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 $539 per month in Isiolo vs $926 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $876 per month in Isiolo vs $1,381 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,214 per month in Isiolo vs $1,835 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Isiolo is about 42% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Isiolo and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Isiolo 60% lower, Chiang Mai 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.73 KES 613

$2.10 ฿70.8

125.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.12 KES 4,424

$19.22 ฿647

77.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.07 KES 787

$5.47 ฿184

10.97%

Cappuccino

$2.72 KES 352

$1.69 ฿56.8

60.95%

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

$0.59 KES 76.5

$0.65 ฿21.78

-9.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.63 KES 81.8

$0.31 ฿10.36

103.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.35 KES 305

$2.32 ฿78.1

1.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.62 KES 340

$3.91 ฿132

-32.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.86 KES 112

$2.07 ฿69.6

-58.45%

White Bread (500g)

$0.57 KES 74.2

$1.53 ฿51.6

-62.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.93 KES 250

$1.25 ฿42.08

54.40%

Eggs

$1.67 KES 216

$2.19 ฿73.8

-23.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.77 KES 1,396

$15.94 ฿537

-32.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.47 KES 839

$2.76 ฿93.0

134.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.40 KES 829

$9.74 ฿328

-34.29%

Apples (1kg)

$3.18 KES 412

$2.66 ฿89.4

19.55%

Banana (1kg)

$1.03 KES 134

$1.05 ฿35.45

-1.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.97 KES 256

$1.66 ฿55.8

18.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.13 KES 147

$1.48 ฿49.67

-23.65%

Potato (1kg)

$1.10 KES 143

$1.21 ฿40.88

-9.09%

Onion (1kg)

$1.03 KES 133

$1.10 ฿37.09

-6.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 KES 87.9

$0.76 ฿25.59

-10.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.74 KES 95.4

$0.50 ฿16.72

48.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.52 KES 457

$4.38 ฿147

-19.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.42 KES 1,480

$17.50 ฿589

-34.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.29 KES 297

$1.66 ฿55.9

37.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.80 KES 363

$2.78 ฿93.5

0.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 ฿28.99

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.7 ฿1,809

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.57 KES 203

$1.22 ฿41.01

28.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.53 KES 198

$0.56 ฿18.87

173.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.94 KES 381

$2.34 ฿78.9

25.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 KES 185

$1.45 ฿48.75

-1.38%

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

$21.4K KES 2.8M

$21.1K ฿708.9K

1.43%

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

$20.1K KES 2.6M

$26.3K ฿885.5K

-23.75%

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

$61.9 KES 8,020

$63.6 ฿2,141

-2.74%

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

$15.49 KES 2,008

$12.56 ฿423

23.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.16 KES 4,559

$20.04 ฿675

75.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.73 ฿1,304

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.80 ฿128

Cinema Ticket

$7.93 KES 1,028

$6.47 ฿218

22.57%

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

$252 KES 32.6K

$777 ฿26.2K

-67.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.8K KES 1.5M

$14.6K ฿490.8K

-19.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$28.60 KES 3,708

$55.2 ฿1,859

-48.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.49 KES 3,695

$24.77 ฿834

15.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.9 KES 8,926

$90.3 ฿3,040

-23.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$59.3 KES 7,689

$73.5 ฿2,476

-19.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$466 ฿15.7K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$286 ฿9,635

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$866 ฿29.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$525 ฿17.7K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,978 ฿66.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,461 ฿49.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$761 KES 98.6K

$581 ฿19.6K

30.93%

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: September 27, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 31% 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 $34.00 in Isiolo versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $205 in Isiolo vs $238 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 72% 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 $809 per month in Isiolo and $1,388 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 $34.00 in Isiolo and $19.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 16% 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 $539, than in Chiang Mai at $926. 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 $539 versus $926 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.