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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $434 in Kilifi, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,354 per month in Chiang Mai vs $768 in Kilifi, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,857 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,102 in Kilifi, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 96% more than Kilifi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Kilifi are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Kilifi 68% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿64.0

$2.27 KES 293

-13.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.81 ฿615

$50.2 KES 6,475

-62.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.92 ฿259

$2.38 KES 308

232.77%

Cappuccino

$1.91 ฿62.6

$1.95 KES 251

-2.05%

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

$0.84 ฿27.41

$0.79 KES 102

6.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.51

$0.81 KES 104

-56.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$1.96 KES 254

12.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 ฿124

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$0.87 KES 113

88.51%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 ฿53.1

$0.81 KES 104

100.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.62

$1.90 KES 246

-37.89%

Eggs

$2.01 ฿65.8

$1.89 KES 244

6.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.89 ฿520

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.01 ฿98.5

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.77 ฿352

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 ฿85.5

$2.27 KES 293

14.98%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿39.88

$0.87 KES 113

40.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.7

$1.75 KES 226

-2.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 ฿51.5

$0.66 KES 84.7

139.39%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 ฿43.14

$0.63 KES 81.1

109.52%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.23

$0.60 KES 77.1

95.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿21.98

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.32

$0.24 KES 31.13

133.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.53 ฿148

Wine (Bottle)

$18.20 ฿595

$11.49 KES 1,483

58.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿60.0

$1.97 KES 254

-7.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ฿29.00

$0.75 KES 97.1

18.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.38 ฿634

$26.89 KES 3,471

-27.93%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.35 ฿44.20

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 ฿44.05

$0.80 KES 103

68.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.25 ฿270

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.64

$1.36 KES 176

-6.62%

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

$21.2K ฿691.8K

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

$22.5K ฿735.3K

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

$70.2 ฿2,294

$15.69 KES 2,026

347.10%

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

$13.77 ฿450

$10.29 KES 1,328

33.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.60 ฿575

$25.10 KES 3,239

-29.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.57 ฿1,360

$27.31 KES 3,525

52.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.60 ฿216

Cinema Ticket

$5.78 ฿189

$7.90 KES 1,020

-26.84%

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

$306 ฿10.0K

$161 KES 20.7K

90.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿484.8K

$5,109 KES 659.5K

190.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.4 ฿1,778

$9.50 KES 1,226

472.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.14 ฿855

$8.66 KES 1,117

201.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.5 ฿2,764

$15.32 KES 1,977

451.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.4 ฿2,270

$17.73 KES 2,288

291.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$424 ฿13.9K

$173 KES 22.4K

144.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$238 ฿7,788

$113 KES 14.6K

110.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$825 ฿27.0K

$267 KES 34.5K

208.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$262 KES 33.9K

96.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,049 ฿67.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,523 ฿49.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$635 ฿20.8K

$236 KES 30.4K

169.49%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

-37.50%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 27, 2026

Last update for Kilifi: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $424 in Chiang Mai versus $173 in Kilifi. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 169% higher in Chiang Mai, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $50.0 in Kilifi. Groceries tell a different story – $243 in Chiang Mai vs $98.0 in Kilifi – so Kilifi 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 Kilifi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 96% more than Kilifi, 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 $1,278 per month in Chiang Mai and $651 in Kilifi. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Kilifi, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $306 per month in Chiang Mai and $161 in Kilifi. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 149% 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 $434 in Kilifi, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Kilifi costs $434 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 Kilifi. 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.