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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $947 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,150 in Kimberley, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,411 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,948 in Kimberley, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,874 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,747 in Kimberley, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 18% cheaper than Kimberley, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and Kimberley are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 31% lower, Kimberley 16% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿68.6

$12.56 R 201

-83.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.64 ฿646

$37.73 R 603

-47.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.65 ฿186

$6.11 R 97.8

-7.53%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿59.4

$3.21 R 51.3

-43.61%

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

$0.71 ฿23.45

$1.38 R 22.09

-48.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ฿10.38

$1.35 R 21.56

-76.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.24 ฿73.6

$2.73 R 43.69

-17.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ฿119

$2.85 R 45.57

27.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.96 ฿64.4

$1.64 R 26.17

19.51%

White Bread (500g)

$1.50 ฿49.39

$1.20 R 19.21

25.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 ฿43.93

$3.11 R 49.70

-56.91%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿74.5

$2.95 R 47.17

-23.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.26 ฿535

$6.80 R 109

139.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.95 ฿97.1

$6.26 R 100

-52.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.94 ฿327

$8.85 R 142

12.32%

Apples (1kg)

$2.57 ฿84.6

$2.40 R 38.37

7.08%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 ฿34.73

$2.57 R 41.16

-58.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.61 ฿53.0

$1.78 R 28.52

-9.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.97

$3.38 R 54.0

-55.03%

Potato (1kg)

$1.27 ฿41.77

$1.52 R 24.32

-16.45%

Onion (1kg)

$1.07 ฿35.06

$1.54 R 24.63

-30.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.68

$1.36 R 21.76

-47.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.72

$0.95 R 15.22

-46.32%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 ฿138

$3.29 R 52.6

27.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.87 ฿587

$6.85 R 110

160.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 ฿55.7

$2.36 R 37.66

-28.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 ฿93.3

$2.99 R 47.79

-5.02%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.93 ฿30.43

$1.59 R 25.46

-41.51%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.9 ฿1,771

$34.25 R 548

57.26%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.23 ฿40.59

$0.64 R 10.31

92.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿18.96

$0.91 R 14.59

-36.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.42 ฿79.7

$9.11 R 146

-73.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 ฿46.43

$1.49 R 23.84

-5.37%

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

$21.4K ฿705.1K

$36.4K R 581.7K

-41.04%

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

$27.3K ฿898.7K

$32.7K R 523.0K

-16.41%

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

$63.7 ฿2,093

$109 R 1,737

-41.37%

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

$12.85 ฿423

$35.86 R 574

-64.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.22 ฿665

$42.79 R 684

-52.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.74 ฿1,274

$23.00 R 368

68.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.97 ฿130

Cinema Ticket

$6.74 ฿222

$7.37 R 118

-8.55%

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

$778 ฿25.6K

$261 R 4,167

198.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿480.4K

$5,764 R 92.2K

153.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.3 ฿1,785

$54.0 R 863

0.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.45 ฿837

$34.57 R 553

-26.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.3 ฿3,102

$106 R 1,692

-10.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.4 ฿2,415

$95.3 R 1,524

-22.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.1K

$273 R 4,366

79.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$289 ฿9,512

$341 R 5,447

-15.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$894 ฿29.4K

$660 R 10.6K

35.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$517 ฿17.0K

$981 R 15.7K

-47.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,955 ฿64.3K

$885 R 14.2K

120.80%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,477 ฿48.6K

$645 R 10.3K

129.14%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿19.8K

$970 R 15.5K

-37.93%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

-49.36%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 31, 2026

Last update for Kimberley: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $490 in Chiang Mai versus $273 in Kimberley. 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 61% higher in Kimberley, 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $38.00 in Kimberley. Groceries tell a different story – $240 in Chiang Mai vs $238 in Kimberley – so Kimberley 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 Kimberley: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kimberley costs about 21% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,421 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,724 in Kimberley. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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.

Kindergarten costs $778 per month in Chiang Mai and $261 in Kimberley. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 1% cheaper in Kimberley – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $947, than in Kimberley at $1,150. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Kimberley it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $947 versus $1,150 in Kimberley. 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 Chiang Mai. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Kimberley makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.