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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $605 per month in Kafue vs $932 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $953 per month in Kafue vs $1,399 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,302 per month in Kafue vs $1,866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Kafue is about 35% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Kafue and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Kafue 56% lower, Chiang Mai 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.73 ZMW 112

$2.08 ฿69.3

175.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.86 ZMW 605

$19.61 ฿653

57.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.16 ZMW 101

$5.67 ฿189

-8.99%

Cappuccino

$2.85 ZMW 55.9

$1.81 ฿60.1

57.46%

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

$0.75 ZMW 14.63

$0.77 ฿25.58

-2.60%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.50 ZMW 9.81

$0.35 ฿11.49

42.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.28 ZMW 25.08

$2.21 ฿73.7

-42.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.30 ZMW 45.11

$3.79 ฿126

-39.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.83 ZMW 35.96

$2.05 ฿68.2

-10.73%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 ZMW 24.71

$1.51 ฿50.4

-16.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.13 ZMW 41.74

$1.40 ฿46.57

52.14%

Eggs

$1.97 ZMW 38.63

$2.26 ฿75.2

-12.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.78 ZMW 211

$16.19 ฿539

-33.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.75 ZMW 132

$2.90 ฿96.4

132.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.72 ZMW 132

$9.42 ฿314

-28.66%

Apples (1kg)

$3.57 ZMW 69.9

$2.68 ฿89.2

33.21%

Banana (1kg)

$2.55 ZMW 50.0

$1.09 ฿36.28

133.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.79 ZMW 74.4

$1.62 ฿53.8

133.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.56 ZMW 30.63

$1.46 ฿48.61

6.85%

Potato (1kg)

$2.60 ZMW 51.0

$1.28 ฿42.54

103.13%

Onion (1kg)

$1.94 ZMW 38.05

$1.06 ฿35.21

83.02%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 ZMW 23.59

$0.72 ฿23.88

66.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.81 ZMW 15.88

$0.53 ฿17.51

52.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.19 ZMW 62.5

$4.23 ฿141

-24.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.60 ZMW 208

$18.29 ฿609

-42.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.52 ZMW 29.83

$1.63 ฿54.3

-6.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 ZMW 45.90

$2.90 ฿96.6

-19.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.24

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.8 ฿1,790

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.59 ZMW 50.8

$1.17 ฿39.04

121.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.62 ZMW 31.67

$0.58 ฿19.25

179.31%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.13 ZMW 100

$2.39 ฿79.4

114.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.61 ZMW 31.55

$1.45 ฿48.28

11.03%

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

$7,734 ZMW 151.6K

$21.0K ฿699.5K

-63.19%

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

$27.2K ZMW 532.7K

$26.4K ฿879.7K

2.86%

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

$82.0 ZMW 1,607

$63.7 ฿2,119

28.80%

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

$10.99 ZMW 215

$12.89 ฿429

-14.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.5 ZMW 1,127

$20.52 ฿683

180.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.02 ฿1,299

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.92 ฿130

Cinema Ticket

$6.38 ZMW 125

$6.58 ฿219

-3.04%

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

$146 ZMW 2,868

$784 ฿26.1K

-81.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.8K ZMW 328.3K

$14.7K ฿488.4K

14.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$23.80 ZMW 466

$55.1 ฿1,835

-56.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$15.75 ZMW 309

$24.74 ฿824

-36.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$46.80 ZMW 917

$94.1 ฿3,133

-50.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.4 ZMW 1,458

$74.0 ฿2,462

0.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.3K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$288 ฿9,594

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$891 ฿29.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$521 ฿17.3K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,974 ฿65.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,444 ฿48.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿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 Kafue: September 12, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $31.00 in Kafue versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $241 – making Chiang Mai the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 54% more than Kafue, 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 $907 per month in Kafue and $1,398 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 $31.00 in Kafue and $20.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 4% cheaper in Chiang Mai – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Kafue, where all-in costs run around $605, than in Chiang Mai at $932. In Kafue 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. Kafue costs $605 versus $932 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.