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 $932 per month in Chiang Mai vs $494 in Kericho, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,399 per month in Chiang Mai vs $778 in Kericho, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,061 in Kericho, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 89% more than Kericho, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Kericho are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 32% lower, Kericho 64% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿69.2

$2.39 KES 309

-12.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.61 ฿652

$20.45 KES 2,646

-4.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.67 ฿189

$6.33 KES 819

-10.43%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿60.0

$2.71 KES 351

-33.21%

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

$0.77 ฿25.55

$0.37 KES 48.51

108.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.48

$0.60 KES 77.1

-41.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿73.6

$2.35 KES 304

-5.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿126

$1.22 KES 158

210.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 ฿68.1

$0.59 KES 76.7

247.46%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 ฿50.4

$0.47 KES 61.1

221.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 ฿46.51

$1.25 KES 162

12.00%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿75.1

$1.65 KES 213

36.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿538

$10.73 KES 1,388

50.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.90 ฿96.3

$6.51 KES 842

-55.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.42 ฿313

$4.06 KES 526

132.02%

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 ฿89.1

$3.30 KES 427

-18.79%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.23

$1.03 KES 133

5.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.8

$2.05 KES 265

-20.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.55

$1.09 KES 141

33.94%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.48

$0.68 KES 87.8

88.24%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 ฿35.17

$0.71 KES 92.4

49.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.85

$0.30 KES 38.72

140.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.49

$0.65 KES 83.5

-18.46%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.23 ฿141

$3.45 KES 446

22.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.29 ฿608

$11.69 KES 1,513

56.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ฿54.2

$2.22 KES 287

-26.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿96.5

$2.84 KES 367

2.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.20

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.8 ฿1,788

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 ฿38.99

$1.51 KES 195

-22.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿19.22

$1.57 KES 203

-63.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.39 ฿79.3

$2.83 KES 366

-15.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.22

$1.60 KES 207

-9.38%

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

$21.0K ฿698.6K

$22.0K KES 2.8M

-4.48%

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

$26.4K ฿878.6K

$20.5K KES 2.7M

29.02%

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

$63.7 ฿2,116

$61.0 KES 7,897

4.31%

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

$12.89 ฿429

$15.96 KES 2,065

-19.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.52 ฿682

$35.45 KES 4,587

-42.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.02 ฿1,297

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.92 ฿130

Cinema Ticket

$6.58 ฿219

$7.60 KES 984

-13.42%

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

$784 ฿26.1K

$252 KES 32.6K

211.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿487.9K

$11.4K KES 1.5M

29.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 ฿1,833

$28.36 KES 3,670

94.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.74 ฿823

$27.65 KES 3,578

-10.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.1 ฿3,130

$69.5 KES 8,998

35.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.0 ฿2,459

$57.6 KES 7,453

28.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.3K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$288 ฿9,582

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$891 ฿29.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$521 ฿17.3K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,974 ฿65.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,444 ฿48.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿20.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

14.71

-62.13%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 13, 2026

Last update for Kericho: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $20.00 in Kericho. Groceries tell a different story – $241 in Chiang Mai vs $188 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 89% 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 $1,398 per month in Chiang Mai and $741 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai and $20.00 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.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Kericho, where all-in costs run around $494, than in Chiang Mai at $932. In Kericho 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. Kericho costs $494 versus $932 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.