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

Name: Chiang Mai
Address: Chiang Mai, TH

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $652 per month in Kabwe vs $852 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $965 per month in Kabwe vs $1,360 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,278 per month in Kabwe vs $1,867 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Kabwe is about 24% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Kabwe and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Kabwe 51% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.24 ZMW 136

$2.04 ฿68.4

254.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.49 ZMW 459

$18.71 ฿626

30.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.63 ZMW 68.0

$7.86 ฿263

-53.82%

Cappuccino

$1.93 ZMW 36.26

$2.03 ฿67.9

-4.93%

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

$0.73 ZMW 13.73

$0.80 ฿26.71

-8.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 ZMW 6.26

$0.35 ฿11.71

-5.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.94 ZMW 17.67

$2.14 ฿71.7

-56.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.76 ZMW 32.96

$3.67 ฿123

-52.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.33 ZMW 25.02

$1.73 ฿57.8

-23.12%

White Bread (500g)

$0.78 ZMW 14.65

$1.57 ฿52.5

-50.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.60 ZMW 30.08

$1.20 ฿40.10

33.33%

Eggs

$0.95 ZMW 17.81

$1.97 ฿66.0

-51.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.88 ZMW 148

$16.23 ฿543

-51.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.99 ZMW 74.8

$3.06 ฿102

30.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.51 ZMW 84.5

$10.80 ฿361

-58.24%

Apples (1kg)

$2.52 ZMW 47.16

$2.77 ฿92.6

-9.03%

Banana (1kg)

$0.87 ZMW 16.24

$1.17 ฿39.05

-25.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.66 ZMW 49.94

$1.71 ฿57.1

55.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.15 ZMW 21.58

$1.59 ฿53.3

-27.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.87 ZMW 35.08

$1.39 ฿46.63

34.53%

Onion (1kg)

$1.38 ZMW 25.86

$1.16 ฿38.67

18.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.92 ZMW 17.29

$0.66 ฿22.11

39.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ZMW 9.57

$0.52 ฿17.35

-1.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.52 ZMW 47.34

$4.65 ฿155

-45.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.60 ZMW 199

$17.78 ฿595

-40.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 ZMW 21.39

$1.79 ฿59.8

-36.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 ZMW 28.56

$3.34 ฿112

-54.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿30.35

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.64 ฿624

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.80 ZMW 52.5

$1.41 ฿47.17

98.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.82

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.09 ZMW 170

$8.11 ฿271

12.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 ZMW 23.26

$1.23 ฿41.27

0.81%

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

$8,130 ZMW 152.4K

$21.4K ฿717.0K

-62.07%

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

$28.0K ZMW 525.2K

$21.8K ฿730.0K

28.34%

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

$92.7 ZMW 1,739

$71.3 ฿2,386

30.02%

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

$52.5 ZMW 985

$14.01 ฿469

274.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$123 ZMW 2,309

$17.93 ฿600

586.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.82 ฿1,365

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿230

Cinema Ticket

$4.28 ZMW 80.3

$5.72 ฿191

-25.17%

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

$174 ZMW 3,260

$308 ฿10.3K

-43.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,643 ZMW 180.8K

$14.7K ฿491.0K

-34.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$19.14 ZMW 359

$55.8 ฿1,865

-65.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$17.04 ZMW 320

$26.04 ฿871

-34.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.0 ZMW 1,575

$84.8 ฿2,837

-0.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.2 ZMW 1,392

$71.0 ฿2,375

4.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$423 ฿14.2K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 ฿8,110

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$797 ฿26.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$507 ฿17.0K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,918 ฿64.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,464 ฿49.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

400.00%

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

Last update for Kabwe: July 27, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $24.00 in Kabwe versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $171 in Kabwe vs $244 in Chiang Mai – so Kabwe 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

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

Chiang Mai costs about 31% more than Kabwe, with the gap driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $977 per month in Kabwe and $1,279 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 $24.00 in Kabwe 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 43% 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 $652 in Kabwe and $852 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Kabwe costs $652 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 Kabwe. 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.