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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $869 per month in Chiang Mai vs $480 in Thika, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,362 per month in Chiang Mai vs $809 in Thika, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,855 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,137 in Thika, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 81% more than Thika, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Thika are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Thika 64% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.98 ฿64.3

$5.53 KES 717

-64.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.80 ฿612

$38.49 KES 4,991

-51.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.75 ฿252

$6.64 KES 861

16.72%

Cappuccino

$1.92 ฿62.5

$2.38 KES 308

-19.33%

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

$0.79 ฿25.79

$0.75 KES 97.2

5.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.62

$0.54 KES 70.3

-33.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$1.67 KES 217

32.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

$1.99 KES 258

83.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿53.8

$0.88 KES 114

87.50%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$0.47 KES 61.5

246.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.86

$1.36 KES 177

-12.50%

Eggs

$2.00 ฿65.1

$1.36 KES 176

47.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.98 ฿520

$11.66 KES 1,512

37.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.03 ฿98.5

$6.55 KES 849

-53.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 ฿354

$1.92 KES 249

465.63%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 ฿90.0

$3.13 KES 406

-11.82%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.42

$1.07 KES 139

10.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$2.09 KES 271

-21.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.51

$1.05 KES 136

44.76%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿45.10

$1.07 KES 139

28.97%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.84

$1.12 KES 146

6.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ฿22.86

$0.64 KES 83.0

9.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.13

$0.76 KES 98.9

-26.32%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.58 ฿149

$2.36 KES 306

94.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.56 ฿539

$5.90 KES 765

180.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿59.5

$1.73 KES 224

5.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 ฿104

$1.98 KES 257

61.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿28.56

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.72 ฿610

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿44.16

$1.59 KES 206

-14.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿43.65

$1.50 KES 195

-10.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$2.83 KES 367

177.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿39.92

$1.06 KES 138

16.04%

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

$21.6K ฿704.3K

$21.5K KES 2.8M

0.63%

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

$22.5K ฿734.3K

$19.8K KES 2.6M

13.67%

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

$70.5 ฿2,298

$34.61 KES 4,488

103.81%

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

$13.68 ฿445

$17.09 KES 2,216

-19.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.45 ฿568

$39.46 KES 5,116

-55.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.33 ฿1,346

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

Cinema Ticket

$5.77 ฿188

$6.31 KES 819

-8.56%

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

$307 ฿10.0K

$205 KES 26.6K

49.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿475.9K

$8,182 KES 1.1M

78.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,817

$18.51 KES 2,400

201.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.21 ฿854

$24.40 KES 3,164

7.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 ฿2,793

$66.5 KES 8,626

28.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.2 ฿2,353

$56.5 KES 7,328

27.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$430 ฿14.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿7,774

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$817 ฿26.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$511 ฿16.6K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,983 ฿64.6K

$612 KES 79.3K

224.06%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,484 ฿48.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$619 ฿20.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.5

-56.52%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 7, 2026

Last update for Thika: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $38.00 in Thika. Groceries tell a different story – $241 in Chiang Mai vs $175 in Thika – so Thika 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 Thika: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 81% more than Thika, 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 $1,303 per month in Chiang Mai and $721 in Thika. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai and $38.00 in Thika. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 38% 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.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $869 in Chiang Mai and $480 in Thika, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Thika costs $480 versus $869 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 Thika. 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.