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

Name: Chiang Mai
Address: Chiang Mai, TH

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $527 per month in Isiolo vs $920 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $876 per month in Isiolo vs $1,408 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,226 per month in Isiolo vs $1,895 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Isiolo is about 43% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Isiolo and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Isiolo 62% lower, Chiang Mai 33% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.55 KES 718

$2.11 ฿69.1

163.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.56 KES 4,472

$19.75 ฿648

74.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.30 KES 816

$5.85 ฿192

7.69%

Cappuccino

$2.80 KES 363

$1.76 ฿57.8

59.09%

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

$0.63 KES 81.8

$0.74 ฿24.37

-14.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.53 KES 67.9

$0.33 ฿10.90

60.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.29 KES 296

$2.47 ฿81.0

-7.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 KES 347

$3.88 ฿127

-30.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.85 KES 110

$1.90 ฿62.4

-55.26%

White Bread (500g)

$0.56 KES 73.0

$1.67 ฿54.7

-66.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.84 KES 239

$1.35 ฿44.24

36.30%

Eggs

$1.65 KES 213

$2.14 ฿70.2

-22.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.66 KES 1,380

$15.89 ฿521

-32.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.62 KES 857

$2.83 ฿92.9

133.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.33 KES 819

$10.53 ฿345

-39.89%

Apples (1kg)

$3.16 KES 409

$2.38 ฿78.2

32.77%

Banana (1kg)

$0.99 KES 128

$1.07 ฿35.01

-7.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.97 KES 255

$1.52 ฿49.79

29.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.02 KES 131

$1.50 ฿49.30

-32.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.00 KES 130

$1.28 ฿41.96

-21.88%

Onion (1kg)

$0.95 KES 123

$1.10 ฿36.17

-13.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 KES 84.9

$0.69 ฿22.54

-4.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 KES 93.3

$0.49 ฿16.18

46.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.43 KES 444

$4.27 ฿140

-19.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.57 KES 1,498

$16.78 ฿550

-31.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.29 KES 297

$1.66 ฿54.4

37.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.81 KES 364

$2.81 ฿92.3

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.44

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.9 ฿1,801

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.53 KES 198

$1.20 ฿39.24

27.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.58 KES 204

$0.54 ฿17.78

192.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.88 KES 373

$2.37 ฿77.9

21.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.39 KES 180

$1.43 ฿46.88

-2.80%

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

$18.7K KES 2.4M

$21.1K ฿691.5K

-11.40%

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

$19.3K KES 2.5M

$27.1K ฿890.2K

-28.72%

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

$55.7 KES 7,213

$64.7 ฿2,124

-13.90%

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

$15.51 KES 2,007

$13.19 ฿433

17.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.29 KES 4,437

$19.44 ฿638

76.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.45 ฿1,294

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.77 ฿124

Cinema Ticket

$7.87 KES 1,018

$6.62 ฿217

18.88%

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

$240 KES 31.1K

$805 ฿26.4K

-70.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.0K KES 1.4M

$15.1K ฿496.1K

-27.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$26.64 KES 3,447

$54.8 ฿1,796

-51.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.38 KES 3,285

$25.43 ฿834

-0.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$63.1 KES 8,167

$91.9 ฿3,015

-31.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$59.8 KES 7,736

$74.7 ฿2,449

-19.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$467 ฿15.3K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$282 ฿9,251

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$891 ฿29.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$521 ฿17.1K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,985 ฿65.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,462 ฿48.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$760 KES 98.3K

$592 ฿19.4K

28.29%

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 Isiolo: August 18, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 17, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 28% higher in Isiolo, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $35.00 in Isiolo versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $203 in Isiolo vs $237 in Chiang Mai – so Isiolo 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

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

Chiang Mai costs about 75% more than Isiolo, with the gap driven mainly by Getting Around. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $791 per month in Isiolo and $1,380 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 $35.00 in Isiolo 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 17% 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 Isiolo, where all-in costs run around $527, than in Chiang Mai at $920. In Isiolo 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. Isiolo costs $527 versus $920 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 Isiolo. 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.