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 $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $472 in Thika, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,360 per month in Chiang Mai vs $791 in Thika, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,867 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,110 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 36% lower, Thika 65% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.04 ฿68.4

$5.46 KES 705

-62.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.71 ฿626

$38.67 KES 4,998

-51.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.86 ฿263

$6.85 KES 885

14.74%

Cappuccino

$2.03 ฿67.9

$2.41 KES 311

-15.77%

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

$0.80 ฿26.71

$0.75 KES 96.6

6.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.71

$0.50 KES 65.0

-30.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.7

$1.65 KES 213

29.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿123

$1.99 KES 257

84.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 ฿57.8

$0.87 KES 113

98.85%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.5

$0.44 KES 56.9

256.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.10

$1.37 KES 177

-12.41%

Eggs

$1.97 ฿66.0

$1.35 KES 174

45.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.23 ฿543

$11.55 KES 1,493

40.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.06 ฿102

$6.85 KES 885

-55.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.80 ฿361

$1.88 KES 243

474.47%

Apples (1kg)

$2.77 ฿92.6

$3.02 KES 391

-8.28%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿39.05

$1.04 KES 134

12.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 ฿57.1

$2.11 KES 273

-18.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿53.3

$1.00 KES 129

59.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.63

$1.07 KES 138

29.91%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 ฿38.67

$1.11 KES 144

4.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿22.11

$0.65 KES 83.9

1.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.35

$0.76 KES 98.1

-31.58%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 ฿155

$2.37 KES 306

96.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.78 ฿595

$5.67 KES 733

213.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ฿59.8

$1.69 KES 218

5.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 ฿112

$1.98 KES 256

68.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿30.35

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.64 ฿624

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿47.17

$1.57 KES 203

-10.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.82

$1.53 KES 197

-12.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.11 ฿271

$2.97 KES 384

173.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿41.27

$1.05 KES 136

17.14%

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

$21.4K ฿717.0K

$22.0K KES 2.8M

-2.50%

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

$21.8K ฿730.0K

$19.9K KES 2.6M

9.84%

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

$71.3 ฿2,386

$33.97 KES 4,391

109.98%

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

$14.01 ฿469

$16.57 KES 2,142

-15.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.93 ฿600

$39.97 KES 5,166

-55.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.82 ฿1,365

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿230

Cinema Ticket

$5.72 ฿191

$6.13 KES 793

-6.69%

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

$308 ฿10.3K

$203 KES 26.3K

51.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿491.0K

$8,150 KES 1.1M

80.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,865

$18.27 KES 2,362

205.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.04 ฿871

$24.31 KES 3,142

7.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 ฿2,837

$66.4 KES 8,585

27.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.0 ฿2,375

$55.6 KES 7,190

27.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$423 ฿14.2K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 ฿8,110

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$797 ฿26.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$507 ฿17.0K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,918 ฿64.2K

$613 KES 79.3K

212.68%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,464 ฿49.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Thika: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $39.00 in Thika. Groceries tell a different story – $244 in Chiang Mai vs $174 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 $1,279 per month in Chiang Mai and $707 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 $39.00 in Thika. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 40% 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 $852 in Chiang Mai and $472 in Thika, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Thika costs $472 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 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.