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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $550 in Narok, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,360 per month in Chiang Mai vs $908 in Narok, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,867 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,267 in Narok, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 55% more than Narok, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Narok are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Narok 59% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.04 ฿68.2

$5.58 KES 721

-63.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.71 ฿624

$38.70 KES 5,002

-51.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.86 ฿262

$6.70 KES 866

17.31%

Cappuccino

$2.03 ฿67.7

$2.45 KES 317

-17.14%

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

$0.80 ฿26.64

$0.69 KES 89.8

15.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.68

$0.50 KES 64.8

-30.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.5

$2.27 KES 293

-5.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿122

$2.87 KES 371

27.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 ฿57.6

$0.86 KES 111

101.16%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.4

$0.53 KES 68.9

196.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 ฿39.99

$1.64 KES 212

-26.83%

Eggs

$1.97 ฿65.8

$1.69 KES 219

16.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.23 ฿541

$11.60 KES 1,499

39.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.06 ฿102

$6.79 KES 877

-54.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.80 ฿360

$5.48 KES 708

97.08%

Apples (1kg)

$2.77 ฿92.3

$3.06 KES 395

-9.48%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.94

$1.08 KES 140

8.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 ฿57.0

$2.09 KES 270

-18.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿53.2

$1.06 KES 137

50.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.51

$1.07 KES 139

29.91%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 ฿38.56

$1.17 KES 151

-0.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿22.05

$0.66 KES 85.0

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.31

$0.77 KES 99.5

-32.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 ฿155

$3.04 KES 393

52.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.78 ฿593

$6.82 KES 881

160.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ฿59.6

$2.30 KES 297

-22.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 ฿111

$2.75 KES 355

21.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿30.27

$1.59 KES 206

-42.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.64 ฿622

$46.66 KES 6,031

-60.05%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿47.04

$1.57 KES 203

-10.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.70

$1.52 KES 197

-11.84%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.11 ฿270

$2.83 KES 366

186.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿41.16

$1.36 KES 176

-9.56%

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

$21.4K ฿715.1K

$22.0K KES 2.8M

-2.57%

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

$21.8K ฿728.0K

$19.8K KES 2.6M

10.05%

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

$71.3 ฿2,379

$34.11 KES 4,408

109.12%

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

$14.01 ฿467

$16.87 KES 2,180

-16.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.93 ฿598

$38.82 KES 5,017

-53.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.82 ฿1,362

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿230

Cinema Ticket

$5.72 ฿191

$6.30 KES 814

-9.21%

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

$308 ฿10.3K

$202 KES 26.1K

52.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿489.7K

$7,976 KES 1.0M

84.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,860

$18.54 KES 2,396

200.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.04 ฿869

$23.84 KES 3,081

9.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 ฿2,829

$65.7 KES 8,486

29.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.0 ฿2,368

$56.0 KES 7,240

26.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$423 ฿14.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 ฿8,088

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$797 ฿26.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$507 ฿16.9K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,918 ฿64.0K

$1,556 KES 201.1K

23.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,464 ฿48.8K

$1,160 KES 150.0K

26.18%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

$310 KES 40.0K

92.20%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Narok: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 92% 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 $39.00 in Narok. Groceries tell a different story – $244 in Chiang Mai vs $196 in Narok – so Narok 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 Narok: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 55% more than Narok, 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 $1,279 per month in Chiang Mai and $824 in Narok. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Kindergarten costs $308 per month in Chiang Mai and $202 in Narok. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 25% 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 $852 in Chiang Mai and $550 in Narok, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Narok costs $550 versus $852 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 Narok. 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.