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 $848 per month in Chiang Mai vs $540 in Narok, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,331 per month in Chiang Mai vs $916 in Narok, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,814 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,293 in Narok, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 57% 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 ฿63.6

$5.55 KES 718

-64.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.39 ฿598

$38.60 KES 4,995

-52.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.87 ฿256

$6.61 KES 855

19.06%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.4

$2.37 KES 307

-17.72%

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

$0.85 ฿27.57

$0.75 KES 96.6

13.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ฿10.52

$0.54 KES 69.3

-40.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿69.6

$2.25 KES 292

-4.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.68 ฿120

$2.98 KES 385

23.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.66 ฿53.9

$0.87 KES 113

90.80%

White Bread (500g)

$1.56 ฿50.7

$0.54 KES 69.3

188.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.63

$1.59 KES 206

-25.16%

Eggs

$1.99 ฿64.7

$1.71 KES 221

16.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.24 ฿528

$11.84 KES 1,532

37.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.17 ฿103

$6.93 KES 897

-54.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.84 ฿352

$5.48 KES 709

97.81%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 ฿86.2

$3.11 KES 403

-14.79%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿39.67

$1.08 KES 139

12.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.65 ฿53.7

$2.13 KES 276

-22.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.55 ฿50.3

$1.05 KES 135

47.62%

Potato (1kg)

$1.33 ฿43.17

$1.07 KES 139

24.30%

Onion (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.43

$1.17 KES 152

3.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 ฿22.04

$0.69 KES 89.1

-1.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 ฿18.38

$0.80 KES 103

-28.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.68 ฿152

$3.12 KES 404

50.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.99 ฿552

$6.86 KES 888

147.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.82 ฿59.3

$2.25 KES 292

-19.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 ฿103

$2.79 KES 361

13.98%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿29.46

$1.54 KES 199

-40.91%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.74 ฿609

$46.98 KES 6,079

-60.11%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.80

$1.51 KES 196

-6.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿43.52

$1.59 KES 205

-15.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.14 ฿265

$2.83 KES 366

187.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 ฿41.53

$1.43 KES 185

-10.49%

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

$21.8K ฿709.3K

$21.6K KES 2.8M

1.27%

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

$22.4K ฿728.0K

$20.4K KES 2.6M

9.64%

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

$70.5 ฿2,291

$34.97 KES 4,525

101.54%

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

$14.05 ฿457

$17.02 KES 2,203

-17.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.65 ฿574

$40.13 KES 5,192

-56.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.29 ฿1,342

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.76 ฿220

Cinema Ticket

$5.96 ฿194

$6.24 KES 808

-4.49%

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

$303 ฿9,846

$206 KES 26.7K

46.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿486.2K

$8,153 KES 1.1M

83.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,778

$18.57 KES 2,402

194.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.29 ฿854

$24.04 KES 3,111

9.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 ฿2,788

$65.4 KES 8,467

31.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.7 ฿2,265

$55.4 KES 7,172

25.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿13.9K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿7,769

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$811 ฿26.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$510 ฿16.6K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,025 ฿65.8K

$1,517 KES 196.3K

33.50%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,502 ฿48.8K

$1,149 KES 148.7K

30.73%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$623 ฿20.2K

$306 KES 39.6K

103.64%

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: June 13, 2026

Last update for Narok: June 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 104% 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 $18.00 in Chiang Mai versus $39.00 in Narok. Groceries tell a different story – $242 in Chiang Mai vs $198 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 57% 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 $1,272 per month in Chiang Mai and $810 in Narok. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Kindergarten costs $303 per month in Chiang Mai and $206 in Narok. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 22% 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 $848 in Chiang Mai and $540 in Narok, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Narok costs $540 versus $848 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.