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 $495 per month in Isiolo vs $869 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $814 per month in Isiolo vs $1,362 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,134 per month in Isiolo vs $1,855 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 63% lower, Chiang Mai 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.57 KES 722

$1.98 ฿64.3

181.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.83 KES 3,867

$18.80 ฿612

58.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.88 KES 503

$7.75 ฿252

-49.94%

Cappuccino

$2.44 KES 316

$1.92 ฿62.5

27.08%

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

$0.26 KES 33.49

$0.79 ฿25.79

-67.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.24 KES 31.28

$0.36 ฿11.62

-33.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.26 KES 293

$2.21 ฿72.1

2.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 KES 371

$3.66 ฿119

-21.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.82 KES 107

$1.65 ฿53.8

-50.30%

White Bread (500g)

$0.41 KES 53.2

$1.63 ฿53.2

-74.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.59 KES 206

$1.19 ฿38.86

33.61%

Eggs

$1.43 KES 185

$2.00 ฿65.1

-28.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.48 KES 1,489

$15.98 ฿520

-28.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.80 KES 881

$3.03 ฿98.5

124.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.54 KES 718

$10.86 ฿354

-48.99%

Apples (1kg)

$3.14 KES 407

$2.76 ฿90.0

13.77%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 KES 139

$1.18 ฿38.42

-9.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 KES 277

$1.64 ฿53.5

29.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.02 KES 132

$1.52 ฿49.51

-32.89%

Potato (1kg)

$1.03 KES 133

$1.38 ฿45.10

-25.36%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 KES 152

$1.19 ฿38.84

-1.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.69 KES 89.9

$0.70 ฿22.86

-1.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.75 KES 97.6

$0.56 ฿18.13

33.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.06 KES 397

$4.58 ฿149

-33.19%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.39 KES 1,477

$16.56 ฿539

-31.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.21 KES 287

$1.83 ฿59.5

20.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 KES 366

$3.20 ฿104

-11.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿28.56

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.72 ฿610

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.52 KES 197

$1.36 ฿44.16

11.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.58 KES 205

$1.34 ฿43.65

17.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.86 KES 371

$7.84 ฿256

-63.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 KES 188

$1.23 ฿39.92

17.89%

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

$21.6K KES 2.8M

$21.6K ฿704.3K

-0.06%

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

$20.3K KES 2.6M

$22.5K ฿734.3K

-9.96%

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

$34.71 KES 4,500

$70.5 ฿2,298

-50.79%

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

$16.86 KES 2,186

$13.68 ฿445

23.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.74 KES 5,023

$17.45 ฿568

122.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.33 ฿1,346

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

Cinema Ticket

$6.03 KES 781

$5.77 ฿188

4.51%

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

$202 KES 26.2K

$307 ฿10.0K

-34.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,080 KES 1.0M

$14.6K ฿475.9K

-44.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$18.30 KES 2,372

$55.8 ฿1,817

-67.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$23.77 KES 3,082

$26.21 ฿854

-9.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$65.5 KES 8,491

$85.8 ฿2,793

-23.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$57.5 KES 7,458

$72.2 ฿2,353

-20.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$430 ฿14.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿7,774

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$817 ฿26.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$511 ฿16.6K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,983 ฿64.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,484 ฿48.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$776 KES 100.6K

$619 ฿20.2K

25.43%

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 25% 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 $30.00 in Isiolo versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $202 in Isiolo vs $241 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 76% 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 $742 per month in Isiolo and $1,303 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 $30.00 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 $495 in Isiolo and $869 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Isiolo costs $495 versus $869 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.