Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Kilmarnock, East Ayrshire

For one person, living is cheaper in Chiang Mai: $938 a month against $2,327 in Kilmarnock, East Ayrshire, rent and utilities included – about $16,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Chiang Mai
🇹🇭 Thailand
$938
/mo nomad
Kilmarnock, East Ayrshire
🇬🇧 United Kingdom
$2,327
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chiang Mai and in Kilmarnock, East Ayrshire

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 Kilmarnock, East Ayrshire actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $938 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,327 in Kilmarnock, East Ayrshire, rent included.

  • Chiang Mai $938
  • Kilmarnock, East Ayrshire $2,327

A couple spends around $1,426 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,267 in Kilmarnock, East Ayrshire, rent included.

  • Chiang Mai $1,426
  • Kilmarnock, East Ayrshire $3,267

A family of three spends $1,914 per month in Chiang Mai vs $4,207 in Kilmarnock, East Ayrshire, rent included.

  • Chiang Mai $1,914
  • Kilmarnock, East Ayrshire $4,207

Chiang Mai is about 60% cheaper than Kilmarnock, East Ayrshire, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Chiang Mai sits 30% below the global median, while Kilmarnock, East Ayrshire is 72% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Chiang Mai
Kilmarnock, East Ayrshire
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.26 ฿75.4
$22.76 £17.08
-90.07%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$19.18 ฿641
$66.0 £49.50
-70.93%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.59 ฿187
$8.17 £6.13
-31.58%
Cappuccino
$1.72 ฿57.6
$4.61 £3.46
-62.69%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.64 ฿21.54
$1.99 £1.49
-67.84%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.33 ฿11.18
$1.60 £1.20
-79.38%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.36 ฿78.7
$4.26 £3.20
-44.60%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.90 ฿130
$5.33 £4.00
-26.83%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Chiang Mai
Kilmarnock, East Ayrshire
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.05 ฿68.6
$1.89 £1.42
8.47%
White Bread (500g)
$1.40 ฿46.70
$2.37 £1.78
-40.93%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.28 ฿42.89
$1.34 £1.00
-4.48%
Eggs
$2.25 ฿75.3
$3.22 £2.42
-30.12%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$16.94 ฿566
$9.15 £6.87
85.14%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$2.74 ฿91.6
$10.48 £7.86
-73.85%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$9.36 ฿313
$15.48 £11.62
-39.53%
Apples (1kg)
$2.40 ฿80.3
$2.62 £1.96
-8.40%
Banana (1kg)
$1.01 ฿33.92
$1.94 £1.46
-47.94%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.61 ฿53.9
$1.94 £1.46
-17.01%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.52 ฿50.7
$4.00 £3.00
-62.00%
Potato (1kg)
$1.28 ฿42.90
$2.35 £1.76
-45.53%
Onion (1kg)
$1.11 ฿37.22
$1.51 £1.14
-26.49%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.72 ฿24.09
$1.40 £1.05
-48.57%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.52 ฿17.54
$1.87 £1.41
-72.19%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.33 ฿145
$23.71 £17.79
-81.74%
Wine (Bottle)
$17.73 ฿593
$12.20 £9.15
45.33%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.63 ฿54.4
$2.73 £2.05
-40.29%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.85 ฿95.3
$3.03 £2.27
-5.94%
🚌 Getting Around
Chiang Mai
Kilmarnock, East Ayrshire
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.85 ฿28.31
$3.50 £2.62
-75.71%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$53.9 ฿1,801
$96.9 £72.7
-44.39%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.17 ฿39.18
$4.77 £3.58
-75.47%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.57 ฿19.00
$1.56 £1.17
-63.46%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$2.37 ฿79.2
$20.05 £15.05
-88.18%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.45 ฿48.32
$2.17 £1.63
-33.18%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$20.5K ฿684.3K
$38.9K £29.2K
-47.31%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.5K ฿886.1K
$41.1K £30.8K
-35.43%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Chiang Mai
Kilmarnock, East Ayrshire
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$62.3 ฿2,083
$264 £198
-76.36%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$12.27 ฿410
$24.46 £18.35
-49.84%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$19.97 ฿668
$46.30 £34.73
-56.87%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Chiang Mai
Kilmarnock, East Ayrshire
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$37.91 ฿1,267
$45.23 £33.93
-16.18%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$3.76 ฿126
$39.89 £29.93
-90.57%
Cinema Ticket
$6.71 ฿224
$14.42 £10.82
-53.47%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Chiang Mai
Kilmarnock, East Ayrshire
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$797 ฿26.6K
$1,396 £1,047
-42.89%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$14.8K ฿495.7K
$18.1K £13.6K
-17.90%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Chiang Mai
Kilmarnock, East Ayrshire
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$53.3 ฿1,780
$81.5 £61.2
-34.69%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$25.05 ฿837
$45.81 £34.37
-45.32%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$91.6 ฿3,062
$104 £78.4
-12.30%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$73.5 ฿2,455
$103 £77.3
-28.66%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Chiang Mai
Kilmarnock, East Ayrshire
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$464 ฿15.5K
$1,206 £905
-61.52%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$305 ฿10.2K
$1,014 £761
-69.95%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$915 ฿30.6K
$2,079 £1,560
-55.97%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$552 ฿18.5K
$1,367 £1,025
-59.59%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,912 ฿63.9K
$5,098 £3,825
-62.50%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,438 ฿48.1K
$3,901 £2,927
-63.13%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Chiang Mai
Kilmarnock, East Ayrshire
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$595 ฿19.9K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.57
4.91
13.44%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 13, 2026

