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

Name: Chiang Mai
Address: Chiang Mai, TH

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $444 per month in Iganga vs $950 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $700 per month in Iganga vs $1,430 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $955 per month in Iganga vs $1,909 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Iganga is about 53% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Iganga and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Iganga 68% lower, Chiang Mai 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.72 UGX 10.5K

$2.10 ฿69.4

29.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.86 UGX 103.8K

$19.84 ฿656

35.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.50 UGX 29.0K

$5.79 ฿192

29.53%

Cappuccino

$2.54 UGX 9,821

$1.83 ฿60.5

38.80%

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

$0.39 UGX 1,526

$0.78 ฿25.63

-50.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 UGX 1,175

$0.31 ฿10.38

-3.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.35 UGX 5,220

$2.34 ฿77.3

-42.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.90 UGX 7,333

$3.70 ฿122

-48.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.86 UGX 3,313

$2.03 ฿67.1

-57.64%

White Bread (500g)

$1.00 UGX 3,872

$1.60 ฿52.8

-37.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 UGX 5,428

$1.42 ฿46.80

-1.41%

Eggs

$1.53 UGX 5,903

$2.18 ฿72.0

-29.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.57 UGX 17.7K

$15.91 ฿526

-71.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.03 UGX 19.4K

$3.07 ฿102

63.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.28 UGX 20.4K

$9.87 ฿326

-46.50%

Apples (1kg)

$2.08 UGX 8,043

$2.63 ฿86.9

-20.91%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 UGX 4,680

$1.10 ฿36.23

10.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.35 UGX 5,229

$1.63 ฿53.9

-17.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.23 UGX 4,764

$1.53 ฿50.6

-19.61%

Potato (1kg)

$1.31 UGX 5,044

$1.24 ฿41.16

5.65%

Onion (1kg)

$1.35 UGX 5,220

$1.13 ฿37.40

19.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.86 UGX 3,310

$0.74 ฿24.41

16.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 UGX 2,156

$0.50 ฿16.50

12.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.71 UGX 10.5K

$4.28 ฿142

-36.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.12 UGX 31.4K

$17.97 ฿594

-54.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.05 UGX 4,043

$1.70 ฿56.2

-38.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 UGX 7,659

$2.90 ฿95.8

-31.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.94 ฿31.15

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.3 ฿1,828

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.52 UGX 1,993

$1.23 ฿40.80

-57.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.32 UGX 1,226

$0.53 ฿17.67

-39.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 UGX 12.6K

$2.40 ฿79.4

35.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.46 UGX 5,629

$1.44 ฿47.60

1.39%

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

$7,878 UGX 30.4M

$21.2K ฿700.9K

-62.83%

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

$7,963 UGX 30.8M

$27.3K ฿903.0K

-70.84%

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

$74.6 UGX 288.1K

$64.9 ฿2,147

14.83%

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

$12.29 UGX 47.5K

$13.35 ฿442

-7.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.07 UGX 147.1K

$20.83 ฿689

82.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.42 ฿1,337

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.95 ฿131

Cinema Ticket

$7.77 UGX 30.0K

$6.71 ฿222

15.80%

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

$266 UGX 1.0M

$787 ฿26.0K

-66.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,638 UGX 33.4M

$15.1K ฿500.1K

-42.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$15.00 UGX 57.9K

$56.2 ฿1,859

-73.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$13.82 UGX 53.4K

$24.95 ฿825

-44.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$34.00 UGX 131.4K

$92.7 ฿3,066

-63.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$47.46 UGX 183.4K

$75.1 ฿2,484

-36.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$484 ฿16.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$287 ฿9,500

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$910 ฿30.1K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$531 ฿17.5K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,980 ฿65.5K

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 %)

20.75

5.57

272.53%

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

Last update for Iganga: September 7, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $27.00 in Iganga versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $156 in Iganga vs $242 in Chiang Mai – so Iganga 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

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

Chiang Mai costs about 114% more than Iganga, 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 $666 per month in Iganga and $1,426 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $27.00 in Iganga 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 55% 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 Iganga, where all-in costs run around $444, than in Chiang Mai at $950. In Iganga 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. Iganga costs $444 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 Iganga. 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.