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 $487 per month in Isiolo vs $852 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $813 per month in Isiolo vs $1,354 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,140 per month in Isiolo vs $1,857 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Isiolo is about 43% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Isiolo and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Isiolo 64% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.54 KES 716

$1.96 ฿63.6

182.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.53 KES 3,945

$18.81 ฿611

62.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.89 KES 503

$7.92 ฿258

-50.88%

Cappuccino

$2.39 KES 309

$1.91 ฿62.2

25.13%

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

$0.28 KES 36.28

$0.84 ฿27.25

-66.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.22 KES 28.32

$0.35 ฿11.44

-37.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.38 KES 307

$2.21 ฿71.7

7.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.98 KES 385

$3.80 ฿124

-21.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.88 KES 114

$1.64 ฿53.2

-46.34%

White Bread (500g)

$0.42 KES 53.8

$1.62 ฿52.8

-74.07%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.59 KES 206

$1.18 ฿38.40

34.75%

Eggs

$1.42 KES 183

$2.01 ฿65.4

-29.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.77 KES 1,522

$15.89 ฿517

-25.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.80 KES 878

$3.01 ฿98.0

125.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.45 KES 704

$10.77 ฿350

-49.40%

Apples (1kg)

$3.19 KES 412

$2.61 ฿85.0

22.22%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 KES 139

$1.22 ฿39.65

-11.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.10 KES 271

$1.70 ฿55.4

23.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.02 KES 132

$1.58 ฿51.2

-35.44%

Potato (1kg)

$1.08 KES 139

$1.32 ฿42.89

-18.18%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 KES 146

$1.17 ฿38.01

-3.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.69 KES 88.5

$0.67 ฿21.85

2.99%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 KES 104

$0.56 ฿18.21

42.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.12 KES 403

$4.53 ฿147

-31.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.54 KES 1,491

$18.20 ฿592

-36.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.18 KES 282

$1.83 ฿59.6

19.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.72 KES 351

$3.23 ฿105

-15.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ฿28.83

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.38 ฿630

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.54 KES 199

$1.35 ฿43.95

14.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.53 KES 198

$1.35 ฿43.79

13.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.81 KES 364

$8.25 ฿268

-65.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.40 KES 180

$1.27 ฿41.40

10.24%

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

$22.0K KES 2.8M

$21.2K ฿687.8K

4.13%

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

$20.2K KES 2.6M

$22.5K ฿731.0K

-10.35%

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

$34.61 KES 4,472

$70.2 ฿2,281

-50.66%

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

$17.03 KES 2,201

$13.77 ฿448

23.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.85 KES 5,021

$17.60 ฿572

120.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.57 ฿1,352

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.60 ฿215

Cinema Ticket

$6.17 KES 798

$5.78 ฿188

6.75%

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

$201 KES 26.0K

$306 ฿9,953

-34.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,040 KES 1.0M

$14.8K ฿482.0K

-45.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$18.30 KES 2,366

$54.4 ฿1,768

-66.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$23.64 KES 3,055

$26.14 ฿850

-9.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$65.1 KES 8,416

$84.5 ฿2,748

-22.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$56.6 KES 7,309

$69.4 ฿2,257

-18.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$424 ฿13.8K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$238 ฿7,743

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$825 ฿26.8K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.7K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,049 ฿66.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,523 ฿49.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$782 KES 101.0K

$635 ฿20.6K

23.09%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

14.84

196.80%

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

Last update for Isiolo: April 25, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 23% 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 $31.00 in Isiolo versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $204 in Isiolo vs $243 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 Sport & Entertainment. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $731 per month in Isiolo and $1,278 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 $31.00 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 19% 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.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $487 in Isiolo and $852 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Isiolo costs $487 versus $852 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.