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

Name: Chiang Mai
Address: Chiang Mai, TH

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $467 per month in Garissa vs $861 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $774 per month in Garissa vs $1,350 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,082 per month in Garissa vs $1,838 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Garissa is about 46% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Garissa and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Garissa 65% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.55 KES 846

$1.96 ฿65.7

234.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.28 KES 3,008

$18.35 ฿616

26.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.78 KES 359

$7.48 ฿251

-62.83%

Cappuccino

$4.36 KES 563

$2.02 ฿67.7

115.84%

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

$1.15 KES 148

$0.85 ฿28.45

35.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.68 KES 87.5

$0.36 ฿11.94

88.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.88 KES 243

$2.14 ฿71.7

-12.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 KES 354

$3.59 ฿121

-23.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.86 KES 111

$1.65 ฿55.4

-47.88%

White Bread (500g)

$0.52 KES 66.8

$1.57 ฿52.6

-66.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.10 KES 142

$1.19 ฿39.95

-7.56%

Eggs

$1.70 KES 219

$1.94 ฿65.0

-12.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿544

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.28 KES 811

$2.99 ฿100

110.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.31 KES 557

$10.94 ฿367

-60.60%

Apples (1kg)

$3.03 KES 391

$2.71 ฿91.0

11.81%

Banana (1kg)

$2.35 KES 304

$1.17 ฿39.18

100.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.14 KES 405

$1.69 ฿56.6

85.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.68 KES 88.2

$1.60 ฿53.9

-57.50%

Potato (1kg)

$0.86 KES 112

$1.38 ฿46.45

-37.68%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 KES 145

$1.20 ฿40.38

-5.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 KES 84.8

$0.67 ฿22.46

-1.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 KES 62.1

$0.56 ฿18.70

-14.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.37 KES 306

$4.64 ฿156

-48.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.65 KES 730

$17.62 ฿591

-67.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 KES 237

$1.86 ฿62.4

-1.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 KES 432

$3.30 ฿111

1.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.63

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ฿649

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.36 KES 304

$1.36 ฿45.82

73.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.90

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.21 ฿276

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.07 KES 139

$1.22 ฿41.11

-12.30%

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

$21.4K ฿716.8K

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

$9,144 KES 1.2M

$22.5K ฿756.3K

-59.41%

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

$15.34 KES 1,982

$70.7 ฿2,372

-78.29%

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

$14.04 ฿471

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.96 KES 2,967

$17.49 ฿587

31.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.01 KES 2,973

$42.15 ฿1,415

-45.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿199

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

$309 ฿10.4K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K ฿499.5K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$11.45 KES 1,480

$55.8 ฿1,872

-79.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$7.86 KES 1,015

$26.11 ฿877

-69.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$23.53 KES 3,040

$83.0 ฿2,787

-71.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$22.86 KES 2,953

$70.5 ฿2,365

-67.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$103 KES 13.3K

$432 ฿14.5K

-76.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$76.1 KES 9,831

$239 ฿8,020

-68.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$193 KES 24.9K

$822 ฿27.6K

-76.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$171 KES 22.1K

$512 ฿17.2K

-66.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,915 ฿64.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 ฿49.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$130 KES 16.8K

$579 ฿19.4K

-77.62%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

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

Last update for Garissa: July 13, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $103 in Garissa versus $432 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.

Salaries run about 347% higher in Chiang Mai, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $23.00 in Garissa versus $18.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $155 in Garissa vs $243 in Chiang Mai – so Garissa 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

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

Chiang Mai costs about 84% more than Garissa, 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 $700 per month in Garissa and $1,292 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $467 in Garissa and $861 in Chiang Mai. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Groceries cost about 57% 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.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $467 in Garissa and $861 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Garissa costs $467 versus $861 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 Garissa. 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.