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 $861 per month in Chiang Mai vs $618 in Mombasa, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,350 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,060 in Mombasa, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,838 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,502 in Mombasa, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 39% more than Mombasa, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Mombasa are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Mombasa 54% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿65.7

$2.35 KES 304

-16.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.35 ฿616

$19.18 KES 2,478

-4.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.48 ฿251

$8.80 KES 1,137

-15.00%

Cappuccino

$2.02 ฿67.7

$3.18 KES 411

-36.48%

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

$0.85 ฿28.45

$0.48 KES 62.4

77.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.94

$0.48 KES 61.7

-25.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.7

$1.96 KES 253

9.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 ฿121

$2.82 KES 364

27.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿55.4

$0.82 KES 106

101.22%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.6

$0.49 KES 63.9

220.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿39.95

$1.40 KES 180

-15.00%

Eggs

$1.94 ฿65.0

$1.79 KES 231

8.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿544

$9.71 KES 1,255

66.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.99 ฿100

$5.82 KES 752

-48.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿367

$5.22 KES 675

109.58%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 ฿91.0

$1.79 KES 231

51.40%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿39.18

$0.91 KES 117

28.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 ฿56.6

$1.52 KES 197

11.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 ฿53.9

$0.79 KES 102

102.53%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.45

$0.68 KES 87.5

102.94%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.38

$1.08 KES 139

11.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿22.46

$0.66 KES 85.4

1.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.70

$0.60 KES 78.0

-6.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.64 ฿156

$3.30 KES 427

40.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.62 ฿591

$7.95 KES 1,027

121.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.4

$1.88 KES 242

-1.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 ฿111

$2.77 KES 358

19.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.63

$0.75 KES 96.4

17.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ฿649

$35.08 KES 4,532

-44.87%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿45.82

$3.05 KES 394

-55.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.90

$1.94 KES 251

-30.93%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.21 ฿276

$4.58 KES 592

79.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ฿41.11

$1.60 KES 206

-23.75%

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

$21.4K ฿716.8K

$12.0K KES 1.5M

78.10%

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

$22.5K ฿756.3K

$11.8K KES 1.5M

90.99%

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

$70.7 ฿2,372

$44.61 KES 5,764

58.42%

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

$14.04 ฿471

$14.45 KES 1,867

-2.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.49 ฿587

$43.55 KES 5,626

-59.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.15 ฿1,415

$18.09 KES 2,337

133.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

$19.19 KES 2,480

-64.15%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿199

$4.71 KES 609

25.69%

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

$309 ฿10.4K

$87.7 KES 11.3K

251.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K ฿499.5K

$5,406 KES 698.5K

175.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,872

$13.03 KES 1,684

327.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.11 ฿877

$13.80 KES 1,784

89.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.0 ฿2,787

$23.61 KES 3,050

251.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 ฿2,365

$45.93 KES 5,934

53.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$432 ฿14.5K

$181 KES 23.4K

138.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿8,020

$118 KES 15.3K

102.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$822 ฿27.6K

$590 KES 76.3K

39.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$512 ฿17.2K

$462 KES 59.7K

10.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,915 ฿64.3K

$5,440 KES 702.8K

-64.80%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 ฿49.3K

$3,820 KES 493.6K

-61.60%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$579 ฿19.4K

$321 KES 41.5K

80.31%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Mombasa: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $432 in Chiang Mai versus $181 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 80% 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 $18.00 in Chiang Mai versus $19.00 in Mombasa. Groceries tell a different story – $243 in Chiang Mai vs $169 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 39% 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 $1,292 per month in Chiang Mai and $928 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 $309 per month in Chiang Mai and $87.7 in Mombasa. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 44% 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 $861 in Chiang Mai and $618 in Mombasa, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Mombasa costs $618 versus $861 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.