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 $950 per month in Chiang Mai vs $696 in Mombasa, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,430 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,132 in Mombasa, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,909 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,567 in Mombasa, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 37% more than Mombasa, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Chiang Mai and Mombasa are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 31% lower, Mombasa 50% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.10 ฿69.3

$2.27 KES 294

-7.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.84 ฿656

$23.41 KES 3,027

-15.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.79 ฿191

$10.46 KES 1,353

-44.65%

Cappuccino

$1.83 ฿60.4

$3.72 KES 481

-50.81%

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

$0.78 ฿25.61

$0.94 KES 122

-17.02%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.37

$0.40 KES 51.6

-22.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.34 ฿77.2

$2.28 KES 294

2.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.70 ฿122

$3.20 KES 414

15.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.03 ฿67.1

$0.89 KES 115

128.09%

White Bread (500g)

$1.60 ฿52.7

$0.53 KES 68.1

201.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.42 ฿46.75

$1.58 KES 204

-10.13%

Eggs

$2.18 ฿71.9

$1.73 KES 224

26.01%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.91 ฿526

$10.87 KES 1,406

46.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.07 ฿102

$5.66 KES 732

-45.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.87 ฿326

$5.33 KES 689

85.18%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 ฿86.8

$2.11 KES 273

24.64%

Banana (1kg)

$1.10 ฿36.19

$1.15 KES 149

-4.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.63 ฿53.8

$1.75 KES 226

-6.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿50.6

$0.64 KES 82.7

139.06%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 ฿41.13

$0.67 KES 86.3

85.07%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 ฿37.37

$1.01 KES 131

11.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 ฿24.38

$0.60 KES 77.6

23.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 ฿16.48

$0.42 KES 54.6

19.05%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.28 ฿141

$4.59 KES 594

-6.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.97 ฿594

$7.86 KES 1,016

128.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 ฿56.1

$1.99 KES 257

-14.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿95.7

$2.97 KES 384

-2.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.94 ฿31.13

$0.80 KES 104

17.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.3 ฿1,827

$39.13 KES 5,059

41.30%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.23 ฿40.76

$3.04 KES 393

-59.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ฿17.66

$1.70 KES 219

-68.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.40 ฿79.3

$4.63 KES 598

-48.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 ฿47.55

$1.56 KES 202

-7.69%

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

$21.2K ฿700.2K

$12.1K KES 1.6M

74.96%

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

$27.3K ฿902.1K

$12.1K KES 1.6M

125.91%

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

$64.9 ฿2,145

$54.4 KES 7,029

19.44%

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

$13.35 ฿441

$13.01 KES 1,682

2.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.83 ฿688

$33.92 KES 4,386

-38.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.42 ฿1,336

$18.29 KES 2,365

121.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.95 ฿131

$19.68 KES 2,545

-79.93%

Cinema Ticket

$6.71 ฿222

$11.02 KES 1,424

-39.11%

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

$787 ฿26.0K

$88.4 KES 11.4K

790.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.1K ฿499.6K

$5,445 KES 704.0K

177.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.2 ฿1,858

$13.32 KES 1,722

322.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.95 ฿824

$13.39 KES 1,732

86.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.7 ฿3,063

$23.00 KES 2,974

303.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.1 ฿2,482

$46.52 KES 6,015

61.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$484 ฿16.0K

$234 KES 30.3K

106.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$287 ฿9,491

$154 KES 19.9K

87.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$910 ฿30.1K

$535 KES 69.2K

69.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$531 ฿17.5K

$393 KES 50.8K

35.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,980 ฿65.4K

$5,432 KES 702.4K

-63.55%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,451 ฿47.9K

$3,861 KES 499.2K

-62.42%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$605 ฿20.0K

$324 KES 41.9K

86.86%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

-57.15%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 7, 2026

Last update for Mombasa: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $484 in Chiang Mai versus $234 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 87% 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $23.00 in Mombasa. Groceries tell a different story – $242 in Chiang Mai vs $175 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 37% more than Mombasa, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,426 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,044 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 $787 per month in Chiang Mai and $88.4 in Mombasa. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 38% 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 Mombasa, where all-in costs run around $696, than in Chiang Mai at $950. In Mombasa 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. Mombasa costs $696 versus $950 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.