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 $551 in Narok, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,354 per month in Chiang Mai vs $908 in Narok, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,857 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,265 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

$1.96 ฿64.0

$5.52 KES 713

-64.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.81 ฿615

$38.56 KES 4,977

-51.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.92 ฿259

$6.86 KES 885

15.45%

Cappuccino

$1.91 ฿62.6

$2.43 KES 314

-21.40%

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

$0.84 ฿27.41

$0.70 KES 89.8

20.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.51

$0.54 KES 69.4

-35.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$2.36 KES 305

-6.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 ฿124

$2.97 KES 383

27.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$0.89 KES 114

84.27%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 ฿53.1

$0.54 KES 69.5

200.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.62

$1.66 KES 214

-28.92%

Eggs

$2.01 ฿65.8

$1.63 KES 211

23.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.89 ฿520

$11.53 KES 1,488

37.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.01 ฿98.5

$6.64 KES 856

-54.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.77 ฿352

$5.46 KES 704

97.25%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 ฿85.5

$3.16 KES 408

-17.41%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿39.88

$1.04 KES 134

17.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.7

$2.16 KES 279

-21.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 ฿51.5

$1.06 KES 136

49.06%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 ฿43.14

$1.02 KES 132

29.41%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.23

$1.12 KES 145

4.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿21.98

$0.66 KES 84.8

1.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.32

$0.79 KES 102

-29.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.53 ฿148

$3.06 KES 395

48.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.20 ฿595

$6.91 KES 892

163.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿60.0

$2.18 KES 281

-16.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$2.82 KES 364

14.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ฿29.00

$1.53 KES 197

-41.83%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.38 ฿634

$45.50 KES 5,873

-57.41%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.35 ฿44.20

$1.54 KES 199

-12.34%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 ฿44.05

$1.58 KES 204

-14.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.25 ฿270

$2.93 KES 378

181.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.64

$1.43 KES 185

-11.19%

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

$21.2K ฿691.8K

$21.7K KES 2.8M

-2.33%

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

$22.5K ฿735.3K

$19.7K KES 2.5M

13.97%

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

$70.2 ฿2,294

$34.97 KES 4,514

100.60%

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

$13.77 ฿450

$16.91 KES 2,182

-18.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.60 ฿575

$39.91 KES 5,152

-55.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.57 ฿1,360

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.60 ฿216

Cinema Ticket

$5.78 ฿189

$6.12 KES 789

-5.56%

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

$306 ฿10.0K

$204 KES 26.4K

49.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿484.8K

$8,125 KES 1.0M

82.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.4 ฿1,778

$18.50 KES 2,388

193.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.14 ฿855

$23.85 KES 3,078

9.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.5 ฿2,764

$64.1 KES 8,275

31.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.4 ฿2,270

$56.3 KES 7,266

23.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$424 ฿13.9K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$238 ฿7,788

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$825 ฿27.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,049 ฿67.0K

$1,529 KES 197.4K

34.00%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,523 ฿49.8K

$1,151 KES 148.6K

32.26%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$635 ฿20.8K

$305 KES 39.4K

108.29%

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 27, 2026

Last update for Narok: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 108% 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 – $243 in Chiang Mai vs $195 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 $1,278 per month in Chiang Mai and $827 in Narok. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Kindergarten costs $306 per month in Chiang Mai and $204 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 $551 in Narok, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Narok costs $551 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.