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 $869 per month in Chiang Mai vs $454 in Kericho, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,362 per month in Chiang Mai vs $724 in Kericho, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,855 per month in Chiang Mai vs $995 in Kericho, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 91% more than Kericho, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Kericho are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Kericho 66% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.98 ฿64.3

$2.29 KES 297

-13.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.80 ฿612

$21.16 KES 2,744

-11.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.75 ฿252

$6.90 KES 895

12.32%

Cappuccino

$1.92 ฿62.5

$2.45 KES 317

-21.63%

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

$0.79 ฿25.79

$0.37 KES 48.26

113.51%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.62

$0.54 KES 70.1

-33.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$2.33 KES 302

-5.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

$1.26 KES 164

190.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿53.8

$0.60 KES 77.8

175.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$0.45 KES 58.2

262.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.86

$1.22 KES 158

-2.46%

Eggs

$2.00 ฿65.1

$1.68 KES 218

19.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.98 ฿520

$11.64 KES 1,509

37.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.03 ฿98.5

$6.86 KES 890

-55.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 ฿354

$4.14 KES 537

162.32%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 ฿90.0

$3.13 KES 406

-11.82%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.42

$1.04 KES 135

13.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$2.10 KES 272

-21.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.51

$1.06 KES 137

43.40%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿45.10

$0.68 KES 88.2

102.94%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.84

$0.72 KES 94.0

65.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ฿22.86

$0.30 KES 38.25

133.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.13

$0.64 KES 82.7

-12.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.58 ฿149

$3.18 KES 412

44.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.56 ฿539

$11.38 KES 1,476

45.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿59.5

$2.21 KES 287

-17.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 ฿104

$2.72 KES 352

17.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿28.56

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.72 ฿610

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿44.16

$1.53 KES 198

-11.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿43.65

$1.57 KES 204

-14.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$2.84 KES 368

176.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿39.92

$1.02 KES 132

20.59%

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

$21.6K ฿704.3K

$21.3K KES 2.8M

1.50%

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

$22.5K ฿734.3K

$19.8K KES 2.6M

14.13%

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

$70.5 ฿2,298

$34.99 KES 4,537

101.60%

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

$13.68 ฿445

$16.56 KES 2,147

-17.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.45 ฿568

$40.13 KES 5,203

-56.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.33 ฿1,346

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

Cinema Ticket

$5.77 ฿188

$6.15 KES 798

-6.18%

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

$307 ฿10.0K

$203 KES 26.3K

51.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿475.9K

$7,890 KES 1.0M

85.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,817

$18.09 KES 2,345

208.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.21 ฿854

$24.43 KES 3,168

7.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 ฿2,793

$65.2 KES 8,452

31.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.2 ฿2,353

$56.1 KES 7,270

28.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$430 ฿14.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿7,774

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$817 ฿26.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$511 ฿16.6K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,983 ฿64.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,484 ฿48.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$619 ฿20.2K

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Kericho: June 6, 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 – $241 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 91% 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 $1,303 per month in Chiang Mai and $681 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 26% 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 $869 in Chiang Mai and $454 in Kericho, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Kericho costs $454 versus $869 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.