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 $584 per month in Kabwe vs $950 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $947 per month in Kabwe vs $1,430 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,310 per month in Kabwe vs $1,909 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Kabwe is about 39% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Kabwe and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Kabwe 58% lower, Chiang Mai 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.76 ZMW 111

$2.10 ฿69.4

174.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.68 ZMW 610

$19.84 ฿656

59.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.34 ZMW 103

$5.79 ฿192

-7.77%

Cappuccino

$2.91 ZMW 55.9

$1.83 ฿60.5

59.02%

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

$0.76 ZMW 14.55

$0.78 ฿25.63

-2.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.47 ZMW 9.03

$0.31 ฿10.38

51.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.27 ZMW 24.40

$2.34 ฿77.3

-45.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 ZMW 44.96

$3.70 ฿122

-36.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.81 ZMW 34.86

$2.03 ฿67.1

-10.84%

White Bread (500g)

$1.27 ZMW 24.42

$1.60 ฿52.8

-20.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.20 ZMW 42.36

$1.42 ฿46.80

54.93%

Eggs

$1.21 ZMW 23.29

$2.18 ฿72.0

-44.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.85 ZMW 209

$15.91 ฿526

-31.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.38 ZMW 123

$3.07 ฿102

107.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.62 ZMW 127

$9.87 ฿326

-32.93%

Apples (1kg)

$3.58 ZMW 68.9

$2.63 ฿86.9

36.12%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 ZMW 20.62

$1.10 ฿36.23

-2.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.83 ZMW 73.8

$1.63 ฿53.9

134.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.57 ZMW 30.27

$1.53 ฿50.6

2.61%

Potato (1kg)

$2.73 ZMW 52.5

$1.24 ฿41.16

120.16%

Onion (1kg)

$1.88 ZMW 36.20

$1.13 ฿37.40

66.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 ZMW 22.18

$0.74 ฿24.41

55.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.81 ZMW 15.56

$0.50 ฿16.50

62.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.06 ZMW 58.9

$4.28 ฿142

-28.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.31 ZMW 198

$17.97 ฿594

-42.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.46 ZMW 28.05

$1.70 ฿56.2

-14.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.42 ZMW 46.61

$2.90 ฿95.8

-16.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.94 ฿31.15

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.3 ฿1,828

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.58 ZMW 49.70

$1.23 ฿40.80

109.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.55 ZMW 29.84

$0.53 ฿17.67

192.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.20 ZMW 100

$2.40 ฿79.4

116.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.39 ZMW 26.67

$1.44 ฿47.60

-3.47%

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

$7,707 ZMW 148.4K

$21.2K ฿700.9K

-63.63%

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

$27.0K ZMW 520.2K

$27.3K ฿903.0K

-1.02%

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

$84.1 ZMW 1,620

$64.9 ฿2,147

29.57%

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

$10.73 ZMW 206

$13.35 ฿442

-19.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.9 ZMW 1,115

$20.83 ฿689

177.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.42 ฿1,337

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.95 ฿131

Cinema Ticket

$6.28 ZMW 121

$6.71 ฿222

-6.41%

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

$141 ZMW 2,707

$787 ฿26.0K

-82.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.7K ZMW 321.5K

$15.1K ฿500.1K

10.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$24.13 ZMW 465

$56.2 ฿1,859

-57.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$16.00 ZMW 308

$24.95 ฿825

-35.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$47.52 ZMW 915

$92.7 ฿3,066

-48.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.3 ZMW 1,431

$75.1 ฿2,484

-1.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$484 ฿16.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$287 ฿9,500

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$910 ฿30.1K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$531 ฿17.5K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,980 ฿65.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,451 ฿48.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$605 ฿20.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

420.65%

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

Last update for Kabwe: September 5, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $32.00 in Kabwe versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $235 in Kabwe vs $242 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 63% more than Kabwe, 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 $876 per month in Kabwe and $1,426 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 $32.00 in Kabwe 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 3% 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 Kabwe, where all-in costs run around $584, than in Chiang Mai at $950. In Kabwe 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. Kabwe costs $584 versus $950 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.