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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $932 per month in Chiang Mai vs $549 in Naivasha, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,399 per month in Chiang Mai vs $883 in Naivasha, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,216 in Naivasha, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 70% more than Naivasha, driven mainly by Getting Around.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿69.2

$4.67 KES 604

-55.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.61 ฿652

$35.04 KES 4,534

-44.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.67 ฿189

$6.31 KES 817

-10.14%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿60.0

$2.74 KES 354

-33.94%

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

$0.63 KES 81.6

-44.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿73.6

$2.37 KES 306

-6.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿126

$2.73 KES 354

38.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 ฿68.1

$0.93 KES 121

120.43%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 ฿50.4

$0.57 KES 74.3

164.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 ฿46.51

$1.89 KES 244

-25.93%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿75.1

$1.68 KES 218

34.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿538

$10.76 KES 1,392

50.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.90 ฿96.3

$6.48 KES 839

-55.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.42 ฿313

$6.28 KES 812

50.00%

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 ฿89.1

$3.33 KES 431

-19.52%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.23

$1.07 KES 139

1.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.8

$1.98 KES 256

-18.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.55

$1.15 KES 149

26.96%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.48

$1.09 KES 141

17.43%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 ฿35.17

$1.08 KES 140

-1.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.85

$0.68 KES 88.6

5.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.49

$0.75 KES 96.6

-29.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.23 ฿141

$3.54 KES 459

19.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.29 ฿608

$11.65 KES 1,507

57.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ฿54.2

$2.31 KES 299

-29.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿96.5

$2.81 KES 364

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

$1.52 KES 197

-23.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿19.22

$1.50 KES 195

-61.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.39 ฿79.3

$2.92 KES 377

-18.15%

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

$21.5K KES 2.8M

-2.11%

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

$26.4K ฿878.6K

$20.1K KES 2.6M

31.62%

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

$63.7 ฿2,116

$63.2 KES 8,180

0.68%

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

$12.89 ฿429

$15.86 KES 2,052

-18.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.52 ฿682

$35.78 KES 4,630

-42.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.02 ฿1,297

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.92 ฿130

Cinema Ticket

$6.58 ฿219

$7.77 KES 1,005

-15.32%

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

$784 ฿26.1K

$252 KES 32.6K

211.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿487.9K

$11.5K KES 1.5M

27.46%

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

$27.43 KES 3,550

-9.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.1 ฿3,130

$70.9 KES 9,168

32.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.0 ฿2,459

$59.1 KES 7,646

25.17%

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

$778 KES 100.7K

153.69%

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 Naivasha: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $35.00 in Naivasha. Groceries tell a different story – $241 in Chiang Mai vs $207 in Naivasha – so Naivasha 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 Naivasha: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 70% more than Naivasha, 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 $823 in Naivasha. 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 Naivasha. 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 $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Naivasha, where all-in costs run around $549, than in Chiang Mai at $932. In Naivasha 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. Naivasha costs $549 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 Naivasha. 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.