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 $950 per month in Chiang Mai vs $506 in Thika, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,430 per month in Chiang Mai vs $862 in Thika, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,909 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,218 in Thika, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 88% more than Thika, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Thika are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 31% lower, Thika 63% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.10 ฿69.4

$3.45 KES 446

-39.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.84 ฿656

$34.50 KES 4,461

-42.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.79 ฿192

$6.27 KES 811

-7.66%

Cappuccino

$1.83 ฿60.5

$1.90 KES 246

-3.68%

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

$0.78 ฿25.63

$0.30 KES 38.72

160.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.38

$0.56 KES 72.8

-44.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.34 ฿77.3

$1.98 KES 257

18.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.70 ฿122

$2.10 KES 272

76.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.03 ฿67.1

$0.69 KES 89.5

194.20%

White Bread (500g)

$1.60 ฿52.8

$0.44 KES 57.2

263.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.42 ฿46.80

$1.15 KES 149

23.48%

Eggs

$2.18 ฿72.0

$1.41 KES 182

54.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.91 ฿526

$10.27 KES 1,328

54.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.07 ฿102

$6.36 KES 822

-51.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.87 ฿326

$3.97 KES 513

148.61%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 ฿86.9

$1.56 KES 201

68.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.10 ฿36.23

$0.64 KES 83.2

71.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.63 ฿53.9

$0.81 KES 104

101.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿50.6

$1.08 KES 140

41.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 ฿41.16

$0.38 KES 48.79

226.32%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 ฿37.40

$0.44 KES 57.5

156.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 ฿24.41

$0.73 KES 94.0

1.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 ฿16.50

$0.38 KES 48.63

31.58%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.28 ฿142

$2.77 KES 359

54.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.97 ฿594

$5.69 KES 735

215.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 ฿56.2

$1.84 KES 238

-7.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿95.8

$1.98 KES 256

46.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.94 ฿31.15

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.3 ฿1,828

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.23 ฿40.80

$1.52 KES 197

-19.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ฿17.67

$0.92 KES 119

-42.39%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.40 ฿79.4

$2.96 KES 383

-18.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 ฿47.60

$1.38 KES 179

4.35%

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

$21.2K ฿700.9K

$20.4K KES 2.6M

4.03%

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

$27.3K ฿903.0K

$20.1K KES 2.6M

35.83%

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

$64.9 ฿2,147

$35.10 KES 4,539

84.99%

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

$13.35 ฿442

$15.12 KES 1,955

-11.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.83 ฿689

$35.30 KES 4,564

-40.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.42 ฿1,337

$45.51 KES 5,885

-11.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.95 ฿131

Cinema Ticket

$6.71 ฿222

$7.65 KES 989

-12.29%

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

$787 ฿26.0K

$53.9 KES 6,967

1360.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.1K ฿500.1K

$3,541 KES 457.8K

327.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.2 ฿1,859

$27.29 KES 3,529

106.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.95 ฿825

$26.43 KES 3,417

-5.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.7 ฿3,066

$63.5 KES 8,206

46.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.1 ฿2,484

$19.58 KES 2,532

283.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$484 ฿16.0K

$98.4 KES 12.7K

391.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$287 ฿9,500

$58.7 KES 7,584

389.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$910 ฿30.1K

$270 KES 34.9K

236.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$531 ฿17.5K

$177 KES 22.9K

199.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,980 ฿65.5K

$616 KES 79.6K

221.47%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,451 ฿48.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$605 ฿20.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

14.71

-62.13%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 7, 2026

Last update for Thika: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $484 in Chiang Mai versus $98.4 in Thika. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $34.00 in Thika. Groceries tell a different story – $242 in Chiang Mai vs $150 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 88% 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 $1,426 per month in Chiang Mai and $760 in Thika. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Thika, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Chiang Mai and $34.00 in Thika. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 61% 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.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Thika, where all-in costs run around $506, than in Chiang Mai at $950. In Thika it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiang Mai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Thika costs $506 versus $950 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.