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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $604 in Mombasa, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,351 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,064 in Mombasa, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,835 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,525 in Mombasa, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 43% more than Mombasa, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Mombasa are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Mombasa 55% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ฿63.5

$2.37 KES 308

-18.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 ฿609

$19.29 KES 2,498

-3.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 ฿255

$8.53 KES 1,106

-8.32%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.8

$3.25 KES 421

-40.00%

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

$0.85 ฿27.77

$0.51 KES 66.3

66.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.58

$0.47 KES 61.2

-25.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.6

$1.90 KES 246

12.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

$2.93 KES 380

27.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿56.0

$0.81 KES 104

111.11%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$0.53 KES 69.3

207.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ฿37.15

$1.44 KES 187

-20.83%

Eggs

$1.93 ฿63.1

$1.73 KES 223

11.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ฿530

$9.96 KES 1,291

62.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿102

$5.82 KES 754

-46.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿356

$5.24 KES 679

108.02%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ฿90.0

$1.81 KES 234

51.93%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.52

$0.93 KES 121

30.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.0

$1.56 KES 202

3.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$0.76 KES 98.2

109.21%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿45.70

$0.71 KES 92.4

97.18%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.17

$1.05 KES 136

11.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.60

$0.67 KES 86.9

-1.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.22

$0.57 KES 74.0

-7.02%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿153

$3.32 KES 430

41.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿609

$7.90 KES 1,023

136.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.8

$1.94 KES 252

-7.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$2.73 KES 354

18.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.26

$0.79 KES 103

13.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

$35.09 KES 4,546

-45.26%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.91

$3.02 KES 391

-53.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.12

$1.95 KES 252

-33.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$4.61 KES 597

70.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.58

$1.60 KES 208

-20.63%

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

$21.3K ฿694.9K

$12.1K KES 1.6M

76.07%

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

$22.2K ฿725.4K

$11.8K KES 1.5M

88.45%

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

$69.1 ฿2,256

$44.87 KES 5,813

53.93%

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

$14.08 ฿460

$14.07 KES 1,822

0.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿588

$44.11 KES 5,715

-59.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,341

$18.18 KES 2,356

125.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$18.95 KES 2,455

-63.27%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿193

$4.55 KES 589

30.11%

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

$299 ฿9,766

$87.3 KES 11.3K

242.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿488.3K

$5,325 KES 689.9K

180.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,787

$13.39 KES 1,734

308.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.77 ฿874

$13.83 KES 1,792

93.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 ฿2,776

$23.61 KES 3,059

259.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,306

$47.29 KES 6,126

49.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

$178 KES 23.0K

140.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,752

$115 KES 14.9K

106.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.2K

$605 KES 78.4K

32.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$465 KES 60.2K

10.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

$5,402 KES 699.9K

-63.45%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

$3,839 KES 497.3K

-61.58%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

$318 KES 41.2K

94.36%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

-61.54%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Last update for Mombasa: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $428 in Chiang Mai versus $178 in Mombasa. 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 94% higher in Chiang Mai, 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 $19.00 in Mombasa. Groceries tell a different story – $246 in Chiang Mai vs $170 in Mombasa – so Mombasa 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 Mombasa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 43% more than Mombasa, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. 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 $907 in Mombasa. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Mombasa, 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 $87.3 in Mombasa. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 45% 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.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $866 in Chiang Mai and $604 in Mombasa, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Mombasa costs $604 versus $866 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 Mombasa. 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.