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

Name: Chiang Mai
Address: Chiang Mai, TH

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $433 per month in Kilifi vs $852 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $769 per month in Kilifi vs $1,360 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,105 per month in Kilifi vs $1,867 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Kilifi is about 49% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Kilifi and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Kilifi 67% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.38 KES 308

$2.04 ฿68.4

16.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.6 KES 6,545

$18.71 ฿626

170.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.37 KES 306

$7.86 ฿263

-69.85%

Cappuccino

$1.88 KES 243

$2.03 ฿67.9

-7.39%

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

$0.78 KES 101

$0.80 ฿26.71

-2.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 KES 101

$0.35 ฿11.71

122.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.98 KES 257

$2.14 ฿71.7

-7.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿123

Milk (1 liter)

$0.91 KES 117

$1.73 ฿57.8

-47.40%

White Bread (500g)

$0.74 KES 96.2

$1.57 ฿52.5

-52.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.95 KES 252

$1.20 ฿40.10

62.50%

Eggs

$1.87 KES 242

$1.97 ฿66.0

-5.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.23 ฿543

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.06 ฿102

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.80 ฿361

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 KES 304

$2.77 ฿92.6

-15.16%

Banana (1kg)

$0.88 KES 114

$1.17 ฿39.05

-24.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.76 KES 227

$1.71 ฿57.1

2.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.65 KES 84.3

$1.59 ฿53.3

-59.12%

Potato (1kg)

$0.63 KES 81.9

$1.39 ฿46.63

-54.68%

Onion (1kg)

$0.59 KES 76.8

$1.16 ฿38.67

-49.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿22.11

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.24 KES 31.21

$0.52 ฿17.35

-53.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 ฿155

Wine (Bottle)

$12.94 KES 1,673

$17.78 ฿595

-27.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.98 KES 256

$1.79 ฿59.8

10.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 ฿112

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.73 KES 94.9

$0.91 ฿30.35

-19.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.39 KES 3,540

$18.64 ฿624

46.94%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿47.17

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.76 KES 97.6

$1.34 ฿44.82

-43.28%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.11 ฿271

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 KES 169

$1.23 ฿41.27

6.50%

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

$21.4K ฿717.0K

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

$21.8K ฿730.0K

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

$15.64 KES 2,021

$71.3 ฿2,386

-78.07%

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

$10.15 KES 1,312

$14.01 ฿469

-27.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.82 KES 3,208

$17.93 ฿600

38.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$27.43 KES 3,545

$40.82 ฿1,365

-32.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿230

Cinema Ticket

$7.84 KES 1,014

$5.72 ฿191

37.06%

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

$161 KES 20.9K

$308 ฿10.3K

-47.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,004 KES 646.7K

$14.7K ฿491.0K

-65.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$9.41 KES 1,216

$55.8 ฿1,865

-83.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$9.04 KES 1,169

$26.04 ฿871

-65.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$15.65 KES 2,023

$84.8 ฿2,837

-81.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$17.33 KES 2,240

$71.0 ฿2,375

-75.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$177 KES 22.9K

$423 ฿14.2K

-58.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$115 KES 14.8K

$242 ฿8,110

-52.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$271 KES 35.0K

$797 ฿26.7K

-66.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$262 KES 33.8K

$507 ฿17.0K

-48.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,918 ฿64.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,464 ฿49.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$230 KES 29.7K

$595 ฿19.9K

-61.39%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

60.00%

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

Last update for Kilifi: July 27, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $177 in Kilifi versus $423 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 159% 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 $51.0 in Kilifi versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $101 in Kilifi vs $244 in Chiang Mai – so Kilifi 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

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

Chiang Mai costs about 97% more than Kilifi, 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 $650 per month in Kilifi and $1,279 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $161 per month in Kilifi 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 142% 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 $433 in Kilifi and $852 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Kilifi costs $433 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 Kilifi. 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.