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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $872 per month in Chiang Mai vs $763 in Nairobi, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,337 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,268 in Nairobi, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,802 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,772 in Nairobi, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 14% more than Nairobi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Nairobi are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Nairobi 43% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.01 ฿64.5

$5.31 KES 685

-62.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.23 ฿584

$37.93 KES 4,896

-51.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.65 ฿245

$6.65 KES 859

15.04%

Cappuccino

$1.92 ฿61.5

$2.44 KES 314

-21.31%

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

$0.84 ฿26.97

$0.70 KES 90.7

20.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.42

$0.55 KES 70.4

-34.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.19 ฿70.2

$2.31 KES 298

-5.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿121

$2.95 KES 380

28.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 ฿52.5

$0.88 KES 114

86.36%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 ฿52.0

$0.57 KES 73.4

184.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.15 ฿36.98

$1.59 KES 205

-27.67%

Eggs

$1.94 ฿62.2

$1.68 KES 217

15.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.94 ฿511

$11.40 KES 1,471

39.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.10 ฿99.5

$6.64 KES 857

-53.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.07 ฿355

$5.57 KES 718

98.74%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 ฿86.8

$3.15 KES 407

-13.97%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 ฿37.80

$1.04 KES 135

13.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 ฿54.7

$2.17 KES 280

-21.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.61 ฿51.5

$1.02 KES 131

57.84%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 ฿44.66

$1.02 KES 132

36.27%

Onion (1kg)

$1.15 ฿36.81

$1.13 KES 145

1.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 ฿22.83

$0.70 KES 90.5

1.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ฿17.65

$0.81 KES 104

-32.10%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.57 ฿146

$3.14 KES 405

45.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.87 ฿605

$11.65 KES 1,504

61.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.82 ฿58.4

$2.18 KES 281

-16.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.21 ฿103

$2.75 KES 355

16.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿28.24

$0.76 KES 98.0

15.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.89 ฿606

$31.27 KES 4,036

-39.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.30

$1.52 KES 196

-7.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.30 ฿41.71

$1.50 KES 194

-13.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.20 ฿263

$2.85 KES 367

187.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿39.29

$1.54 KES 199

-20.13%

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

$21.2K ฿678.9K

$21.9K KES 2.8M

-3.23%

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

$22.3K ฿715.3K

$20.3K KES 2.6M

9.84%

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

$69.9 ฿2,240

$34.60 KES 4,466

101.94%

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

$14.07 ฿451

$16.64 KES 2,148

-15.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.70 ฿567

$39.82 KES 5,140

-55.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.41 ฿1,328

$42.27 KES 5,455

-2.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.69 ฿215

$20.64 KES 2,664

-67.59%

Cinema Ticket

$5.74 ฿184

$6.26 KES 807

-8.31%

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

$299 ฿9,593

$204 KES 26.3K

46.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿481.2K

$7,885 KES 1.0M

90.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.8 ฿1,758

$18.29 KES 2,361

199.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.35 ฿845

$23.62 KES 3,049

11.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.7 ฿2,714

$66.2 KES 8,543

27.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.7 ฿2,236

$56.7 KES 7,312

23.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$427 ฿13.7K

$449 KES 57.9K

-4.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$241 ฿7,718

$184 KES 23.7K

31.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$811 ฿26.0K

$1,129 KES 145.7K

-28.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$498 ฿16.0K

$433 KES 55.9K

14.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,022 ฿64.8K

$1,566 KES 202.1K

29.19%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,524 ฿48.9K

$903 KES 116.6K

68.68%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$639 ฿20.5K

$406 KES 52.4K

57.42%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

14.84

-66.31%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 13, 2026

Last update for Nairobi: April 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $427 in Chiang Mai versus $449 in Nairobi. 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 57% 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 in Chiang Mai versus $38 in Nairobi. Groceries tell a different story – $246 in Chiang Mai vs $205 in Nairobi – so Nairobi 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 Nairobi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 14% more than Nairobi, 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 $1,308 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,144 in Nairobi. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Nairobi, 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 $204 in Nairobi. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 20% 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.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $872 in Chiang Mai and $763 in Nairobi, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Nairobi costs $763 versus $872 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 Nairobi. 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.