Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Kisii and Chiang Mai

For one person, living is cheaper in Kisii: $304 a month against $935 in Chiang Mai, rent and utilities included – about $7,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Kisii, Kenya
Chiang Mai, Thailand
Kisii
🇰🇪 Kenya
$304
/mo nomad
Chiang Mai
🇹🇭 Thailand
$935
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Kisii and in Chiang Mai

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Kisii and in Chiang Mai actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $304 per month in Kisii vs $935 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

  • Kisii $304
  • Chiang Mai $935

A couple spends around $444 per month in Kisii vs $1,467 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

  • Kisii $444
  • Chiang Mai $1,467

A family of three spends $585 per month in Kisii vs $1,999 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

  • Kisii $585
  • Chiang Mai $1,999

Kisii is about 68% cheaper than Chiang Mai, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Kisii and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Kisii 78% lower, Chiang Mai 31% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Kisii
Chiang Mai
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.75 KES 358
$2.13 ฿71.4
29.11%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
-
$18.62 ฿623
-
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
-
$5.60 ฿187
-
Cappuccino
$1.37 KES 178
$1.66 ฿55.6
-17.47%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.87 KES 113
$0.65 ฿21.63
33.85%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.22 KES 28.46
$0.30 ฿10.20
-26.67%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.83 KES 237
$2.32 ฿77.7
-21.12%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.25 KES 293
$3.67 ฿123
-38.69%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Kisii
Chiang Mai
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.94 KES 122
$2.02 ฿67.4
-53.47%
White Bread (500g)
$0.48 KES 62.0
$1.41 ฿47.08
-65.96%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.26 KES 294
$1.39 ฿46.54
62.59%
Eggs
$1.81 KES 236
$2.37 ฿79.2
-23.63%
Local Cheese (1kg)
-
$16.52 ฿552
-
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
-
$2.67 ฿89.3
-
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$4.67 KES 606
$9.02 ฿302
-48.23%
Apples (1kg)
-
$2.40 ฿80.2
-
Banana (1kg)
-
$1.04 ฿34.82
-
Oranges (1kg)
-
$1.66 ฿55.5
-
Tomato (1kg)
-
$1.56 ฿52.1
-
Potato (1kg)
-
$1.24 ฿41.39
-
Onion (1kg)
-
$1.09 ฿36.34
-
Lettuce (1 head)
-
$0.76 ฿25.47
-
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
-
$0.51 ฿17.19
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
-
$4.12 ฿138
-
Wine (Bottle)
-
$17.93 ฿600
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.97 KES 256
$1.62 ฿54.3
21.60%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$2.82 ฿94.4
-
🚌 Getting Around
Kisii
Chiang Mai
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.37 KES 47.40
$0.93 ฿31.25
-60.22%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$15.58 KES 2,023
$52.9 ฿1,769
-70.54%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.76 KES 98.6
$1.18 ฿39.35
-35.59%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
-
$0.17 ฿5.73
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
-
$1.81 ฿60.6
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.47 KES 190
$1.47 ฿49.25
-
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
-
$21.0K ฿702.6K
-
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$11.7K KES 1.5M
$26.5K ฿886.7K
-56.05%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Kisii
Chiang Mai
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
-
$62.6 ฿2,092
-
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$16.21 KES 2,105
$11.60 ฿388
39.74%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$47.51 KES 6,170
$20.30 ฿679
134.04%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Kisii
Chiang Mai
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
-
$37.88 ฿1,267
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$3.70 ฿124
-
Cinema Ticket
-
$6.51 ฿218
-
🧸 Childcare & Education
Kisii
Chiang Mai
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$37.99 KES 4,933
$727 ฿24.3K
-94.77%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
-
$16.6K ฿554.2K
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Kisii
Chiang Mai
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$11.44 KES 1,486
$53.5 ฿1,790
-78.63%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
-
$24.80 ฿829
-
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$38.57 KES 5,008
$90.4 ฿3,023
-57.33%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$30.24 KES 3,927
$72.0 ฿2,407
-57.98%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Kisii
Chiang Mai
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
-
$481 ฿16.1K
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$75.5 KES 9,802
$310 ฿10.4K
-75.64%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
-
$1,058 ฿35.4K
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$155 KES 20.1K
$659 ฿22.0K
-76.48%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
-
$2,418 ฿80.8K
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
-
$1,609 ฿53.8K
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Kisii
Chiang Mai
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$595 ฿19.9K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
0
5.57
-

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

Last update for Kisii: October 31, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: November 1, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Kisii
–
Chiang Mai
$310
Groceries & Markets
Kisii
–
Chiang Mai
$237
Clothing & Footwear
Kisii
–
Chiang Mai
$108
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Kisii
–
Chiang Mai
$94
Eating Out
Kisii
–
Chiang Mai
$77
Getting Around
Kisii
–
Chiang Mai
$59
Sport & Entertainment
Kisii
–
Chiang Mai
$51
Good to know
🇰🇪 Kisii
🇹🇭 Chiang Mai
🕒 Local time
10:03 10:03 AM
14:03 2:03 PM
4 h ahead of Kisii
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
200,000
127,240
💱 Currency
Thai Baht THB ฿
Exchange rates and currency converter

THB, USD, EUR to KES – Kenyan Shilling Converter

Kenyan Shilling exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 130 KES (1,000 KES = 7.7 USD). 1 EUR = 146 KES (1,000 KES = 6.86 EUR).

Thai Baht exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 33.44 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.54 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Kisii Chiang Mai 7,330 km ≈ 10 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Kisii
  • Chiang Mai

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Kisii vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Kisii or Chiang Mai?
Chiang Mai costs about 208% more than Kisii, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Kisii and in Chiang Mai?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $456 per month in Kisii and $1,403 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How expensive is transport in Kisii compared to Chiang Mai?
Public transport costs about 71% less in Kisii. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Are groceries more expensive in Kisii or in Chiang Mai?
Groceries cost about 335% more in Chiang Mai, though the gap depends on what you buy.
Can you live on $800/month in Kisii or in Chiang Mai?
A $800 monthly budget goes further in Kisii, where all-in costs run around $304, than in Chiang Mai at $935. In Kisii it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiang Mai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city offers a better quality of life: Kisii or Chiang Mai?
It depends on your priorities. Chiang Mai has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $304 in Kisii to $935 in Chiang Mai. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Kisii vs other spots: cost of living compared

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