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

Name: Chiang Mai
Address: Chiang Mai, TH

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $508 per month in Eldoret vs $950 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $860 per month in Eldoret vs $1,430 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,211 per month in Eldoret vs $1,909 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Eldoret is about 47% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.49 KES 193

$2.10 ฿69.3

-29.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.33 KES 4,439

$19.84 ฿656

73.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.24 KES 807

$5.79 ฿191

7.77%

Cappuccino

$2.75 KES 355

$1.83 ฿60.4

50.27%

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

$0.32 KES 41.80

$0.78 ฿25.61

-58.97%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.41 KES 52.7

$0.31 ฿10.37

32.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.27 KES 293

$2.34 ฿77.2

-2.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.63 KES 341

$3.70 ฿122

-28.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.67 KES 87.0

$2.03 ฿67.1

-67.00%

White Bread (500g)

$0.49 KES 63.7

$1.60 ฿52.7

-69.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.54 KES 199

$1.42 ฿46.75

8.45%

Eggs

$1.50 KES 194

$2.18 ฿71.9

-31.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.93 KES 508

$15.91 ฿526

-75.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.38 KES 566

$3.07 ฿102

42.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.23 KES 548

$9.87 ฿326

-57.14%

Apples (1kg)

$2.37 KES 306

$2.63 ฿86.8

-9.89%

Banana (1kg)

$1.05 KES 135

$1.10 ฿36.19

-4.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.67 KES 86.3

$1.63 ฿53.8

-58.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.89 KES 115

$1.53 ฿50.6

-41.83%

Potato (1kg)

$0.52 KES 67.3

$1.24 ฿41.13

-58.06%

Onion (1kg)

$0.44 KES 56.8

$1.13 ฿37.37

-61.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.73 KES 94.0

$0.74 ฿24.38

-1.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.67 KES 86.5

$0.50 ฿16.48

34.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.39 KES 438

$4.28 ฿141

-20.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.82 KES 753

$17.97 ฿594

-67.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.01 KES 259

$1.70 ฿56.1

18.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 KES 204

$2.90 ฿95.7

-45.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.35 KES 175

$0.94 ฿31.13

43.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.3 ฿1,827

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.51 KES 196

$1.23 ฿40.76

22.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.51 KES 195

$0.53 ฿17.66

184.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.96 KES 383

$2.40 ฿79.3

23.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 KES 199

$1.44 ฿47.55

6.94%

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

$20.2K KES 2.6M

$21.2K ฿700.2K

-4.86%

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

$19.9K KES 2.6M

$27.3K ฿902.1K

-27.21%

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

$40.54 KES 5,242

$64.9 ฿2,145

-37.56%

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

$14.93 KES 1,930

$13.35 ฿441

11.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.28 KES 4,561

$20.83 ฿688

69.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.18 KES 4,936

$40.42 ฿1,336

-5.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.95 ฿131

Cinema Ticket

$5.12 KES 662

$6.71 ฿222

-23.70%

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

$64.0 KES 8,273

$787 ฿26.0K

-91.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.4K KES 1.5M

$15.1K ฿499.6K

-24.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$11.55 KES 1,493

$56.2 ฿1,858

-79.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.53 KES 3,301

$24.95 ฿824

2.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$19.36 KES 2,503

$92.7 ฿3,063

-79.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$34.11 KES 4,410

$75.1 ฿2,482

-54.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$91.8 KES 11.9K

$484 ฿16.0K

-81.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$87.7 KES 11.3K

$287 ฿9,491

-69.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$910 ฿30.1K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$267 KES 34.6K

$531 ฿17.5K

-49.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$610 KES 78.8K

$1,980 ฿65.4K

-69.21%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,451 ฿47.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$605 ฿20.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

14.71

5.57

164.09%

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

Last update for Eldoret: September 6, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $91.8 in Eldoret versus $484 in Chiang Mai. 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 $34.00 in Eldoret versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $134 in Eldoret vs $242 in Chiang Mai – so Eldoret 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

Eldoret vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 87% more than Eldoret, 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 $762 per month in Eldoret and $1,426 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Eldoret, 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 $34.00 in Eldoret and $20.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 81% 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 $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Eldoret, where all-in costs run around $508, than in Chiang Mai at $950. In Eldoret 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. Eldoret costs $508 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 Eldoret. 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.