Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Gulu and Chiang Mai

For one person, living is cheaper in Gulu: $113 a month against $925 in Chiang Mai, rent and utilities included – about $9,700 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai Living Index

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Gulu

🇺🇬 Uganda

$113

/mo nomad

Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$925

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Gulu and in Chiang Mai

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Gulu and in Chiang Mai actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $113 per month in Gulu vs $925 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Gulu $113
Chiang Mai $925

A couple spends around $165 per month in Gulu vs $1,414 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Gulu $165
Chiang Mai $1,414

A family of three spends $217 per month in Gulu vs $1,903 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Gulu $217
Chiang Mai $1,903

Gulu is about 88% cheaper than Chiang Mai, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Gulu and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Gulu 92% lower, Chiang Mai 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.22 UGX 5,036

$2.29 ฿76.5

-46.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.64 ฿656

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.81 UGX 44.5K

$5.61 ฿188

92.69%

Cappuccino

$2.38 UGX 9,787

$1.66 ฿55.6

43.37%

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

$0.25 UGX 1,032

$0.70 ฿23.40

-64.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.11 UGX 452

$0.31 ฿10.24

-64.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.69 UGX 2,844

$2.41 ฿80.4

-71.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 UGX 10.2K

$3.71 ฿124

-33.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 ฿65.3

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 ฿47.03

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.31 ฿43.62

Eggs

$2.18 ฿72.9

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.65 ฿556

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.76 ฿92.2

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.11 ฿304

Apples (1kg)

$2.39 ฿80.0

Banana (1kg)

$1.03 ฿34.26

Oranges (1kg)

$1.63 ฿54.4

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.0

Potato (1kg)

$1.29 ฿43.13

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 ฿37.03

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿24.08

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.59

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.31 ฿144

Wine (Bottle)

$17.95 ฿600

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 ฿52.9

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 ฿95.0

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.95 UGX 3,896

$0.86 ฿28.86

10.47%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.33 UGX 116.5K

$53.3 ฿1,780

-46.83%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.21 ฿40.29

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.57 ฿18.99

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.35 ฿78.6

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 UGX 5,138

$1.44 ฿47.96

-13.19%

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

$20.7K ฿692.8K

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

$26.8K ฿895.7K

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

$62.3 ฿2,083

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

$12.11 ฿405

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.94 ฿666

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.07 ฿1,239

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.78 ฿126

Cinema Ticket

$6.50 ฿217

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

$793 ฿26.5K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿494.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.7 ฿1,796

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.62 ฿823

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.9 ฿3,036

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.1 ฿2,378

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$455 ฿15.2K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$298 ฿9,954

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$908 ฿30.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$554 ฿18.5K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,931 ฿64.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,445 ฿48.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$591 ฿19.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

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

Last update for Gulu: October 18, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 17, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Gulu

–

Chiang Mai

$298 32.2%

Groceries & Markets

Gulu

–

Chiang Mai

$235 25.5%

Clothing & Footwear

Gulu

–

Chiang Mai

$108 11.7%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Gulu

–

Chiang Mai

$94 10.2%

Eating Out

Gulu

–

Chiang Mai

$79 8.5%

Getting Around

Gulu

–

Chiang Mai

$61 6.6%

Sport & Entertainment

Gulu

–

Chiang Mai

$50 5.4%

Good to know

🇺🇬 Gulu

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🕒 Local time

13:52 1:52 PM

17:52 5:52 PM

4 h ahead of Gulu

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

152,276

127,240

💱 Currency

Ugandan Shilling UGX Sh

Thai Baht THB ฿

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 UGX = 2.43 USD

10,000 UGX = 2.16 EUR

100 THB = 2.99 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

THB, USD, EUR to UGX – Ugandan Shilling Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇺🇬 Ugandan Shilling (Sh)

Ugandan Shilling exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 4,113 UGX (10,000 UGX = 2.43 USD). 1 EUR = 4,624 UGX (10,000 UGX = 2.16 EUR).

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 33.42 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.57 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

USD to UGX in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Gulu Chiang Mai 7,460 km ≈ 10 h nonstop flight

From you

Gulu
Chiang Mai

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

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

Chiang Mai costs about 721% more than Gulu, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $169 per month in Gulu and $1,388 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $113 in Gulu and $925 in Chiang Mai. That's a gap of about 721%.

Public transport costs about 88% less in Gulu. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Gulu, where all-in costs run around $113, than in Chiang Mai at $925. In Gulu 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. Gulu costs $113 versus $925 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 Gulu. 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.