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

🙂 Solo nomad: Chiang Mai is 15.1% cheaper than Lusaka without rent, and 2.6% more expensive with rent.

🙂 Family of 3: Chiang Mai is 7.3% cheaper than Lusaka without rent, and 12.9% cheaper with rent.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.01 ฿64.4

$7.23 ZMW 138

-72.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.23 ฿583

$24.83 ZMW 475

-26.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.65 ฿244

$3.68 ZMW 70.4

107.88%

Cappuccino

$1.92 ฿61.3

$1.99 ZMW 38.11

-3.52%

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

$0.84 ฿26.90

$0.72 ZMW 13.85

16.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.39

$0.34 ZMW 6.50

5.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.19 ฿70.0

$0.92 ZMW 17.66

138.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿121

$1.74 ZMW 33.24

117.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 ฿52.4

$1.32 ZMW 25.17

24.24%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 ฿51.8

$0.73 ZMW 14.02

121.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.15 ฿36.88

$1.60 ZMW 30.67

-28.13%

Eggs

$1.94 ฿62.0

$1.84 ZMW 35.25

5.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.94 ฿510

$7.70 ZMW 147

107.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.10 ฿99.2

$3.98 ZMW 76.1

-22.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.07 ฿354

$4.74 ZMW 90.7

133.54%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 ฿86.5

$2.48 ZMW 47.52

9.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 ฿37.69

$1.67 ZMW 31.91

-29.34%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 ฿54.5

$2.80 ZMW 53.5

-38.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.61 ฿51.3

$1.17 ZMW 22.40

37.61%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 ฿44.53

$1.89 ZMW 36.17

-26.46%

Onion (1kg)

$1.15 ฿36.70

$1.36 ZMW 26.09

-15.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 ฿22.76

$0.94 ZMW 17.92

-24.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ฿17.60

$0.48 ZMW 9.17

14.58%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.57 ฿146

$2.53 ZMW 48.34

80.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.87 ฿603

$8.07 ZMW 154

133.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.82 ฿58.2

$1.13 ZMW 21.61

61.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.21 ฿103

$1.53 ZMW 29.26

109.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿28.16

$1.00 ZMW 19.17

-12.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.89 ฿604

$38.65 ZMW 739

-51.13%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.17

$2.73 ZMW 52.2

-48.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.30 ฿41.59

$1.13 ZMW 21.63

15.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.20 ฿262

$8.99 ZMW 172

-8.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿39.18

$1.23 ZMW 23.50

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

$21.2K ฿677.0K

$8,140 ZMW 155.7K

160.13%

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

$22.3K ฿713.3K

$28.5K ZMW 544.9K

-21.67%

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

$69.9 ฿2,234

$92.9 ZMW 1,778

-24.81%

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

$14.07 ฿450

$53.1 ZMW 1,016

-73.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.70 ฿566

$126 ZMW 2,402

-85.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.41 ฿1,324

$45.23 ZMW 865

-8.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.69 ฿214

$13.75 ZMW 263

-51.35%

Cinema Ticket

$5.74 ฿184

$4.27 ZMW 81.6

34.43%

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

$299 ฿9,566

$175 ZMW 3,349

70.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿479.8K

$9,583 ZMW 183.3K

56.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.8 ฿1,753

$18.74 ZMW 358

192.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.35 ฿842

$17.19 ZMW 329

53.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.7 ฿2,706

$85.8 ZMW 1,642

-1.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.7 ฿2,229

$73.9 ZMW 1,414

-5.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$427 ฿13.6K

$222 ZMW 4,251

92.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$241 ฿7,697

$120 ZMW 2,299

100.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$811 ฿25.9K

$1,042 ZMW 19.9K

-22.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$498 ฿15.9K

$600 ZMW 11.5K

-16.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,022 ฿64.7K

$1,997 ZMW 38.2K

1.27%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,524 ฿48.7K

$3,895 ZMW 74.5K

-60.88%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$639 ฿20.4K

$344 ZMW 6,576

85.93%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

-80.00%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 13, 2026

Last update for Lusaka: April 13, 2026

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 other spots: cost of living compared

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