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 $866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,038 in Kimberley, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,351 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,752 in Kimberley, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,835 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,466 in Kimberley, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 17% cheaper than Kimberley, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and Kimberley are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Kimberley 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ฿63.5

$11.10 R 181

-82.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 ฿609

$33.16 R 541

-43.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 ฿255

$5.64 R 92.1

38.65%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.8

$2.75 R 44.88

-29.09%

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

$0.85 ฿27.77

$1.24 R 20.15

-31.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.58

$1.21 R 19.83

-71.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.6

$2.51 R 40.93

-15.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

$2.59 R 42.22

44.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿56.0

$1.49 R 24.25

14.77%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$1.07 R 17.42

52.34%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ฿37.15

$2.79 R 45.59

-59.14%

Eggs

$1.93 ฿63.1

$2.74 R 44.72

-29.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ฿530

$5.90 R 96.3

174.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿102

$5.41 R 88.2

-42.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿356

$7.97 R 130

36.76%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ฿90.0

$2.07 R 33.71

32.85%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.52

$2.17 R 35.47

-44.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.0

$1.51 R 24.69

7.28%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$3.12 R 50.8

-49.04%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿45.70

$2.26 R 36.87

-38.05%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.17

$1.21 R 19.67

-3.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.60

$1.23 R 20.13

-46.34%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.22

$0.82 R 13.43

-35.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿153

$2.86 R 46.75

63.99%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿609

$6.60 R 108

182.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.8

$2.14 R 34.87

-15.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$2.61 R 42.60

23.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.26

$1.69 R 27.59

-46.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

$31.03 R 506

-38.09%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.91

$0.66 R 10.70

113.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.12

$0.94 R 15.35

37.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$3.99 R 65.1

96.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.58

$1.33 R 21.70

-4.51%

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

$21.3K ฿694.9K

$21.5K R 351.0K

-1.08%

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

$22.2K ฿725.4K

$23.5K R 383.3K

-5.43%

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

$69.1 ฿2,256

$96.2 R 1,570

-28.23%

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

$14.08 ฿460

$38.82 R 634

-63.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿588

$45.57 R 744

-60.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,341

$21.26 R 347

93.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿193

$6.75 R 110

-12.30%

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

$299 ฿9,766

$157 R 2,559

90.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿488.3K

$4,319 R 70.5K

246.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,787

$34.09 R 556

60.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.77 ฿874

$31.86 R 520

-15.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 ฿2,776

$82.8 R 1,352

2.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,306

$79.5 R 1,298

-11.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

$249 R 4,068

71.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,752

$311 R 5,079

-23.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.2K

$584 R 9,525

37.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$883 R 14.4K

-41.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

$989 R 16.1K

99.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

$640 R 10.4K

130.63%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

$958 R 15.6K

-35.54%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.51

-56.56%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Last update for Kimberley: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $428 in Chiang Mai versus $249 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 55% 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $33.00 in Kimberley. Groceries tell a different story – $246 in Chiang Mai vs $214 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 20% 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 $1,300 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,557 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 $299 per month in Chiang Mai and $157 in Kimberley. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 15% cheaper in Kimberley – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $866 in Chiang Mai and $1,038 in Kimberley, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $866 versus $1,038 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.