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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $932 per month in Chiang Mai vs $545 in Migori, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,399 per month in Chiang Mai vs $885 in Migori, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,226 in Migori, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 71% more than Migori, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Chiang Mai and Migori are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 32% lower, Migori 60% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿69.2

$4.68 KES 606

-55.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.61 ฿652

$35.10 KES 4,542

-44.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.67 ฿189

$6.26 KES 809

-9.42%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿60.0

$2.70 KES 350

-32.96%

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

$0.77 ฿25.55

$0.64 KES 82.7

20.31%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.48

$0.62 KES 80.5

-43.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿73.6

$2.25 KES 291

-1.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿126

$2.75 KES 356

37.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 ฿68.1

$0.94 KES 122

118.09%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 ฿50.4

$0.55 KES 70.7

174.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 ฿46.51

$1.86 KES 241

-24.73%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿75.1

$1.74 KES 226

29.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿538

$10.94 KES 1,415

47.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.90 ฿96.3

$6.59 KES 853

-55.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.42 ฿313

$6.35 KES 822

48.35%

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 ฿89.1

$3.35 KES 434

-20.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.23

$1.08 KES 140

0.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.8

$1.97 KES 254

-17.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.55

$1.09 KES 141

33.94%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.48

$1.09 KES 141

17.43%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 ฿35.17

$1.09 KES 141

-2.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.85

$0.74 KES 96.0

-2.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.49

$0.78 KES 101

-32.05%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.23 ฿141

$3.53 KES 457

19.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.29 ฿608

$11.46 KES 1,483

59.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ฿54.2

$2.28 KES 295

-28.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿96.5

$2.81 KES 363

3.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.20

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.8 ฿1,788

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 ฿38.99

$1.53 KES 197

-23.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿19.22

$1.50 KES 194

-61.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.39 ฿79.3

$2.89 KES 374

-17.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.22

$1.51 KES 195

-3.97%

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

$21.0K ฿698.6K

$21.3K KES 2.8M

-1.58%

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

$26.4K ฿878.6K

$20.5K KES 2.6M

29.16%

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

$63.7 ฿2,116

$61.5 KES 7,957

3.51%

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

$12.89 ฿429

$15.84 KES 2,050

-18.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.52 ฿682

$36.18 KES 4,682

-43.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.02 ฿1,297

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.92 ฿130

Cinema Ticket

$6.58 ฿219

$7.90 KES 1,023

-16.71%

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

$784 ฿26.1K

$253 KES 32.7K

210.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿487.9K

$11.4K KES 1.5M

28.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 ฿1,833

$27.66 KES 3,579

99.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.74 ฿823

$27.57 KES 3,568

-10.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.1 ฿3,130

$69.5 KES 8,991

35.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.0 ฿2,459

$59.1 KES 7,653

25.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.3K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$288 ฿9,582

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$891 ฿29.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$521 ฿17.3K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,974 ฿65.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,444 ฿48.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿20.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

14.71

-62.13%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 13, 2026

Last update for Migori: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $35.00 in Migori. Groceries tell a different story – $241 in Chiang Mai vs $208 in Migori – so Migori 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 Migori: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 71% more than Migori, with the gap driven mainly by Getting Around. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,398 per month in Chiang Mai and $817 in Migori. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Chiang Mai and $35.00 in Migori. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 16% more in Chiang Mai, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Migori, where all-in costs run around $545, than in Chiang Mai at $932. In Migori it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiang Mai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Migori costs $545 versus $932 in Chiang Mai. 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 Migori. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chiang Mai makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.