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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,188 per month in Kaka vs $932 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,274 per month in Kaka vs $1,399 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,360 per month in Kaka vs $1,866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Kaka costs about 135% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Kaka sits 60% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 32% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$31.57 TMT 106

$2.08 ฿69.5

1417.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$87.1 TMT 292

$19.61 ฿655

344.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.97 TMT 43.46

$5.67 ฿189

128.75%

Cappuccino

$6.95 TMT 23.30

$1.81 ฿60.3

283.98%

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

$1.56 TMT 5.22

$0.77 ฿25.65

102.60%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 TMT 2.77

$0.35 ฿11.53

137.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.78 TMT 19.35

$2.21 ฿73.9

161.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$13.80 TMT 46.24

$3.79 ฿127

264.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$4.40 TMT 14.73

$2.05 ฿68.4

114.63%

White Bread (500g)

$2.09 TMT 7.00

$1.51 ฿50.6

38.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.69 TMT 19.07

$1.40 ฿46.69

306.43%

Eggs

$5.95 TMT 19.92

$2.26 ฿75.4

163.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$37.71 TMT 126

$16.19 ฿540

132.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$20.20 TMT 67.7

$2.90 ฿96.7

596.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.26 TMT 77.9

$9.42 ฿314

146.92%

Apples (1kg)

$5.16 TMT 17.30

$2.68 ฿89.4

92.54%

Banana (1kg)

$8.31 TMT 27.84

$1.09 ฿36.37

662.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$7.58 TMT 25.39

$1.62 ฿54.0

367.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.74 TMT 12.52

$1.46 ฿48.74

156.16%

Potato (1kg)

$2.34 TMT 7.86

$1.28 ฿42.65

82.81%

Onion (1kg)

$1.47 TMT 4.93

$1.06 ฿35.31

38.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.73 TMT 9.14

$0.72 ฿23.94

279.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 TMT 3.75

$0.53 ฿17.56

111.32%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$25.58 TMT 85.7

$4.23 ฿141

504.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$41.35 TMT 139

$18.29 ฿611

126.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$5.19 TMT 17.39

$1.63 ฿54.4

218.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.79 TMT 9.34

$2.90 ฿96.8

-3.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.32

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.8 ฿1,795

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.79 TMT 9.33

$1.17 ฿39.14

138.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.84 TMT 2.83

$0.58 ฿19.30

44.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.82 TMT 29.54

$2.39 ฿79.6

269.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.41 TMT 1.38

$1.45 ฿48.41

-71.72%

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

$43.7K TMT 146.5K

$21.0K ฿701.4K

108.17%

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

$57.5K TMT 192.7K

$26.4K ฿882.0K

117.67%

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

$561 TMT 1,880

$63.7 ฿2,125

781.56%

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

$58.2 TMT 195

$12.89 ฿430

351.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$103 TMT 347

$20.52 ฿685

404.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.02 ฿1,302

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.92 ฿131

Cinema Ticket

$8.81 TMT 29.52

$6.58 ฿220

33.89%

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

$23.08 TMT 77.3

$784 ฿26.2K

-97.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.9K TMT 83.3K

$14.7K ฿489.8K

69.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.0 TMT 184

$55.1 ฿1,840

-0.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$113 TMT 379

$24.74 ฿826

357.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$361 TMT 1,208

$94.1 ฿3,142

283.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$192 TMT 642

$74.0 ฿2,469

158.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.4K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$288 ฿9,620

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$891 ฿29.8K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$521 ฿17.4K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,974 ฿65.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,444 ฿48.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿20.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.5

5.57

70.56%

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

Last update for Kaka: September 14, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $87.0 in Kaka versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $669 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

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

Kaka costs about 135% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,282 per month in Kaka 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 $87.0 in Kaka 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 178% more in Kaka, 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 Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $932, than in Kaka at $2,188. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Kaka it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $932 versus $2,188 in Kaka. 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 Chiang Mai. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Kaka makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.