Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Kisii

For one person, living is cheaper in Kisii: $304 a month against $935 in Chiang Mai, rent and utilities included – about $7,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai Living Index

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Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$935

/mo nomad

Kisii

🇰🇪 Kenya

$304

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chiang Mai and in Kisii

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 Kisii actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $935 per month in Chiang Mai vs $304 in Kisii, rent included.

Chiang Mai $935
Kisii $304

A couple spends around $1,467 per month in Chiang Mai vs $444 in Kisii, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,467
Kisii $444

A family of three spends $1,999 per month in Chiang Mai vs $585 in Kisii, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,999
Kisii $585

Chiang Mai costs about 208% more than Kisii, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chiang Mai and Kisii are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 31% lower, Kisii 78% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.13 ฿71.4

$2.75 KES 358

-22.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.62 ฿623

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.60 ฿187

Cappuccino

$1.66 ฿55.6

$1.37 KES 178

21.17%

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

$0.65 ฿21.63

$0.87 KES 113

-25.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 ฿10.20

$0.22 KES 28.46

36.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.32 ฿77.7

$1.83 KES 237

26.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿123

$2.25 KES 293

63.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.02 ฿67.4

$0.94 KES 122

114.89%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 ฿47.08

$0.48 KES 62.0

193.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.54

$2.26 KES 294

-38.50%

Eggs

$2.37 ฿79.2

$1.81 KES 236

30.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.52 ฿552

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.67 ฿89.3

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.02 ฿302

$4.67 KES 606

93.15%

Apples (1kg)

$2.40 ฿80.2

Banana (1kg)

$1.04 ฿34.82

Oranges (1kg)

$1.66 ฿55.5

Tomato (1kg)

$1.56 ฿52.1

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 ฿41.39

Onion (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.34

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.76 ฿25.47

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿17.19

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.12 ฿138

Wine (Bottle)

$17.93 ฿600

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 ฿54.3

$1.97 KES 256

-17.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.82 ฿94.4

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.93 ฿31.25

$0.37 KES 47.40

151.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$52.9 ฿1,769

$15.58 KES 2,023

239.47%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.18 ฿39.35

$0.76 KES 98.6

55.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.17 ฿5.73

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.81 ฿60.6

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 ฿49.25

$1.47 KES 190

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

$21.0K ฿702.6K

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

$26.5K ฿886.7K

$11.7K KES 1.5M

127.54%

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

$62.6 ฿2,092

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

$11.60 ฿388

$16.21 KES 2,105

-28.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.30 ฿679

$47.51 KES 6,170

-57.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.88 ฿1,267

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.70 ฿124

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 ฿218

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

$727 ฿24.3K

$37.99 KES 4,933

1813.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.6K ฿554.2K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.5 ฿1,790

$11.44 KES 1,486

368.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.80 ฿829

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.4 ฿3,023

$38.57 KES 5,008

134.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.0 ฿2,407

$30.24 KES 3,927

138.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$481 ฿16.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$310 ฿10.4K

$75.5 KES 9,802

310.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,058 ฿35.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$659 ฿22.0K

$155 KES 20.1K

325.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,418 ฿80.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,609 ฿53.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: November 1, 2026

Last update for Kisii: October 31, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$310 33.1%

Kisii

–

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$237 25.3%

Kisii

–

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$108 11.6%

Kisii

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$94 10.1%

Kisii

–

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$77 8.2%

Kisii

–

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$59 6.3%

Kisii

–

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$51 5.4%

Kisii

–

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇰🇪 Kisii

🕒 Local time

15:06 3:06 PM

11:06 11:06 AM

4 h behind Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

200,000

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Kenyan Shilling KES Sh

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.99 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

1,000 KES = 7.7 USD

1,000 KES = 6.86 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

KES, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

Thai Baht exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 33.44 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.56 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

Kenyan Shilling exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 130 KES (1,000 KES = 7.7 USD). 1 EUR = 146 KES (1,000 KES = 6.86 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Chiang Mai Kisii 7,330 km ≈ 10 h nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
Kisii

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 Kisii: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 208% more than Kisii, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,403 per month in Chiang Mai and $456 in Kisii. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Public transport costs about 71% less in Kisii. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Groceries cost about 335% more in Chiang Mai, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A $800 monthly budget goes further in Kisii, where all-in costs run around $304, than in Chiang Mai at $935. In Kisii it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiang Mai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Chiang Mai has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $304 in Kisii to $935 in Chiang Mai. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.