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

Name: Chiang Mai
Address: Chiang Mai, TH

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $486 per month in Kiambu vs $866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $750 per month in Kiambu vs $1,351 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,014 per month in Kiambu vs $1,835 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Kiambu is about 44% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Kiambu and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Kiambu 64% lower, Chiang Mai 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.16 KES 410

$1.94 ฿63.5

62.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.55 KES 2,533

$18.64 ฿609

4.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.55 KES 589

$7.82 ฿255

-41.82%

Cappuccino

$1.91 KES 247

$1.95 ฿63.8

-2.05%

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

$0.54 KES 70.2

$0.85 ฿27.77

-36.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.34 KES 43.48

$0.35 ฿11.58

-2.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.76 KES 228

$2.13 ฿69.6

-17.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 KES 293

$3.73 ฿122

-39.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.68 KES 88.3

$1.71 ฿56.0

-60.23%

White Bread (500g)

$0.53 KES 68.1

$1.63 ฿53.2

-67.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.66 KES 216

$1.14 ฿37.15

45.61%

Eggs

$1.36 KES 176

$1.93 ฿63.1

-29.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.74 KES 1,522

$16.21 ฿530

-27.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.55 KES 848

$3.12 ฿102

109.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.15 KES 537

$10.90 ฿356

-61.93%

Apples (1kg)

$3.04 KES 394

$2.75 ฿90.0

10.55%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 KES 141

$1.21 ฿39.52

-9.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.78 KES 102

$1.62 ฿53.0

-51.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.56 KES 72.7

$1.59 ฿51.8

-64.78%

Potato (1kg)

$0.55 KES 70.7

$1.40 ฿45.70

-60.71%

Onion (1kg)

$0.76 KES 98.5

$1.17 ฿38.17

-35.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.32 KES 41.56

$0.66 ฿21.60

-51.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.40 KES 52.0

$0.53 ฿17.22

-24.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.01 KES 390

$4.69 ฿153

-35.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.43 KES 1,481

$18.66 ฿609

-38.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.19 KES 284

$1.80 ฿58.8

21.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.79 KES 362

$3.23 ฿106

-13.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.56 KES 72.1

$0.90 ฿29.26

-37.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.59 KES 207

$1.41 ฿45.91

12.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.37 KES 48.56

$1.29 ฿42.12

-71.32%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.85 KES 369

$7.84 ฿256

-63.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.53 KES 198

$1.27 ฿41.58

20.47%

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

$21.9K KES 2.8M

$21.3K ฿694.9K

2.92%

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

$19.7K KES 2.6M

$22.2K ฿725.4K

-11.17%

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

$28.59 KES 3,704

$69.1 ฿2,256

-58.61%

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

$7.60 KES 984

$14.08 ฿460

-46.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.32 KES 3,799

$18.00 ฿588

62.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$11.59 KES 1,502

$41.06 ฿1,341

-71.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

Cinema Ticket

$5.64 KES 731

$5.92 ฿193

-4.73%

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

$204 KES 26.5K

$299 ฿9,766

-31.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,097 KES 1.0M

$15.0K ฿488.3K

-45.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$6.24 KES 808

$54.7 ฿1,787

-88.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$23.84 KES 3,088

$26.77 ฿874

-10.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$27.40 KES 3,550

$85.0 ฿2,776

-67.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$30.38 KES 3,936

$70.6 ฿2,306

-56.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$115 KES 14.9K

$428 ฿14.0K

-73.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$92.7 KES 12.0K

$237 ฿7,752

-60.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$191 KES 24.8K

$801 ฿26.2K

-76.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$146 KES 18.9K

$515 ฿16.8K

-71.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,137 KES 147.2K

$1,975 ฿64.5K

-42.44%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$122 KES 15.8K

$617 ฿20.2K

-80.21%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

120.00%

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

Last update for Kiambu: May 31, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $115 in Kiambu versus $428 in Chiang Mai. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 405% higher in Chiang Mai, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Kiambu versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $181 in Kiambu vs $246 in Chiang Mai – so Kiambu 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

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

Chiang Mai costs about 78% more than Kiambu, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $730 per month in Kiambu and $1,300 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Kiambu, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Kiambu and $19.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 36% 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.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $486 in Kiambu and $866 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Kiambu costs $486 versus $866 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 Kiambu. 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.