Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Kitale

For one person, living is cheaper in Kitale: $4.79 a month against $936 in Chiang Mai, rent and utilities included – about $11,200 less a year. Other living expenses account for most 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

$936

/mo nomad

Kitale

🇰🇪 Kenya

$4.79

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

A single person spends $936 per month in Chiang Mai vs $4.79 in Kitale, rent included.

Chiang Mai $936
Kitale $4.79

A couple spends around $1,457 per month in Chiang Mai vs $7.67 in Kitale, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,457
Kitale $7.67

A family of three spends $1,979 per month in Chiang Mai vs $10.54 in Kitale, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,979
Kitale $10.54

Chiang Mai costs about 19432% more than Kitale, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chiang Mai and Kitale are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 31% lower, Kitale 100% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.24 ฿75.6

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.00 ฿641

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.55 ฿187

Cappuccino

$1.67 ฿56.5

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

$0.64 ฿21.53

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.30

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.36 ฿79.5

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿124

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 ฿65.7

White Bread (500g)

$1.44 ฿48.45

$0.48 KES 62.2

200.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 ฿45.01

Eggs

$2.28 ฿77.0

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.45 ฿555

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.78 ฿93.8

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.31 ฿314

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 ฿79.4

Banana (1kg)

$0.97 ฿32.78

Oranges (1kg)

$1.60 ฿53.9

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.6

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿43.10

Onion (1kg)

$1.10 ฿37.17

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 ฿23.81

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.36

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.14 ฿140

Wine (Bottle)

$17.52 ฿591

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.61 ฿54.5

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿93.9

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.87 ฿29.29

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.1 ฿1,825

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.16 ฿39.03

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ฿17.79

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.42 ฿81.7

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.87

$1.74 KES 226

-16.67%

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

$21.1K ฿710.3K

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

$26.9K ฿908.7K

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

$62.2 ฿2,097

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

$12.17 ฿410

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.12 ฿679

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.31 ฿1,259

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.77 ฿127

Cinema Ticket

$6.49 ฿219

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

$736 ฿24.8K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿498.0K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.4 ฿1,800

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.64 ฿831

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.5 ฿3,086

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.9 ฿2,426

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.3K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$309 ฿10.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 ฿33.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$633 ฿21.4K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,363 ฿79.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,589 ฿53.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$590 ฿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: October 26, 2026

Last update for Kitale: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$309 33%

Kitale

–

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$234 25.1%

Kitale

–

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$109 11.6%

Kitale

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$94 10.1%

Kitale

–

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$78 8.3%

Kitale

–

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$61 6.6%

Kitale

–

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$50 5.4%

Kitale

–

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇰🇪 Kitale

🕒 Local time

23:46 11:46 PM

19:46 7:46 PM

4 h behind Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

107,806

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Kenyan Shilling KES Sh

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.96 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

1,000 KES = 7.7 USD

1,000 KES = 6.9 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 2, 2026: 1 USD = 33.73 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.64 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

Kenyan Shilling exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 130 KES (1,000 KES = 7.7 USD). 1 EUR = 145 KES (1,000 KES = 6.9 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Chiang Mai Kitale 7,240 km ≈ 10 h nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
Kitale

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 Kitale: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 19432% more than Kitale, 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 $7.19 in Kitale. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $936 in Chiang Mai and $4.79 in Kitale. That makes Kitale about 99% cheaper.

Groceries cost about 4793% more in Chiang Mai, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A $800 monthly budget goes further in Kitale, where all-in costs run around $4.79, than in Chiang Mai at $936. In Kitale 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 $4.79 in Kitale to $936 in Chiang Mai. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.