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 $478 in Thika, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,354 per month in Chiang Mai vs $795 in Thika, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,857 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,113 in Thika, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 78% 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 64% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿63.6

$5.27 KES 681

-62.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.81 ฿611

$39.16 KES 5,061

-51.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.92 ฿258

$6.95 KES 899

13.96%

Cappuccino

$1.91 ฿62.2

$2.44 KES 315

-21.72%

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

$0.84 ฿27.25

$0.74 KES 95.8

13.51%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.44

$0.50 KES 64.5

-30.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿71.7

$1.73 KES 223

27.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 ฿124

$1.98 KES 256

91.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 ฿53.2

$0.92 KES 120

78.26%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 ฿52.8

$0.44 KES 57.5

268.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.40

$1.33 KES 171

-11.28%

Eggs

$2.01 ฿65.4

$1.37 KES 177

46.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.89 ฿517

$11.51 KES 1,488

38.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.01 ฿98.0

$6.86 KES 887

-56.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.77 ฿350

$1.98 KES 255

443.94%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 ฿85.0

$3.02 KES 390

-13.58%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿39.65

$1.07 KES 139

14.02%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.4

$2.09 KES 270

-18.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 ฿51.2

$1.04 KES 135

51.92%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 ฿42.89

$1.03 KES 134

28.16%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.01

$1.11 KES 144

5.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿21.85

$0.69 KES 88.6

-2.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.21

$0.82 KES 106

-31.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.53 ฿147

$2.35 KES 304

92.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.20 ฿592

$5.65 KES 731

222.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿59.6

$1.73 KES 223

5.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿105

$1.91 KES 247

69.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ฿28.83

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.38 ฿630

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.35 ฿43.95

$1.53 KES 198

-11.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 ฿43.79

$1.57 KES 203

-14.01%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.25 ฿268

$2.96 KES 383

178.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.40

$1.02 KES 132

24.51%

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

$21.2K ฿687.8K

$22.1K KES 2.9M

-4.23%

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

$22.5K ฿731.0K

$19.7K KES 2.6M

13.92%

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

$70.2 ฿2,281

$34.17 KES 4,415

105.30%

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

$13.77 ฿448

$17.06 KES 2,205

-19.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.60 ฿572

$38.97 KES 5,036

-54.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.57 ฿1,352

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.60 ฿215

Cinema Ticket

$5.78 ฿188

$6.30 KES 814

-8.25%

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

$306 ฿9,953

$202 KES 26.1K

51.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿482.0K

$7,948 KES 1.0M

86.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.4 ฿1,768

$18.57 KES 2,400

192.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.14 ฿850

$24.27 KES 3,136

7.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.5 ฿2,748

$66.5 KES 8,593

27.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.4 ฿2,257

$56.7 KES 7,324

22.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$424 ฿13.8K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$238 ฿7,743

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$825 ฿26.8K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.7K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,049 ฿66.6K

$615 KES 79.5K

233.34%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,523 ฿49.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$635 ฿20.6K

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Thika: April 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 – $243 in Chiang Mai vs $176 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 78% 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 $1,278 per month in Chiang Mai and $717 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 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 $852 in Chiang Mai and $478 in Thika, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Thika costs $478 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.