Last update for Kilmarnock, East Ayrshire: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Chiang Mai
$305
Kilmarnock, East Ayrshire
$1K 233% $709
Groceries & Markets
Chiang Mai
$238
Kilmarnock, East Ayrshire
$322 35.3% $84
Clothing & Footwear
Chiang Mai
$110
Kilmarnock, East Ayrshire
$151 37.6% $41
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Chiang Mai
$95
Kilmarnock, East Ayrshire
$334 254% $240
Eating Out
Chiang Mai
$79
Kilmarnock, East Ayrshire
$308 290% $229
Getting Around
Chiang Mai
$61
Kilmarnock, East Ayrshire
$123 101% $62
Sport & Entertainment
Chiang Mai
$51
Kilmarnock, East Ayrshire
$74 44.3% $23

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $464 in Chiang Mai versus $1,206 in Kilmarnock, East Ayrshire. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $66.0 in Kilmarnock, East Ayrshire. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $238 vs $322 – making Chiang Mai the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇹🇭 Chiang Mai
🇬🇧 Kilmarnock, East Ayrshire
🕒 Local time
19:01 7:01 PM
13:01 1:01 PM
6 h behind Chiang Mai
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
127,240
45,000
💱 Currency
Thai Baht THB ฿
Exchange rates and currency converter

GBP, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 33.42 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.57 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

British Pound exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 0.75 GBP (1 GBP = 1.33 USD). 1 EUR = 0.843 GBP (1 GBP = 1.19 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Chiang Mai Kilmarnock, East Ayrshire 9,110 km ≈ 12 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Chiang Mai
  • Kilmarnock, East Ayrshire

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 Kilmarnock, East Ayrshire: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Chiang Mai or Kilmarnock, East Ayrshire?
Kilmarnock, East Ayrshire costs about 148% more than Chiang Mai, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from eating out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Chiang Mai and in Kilmarnock, East Ayrshire?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,408 per month in Chiang Mai and $3,490 in Kilmarnock, East Ayrshire. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Chiang Mai or Kilmarnock, East Ayrshire?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Chiang Mai, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
How do childcare costs compare in Chiang Mai and in Kilmarnock, East Ayrshire?
Kindergarten costs $797 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,396 in Kilmarnock, East Ayrshire. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Are groceries more expensive in Chiang Mai or in Kilmarnock, East Ayrshire?
Groceries cost about 35% more in Kilmarnock, East Ayrshire, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Chiang Mai or in Kilmarnock, East Ayrshire?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $938, than in Kilmarnock, East Ayrshire at $2,327. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Kilmarnock, East Ayrshire it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Chiang Mai or Kilmarnock, East Ayrshire?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $938 versus $2,327 in Kilmarnock, East Ayrshire. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.
How safe is Chiang Mai compared to Kilmarnock, East Ayrshire?
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.
Should I move to Chiang Mai or to Kilmarnock, East Ayrshire?
If budget matters most, go with Chiang Mai. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Kilmarnock, East Ayrshire makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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