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 $708 per month in Kafue vs $852 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,061 per month in Kafue vs $1,360 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,414 per month in Kafue vs $1,867 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Kafue is about 17% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Kafue and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Kafue 47% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.33 ZMW 137

$2.04 ฿68.2

259.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.17 ZMW 469

$18.71 ฿624

34.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.63 ZMW 67.7

$7.86 ฿262

-53.82%

Cappuccino

$1.92 ZMW 35.83

$2.03 ฿67.7

-5.42%

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

$0.67 ZMW 12.53

$0.80 ฿26.64

-16.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 ZMW 6.23

$0.35 ฿11.68

-5.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.87 ZMW 16.22

$2.14 ฿71.5

-59.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.81 ZMW 33.84

$3.67 ฿122

-50.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.33 ZMW 24.90

$1.73 ฿57.6

-23.12%

White Bread (500g)

$0.75 ZMW 14.04

$1.57 ฿52.4

-52.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.60 ZMW 29.83

$1.20 ฿39.99

33.33%

Eggs

$1.85 ZMW 34.45

$1.97 ฿65.8

-6.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.62 ZMW 142

$16.23 ฿541

-53.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.80 ZMW 70.8

$3.06 ฿102

24.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.65 ZMW 86.7

$10.80 ฿360

-56.94%

Apples (1kg)

$2.48 ZMW 46.19

$2.77 ฿92.3

-10.47%

Banana (1kg)

$1.65 ZMW 30.82

$1.17 ฿38.94

41.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.75 ZMW 51.3

$1.71 ฿57.0

60.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.15 ZMW 21.54

$1.59 ฿53.2

-27.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.87 ZMW 34.88

$1.39 ฿46.51

34.53%

Onion (1kg)

$1.33 ZMW 24.71

$1.16 ฿38.56

14.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.92 ZMW 17.18

$0.66 ฿22.05

39.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ZMW 9.62

$0.52 ฿17.31

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.54 ZMW 47.40

$4.65 ฿155

-45.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.77 ZMW 201

$17.78 ฿593

-39.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 ZMW 20.96

$1.79 ฿59.6

-37.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 ZMW 28.24

$3.34 ฿111

-54.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.64 ZMW 30.61

$0.91 ฿30.27

80.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.63 ZMW 870

$18.64 ฿622

150.16%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.69 ZMW 50.1

$1.41 ฿47.04

90.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.70

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.29 ZMW 173

$8.11 ฿270

14.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 ZMW 22.33

$1.23 ฿41.16

-2.44%

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

$7,897 ZMW 147.3K

$21.4K ฿715.1K

-63.16%

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

$28.4K ZMW 528.8K

$21.8K ฿728.0K

29.92%

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

$90.2 ZMW 1,681

$71.3 ฿2,379

26.38%

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

$52.3 ZMW 976

$14.01 ฿467

273.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$125 ZMW 2,336

$17.93 ฿598

598.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.82 ฿1,362

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿230

Cinema Ticket

$4.23 ZMW 78.9

$5.72 ฿191

-26.05%

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

$174 ZMW 3,245

$308 ฿10.3K

-43.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,500 ZMW 177.2K

$14.7K ฿489.7K

-35.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$18.76 ZMW 350

$55.8 ฿1,860

-66.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$17.29 ZMW 323

$26.04 ฿869

-33.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.3 ZMW 1,554

$84.8 ฿2,829

-1.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.1 ZMW 1,344

$71.0 ฿2,368

1.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$423 ฿14.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 ฿8,088

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$797 ฿26.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$507 ฿16.9K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,918 ฿64.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,464 ฿48.8K

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 Kafue: July 26, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 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 – $178 in Kafue vs $244 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 20% 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 $1,061 per month in Kafue and $1,279 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 $308 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 37% 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 $708 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 $708 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.