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 $702 per month in Kafue vs $852 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,039 per month in Kafue vs $1,354 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,375 per month in Kafue vs $1,857 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Kafue is about 18% 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 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.05 ZMW 133

$1.96 ฿63.6

259.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.14 ZMW 473

$18.81 ฿611

33.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.64 ZMW 68.6

$7.92 ฿258

-54.04%

Cappuccino

$1.92 ZMW 36.20

$1.91 ฿62.2

0.52%

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

$0.69 ZMW 12.89

$0.84 ฿27.25

-17.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ZMW 6.79

$0.35 ฿11.44

2.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.95 ZMW 17.87

$2.21 ฿71.7

-57.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.80 ZMW 33.94

$3.80 ฿124

-52.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.34 ZMW 25.16

$1.64 ฿53.2

-18.29%

White Bread (500g)

$0.75 ZMW 14.10

$1.62 ฿52.8

-53.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.59 ZMW 29.95

$1.18 ฿38.40

34.75%

Eggs

$1.83 ZMW 34.42

$2.01 ฿65.4

-8.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.67 ZMW 144

$15.89 ฿517

-51.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.96 ZMW 74.6

$3.01 ฿98.0

31.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.67 ZMW 87.8

$10.77 ฿350

-56.64%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 ZMW 48.96

$2.61 ฿85.0

-0.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ZMW 30.25

$1.22 ฿39.65

31.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.71 ZMW 50.9

$1.70 ฿55.4

59.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.11 ZMW 20.93

$1.58 ฿51.2

-29.75%

Potato (1kg)

$1.81 ZMW 34.08

$1.32 ฿42.89

37.12%

Onion (1kg)

$1.37 ZMW 25.78

$1.17 ฿38.01

17.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.87 ZMW 16.31

$0.67 ฿21.85

29.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ZMW 9.60

$0.56 ฿18.21

-8.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.43 ZMW 45.76

$4.53 ฿147

-46.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.85 ZMW 148

$18.20 ฿592

-56.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 ZMW 21.48

$1.83 ฿59.6

-37.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.56 ZMW 29.28

$3.23 ฿105

-51.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.62 ZMW 30.53

$0.89 ฿28.83

82.02%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$47.22 ZMW 889

$19.38 ฿630

143.65%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.72 ZMW 51.2

$1.35 ฿43.95

101.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 ฿43.79

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.43 ZMW 177

$8.25 ฿268

14.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 ZMW 22.52

$1.27 ฿41.40

-5.51%

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

$7,881 ZMW 148.3K

$21.2K ฿687.8K

-62.75%

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

$28.9K ZMW 543.6K

$22.5K ฿731.0K

28.46%

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

$89.9 ZMW 1,692

$70.2 ฿2,281

28.15%

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

$53.0 ZMW 997

$13.77 ฿448

284.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$124 ZMW 2,335

$17.60 ฿572

605.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.57 ฿1,352

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.60 ฿215

Cinema Ticket

$4.07 ZMW 76.7

$5.78 ฿188

-29.58%

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

$177 ZMW 3,322

$306 ฿9,953

-42.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,736 ZMW 183.2K

$14.8K ฿482.0K

-34.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$18.66 ZMW 351

$54.4 ฿1,768

-65.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$17.33 ZMW 326

$26.14 ฿850

-33.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.9 ZMW 1,616

$84.5 ฿2,748

1.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.4 ZMW 1,382

$69.4 ฿2,257

5.73%

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)

$635 ฿20.6K

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: April 26, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 27, 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 – $173 in Kafue vs $243 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 21% 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 $1,053 per month in Kafue and $1,278 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Kindergarten costs $177 per month in Kafue and $306 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 41% 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 $702 in Kafue and $852 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Kafue costs $702 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 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.