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

Name: Chiang Mai
Address: Chiang Mai, TH

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $699 per month in Kafue vs $869 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,058 per month in Kafue vs $1,362 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,416 per month in Kafue vs $1,855 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Kafue is about 20% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Kafue and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Kafue 48% lower, Chiang Mai 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.05 ZMW 123

$1.98 ฿64.3

256.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.10 ZMW 439

$18.80 ฿612

33.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.77 ZMW 65.8

$7.75 ฿252

-51.35%

Cappuccino

$1.97 ZMW 34.38

$1.92 ฿62.5

2.60%

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

$0.68 ZMW 11.84

$0.79 ฿25.79

-13.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ZMW 6.37

$0.36 ฿11.62

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.95 ZMW 16.60

$2.21 ฿72.1

-57.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.81 ZMW 31.64

$3.66 ฿119

-50.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 ZMW 22.13

$1.65 ฿53.8

-23.03%

White Bread (500g)

$0.80 ZMW 13.90

$1.63 ฿53.2

-50.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.58 ZMW 27.65

$1.19 ฿38.86

32.77%

Eggs

$1.83 ZMW 31.93

$2.00 ฿65.1

-8.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.69 ZMW 134

$15.98 ฿520

-51.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.97 ZMW 69.5

$3.03 ฿98.5

31.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.63 ZMW 80.9

$10.86 ฿354

-57.37%

Apples (1kg)

$2.57 ZMW 44.91

$2.76 ฿90.0

-6.88%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 ZMW 28.52

$1.18 ฿38.42

38.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.70 ZMW 47.24

$1.64 ฿53.5

64.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.13 ZMW 19.74

$1.52 ฿49.51

-25.66%

Potato (1kg)

$1.88 ZMW 32.87

$1.38 ฿45.10

36.23%

Onion (1kg)

$1.36 ZMW 23.82

$1.19 ฿38.84

14.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.88 ZMW 15.37

$0.70 ฿22.86

25.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ZMW 8.51

$0.56 ฿18.13

-12.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.42 ZMW 42.24

$4.58 ฿149

-47.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.34 ZMW 198

$16.56 ฿539

-31.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 ZMW 18.89

$1.83 ฿59.5

-40.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 ZMW 26.54

$3.20 ฿104

-52.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.61 ZMW 28.22

$0.88 ฿28.56

82.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.10 ZMW 806

$18.72 ฿610

146.26%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.81 ZMW 49.17

$1.36 ฿44.16

106.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿43.65

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.37 ZMW 164

$7.84 ฿256

19.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 ZMW 20.97

$1.23 ฿39.92

-2.44%

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

$8,105 ZMW 141.7K

$21.6K ฿704.3K

-62.52%

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

$28.4K ZMW 496.4K

$22.5K ฿734.3K

25.96%

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

$91.0 ZMW 1,590

$70.5 ฿2,298

28.98%

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

$52.2 ZMW 912

$13.68 ฿445

281.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$126 ZMW 2,210

$17.45 ฿568

624.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.33 ฿1,346

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

Cinema Ticket

$4.25 ZMW 74.2

$5.77 ฿188

-26.34%

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

$174 ZMW 3,035

$307 ฿10.0K

-43.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,402 ZMW 164.3K

$14.6K ฿475.9K

-35.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$18.99 ZMW 332

$55.8 ฿1,817

-65.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$17.28 ZMW 302

$26.21 ฿854

-34.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.4 ZMW 1,457

$85.8 ฿2,793

-2.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.6 ZMW 1,287

$72.2 ฿2,353

1.92%

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)

$619 ฿20.2K

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 Kafue: June 8, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $25.00 in Kafue versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $179 in Kafue vs $241 in Chiang Mai – so Kafue 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

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

Chiang Mai costs about 24% more than Kafue, 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 $1,049 per month in Kafue and $1,303 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Kindergarten costs $174 per month in Kafue and $307 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 35% 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.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $699 in Kafue and $869 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Kafue costs $699 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 Kafue. 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.