

$1.25 KES 162

193.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 ฿57.6

$0.63 KES 82.0

174.60%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.4

$0.48 KES 61.6

227.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 ฿39.99

$1.27 KES 165

-5.51%

Eggs

$1.97 ฿65.8

$1.62 KES 210

21.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.23 ฿541

$11.58 KES 1,497

40.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.06 ฿102

$6.54 KES 845

-53.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.80 ฿360

$4.30 KES 556

151.16%

Apples (1kg)

$2.77 ฿92.3

$3.07 KES 397

-9.77%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.94

$1.09 KES 141

7.34%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 ฿57.0

$2.09 KES 270

-18.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿53.2

$1.05 KES 135

51.43%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.51

$0.73 KES 93.9

90.41%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 ฿38.56

$0.69 KES 88.6

68.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿22.05

$0.30 KES 38.57

120.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.31

$0.65 KES 83.4

-20.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 ฿155

$3.05 KES 394

52.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.78 ฿593

$11.60 KES 1,499

53.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ฿59.6

$2.28 KES 295

-21.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 ฿111

$2.83 KES 366

18.02%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿30.27

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.64 ฿622

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿47.04

$1.60 KES 206

-11.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.70

$1.50 KES 194

-10.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.11 ฿270

$2.96 KES 383

173.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿41.16

$1.01 KES 130

21.78%

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

$21.4K ฿715.1K

$21.4K KES 2.8M

0.26%

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

$21.8K ฿728.0K

$20.0K KES 2.6M

8.89%

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

$71.3 ฿2,379

$34.54 KES 4,464

106.51%

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

$14.01 ฿467

$17.03 KES 2,201

-17.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.93 ฿598

$39.47 KES 5,101

-54.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.82 ฿1,362

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿230

Cinema Ticket

$5.72 ฿191

$6.23 KES 806

-8.19%

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

$308 ฿10.3K

$205 KES 26.5K

50.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿489.7K

$8,054 KES 1.0M

82.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,860

$17.92 KES 2,316

211.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.04 ฿869

$23.68 KES 3,060

9.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 ฿2,829

$64.2 KES 8,303

32.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.0 ฿2,368

$57.2 KES 7,393

24.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$423 ฿14.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 ฿8,088

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$797 ฿26.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$507 ฿16.9K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,918 ฿64.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,464 ฿48.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

14.84

-66.31%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 27, 2026

Last update for Kericho: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $21.00 in Kericho. Groceries tell a different story – $244 in Chiang Mai vs $191 in Kericho – so Kericho 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 Kericho: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 86% more than Kericho, 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 $1,279 per month in Chiang Mai and $688 in Kericho. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai and $21.00 in Kericho. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 28% 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.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $852 in Chiang Mai and $458 in Kericho, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Kericho costs $458 versus $852 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 Kericho. 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.