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

Name: Chiang Mai
Address: Chiang Mai, TH

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $544 per month in Mbarara vs $869 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $871 per month in Mbarara vs $1,362 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,198 per month in Mbarara vs $1,855 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Mbarara is about 37% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Mbarara and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Mbarara 60% lower, Chiang Mai 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.75 UGX 10.3K

$1.98 ฿64.3

38.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.49 UGX 99.3K

$18.80 ฿612

40.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.79 UGX 33.0K

$7.75 ฿252

13.42%

Cappuccino

$2.83 UGX 10.6K

$1.92 ฿62.5

47.40%

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

$0.47 UGX 1,754

$0.79 ฿25.79

-40.51%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 UGX 1,177

$0.36 ฿11.62

-13.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.40 UGX 5,256

$2.21 ฿72.1

-36.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.72 UGX 10.2K

$3.66 ฿119

-25.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.53 UGX 1,996

$1.65 ฿53.8

-67.88%

White Bread (500g)

$1.21 UGX 4,543

$1.63 ฿53.2

-25.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 UGX 5,247

$1.19 ฿38.86

17.65%

Eggs

$1.81 UGX 6,793

$2.00 ฿65.1

-9.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.25 UGX 15.9K

$15.98 ฿520

-73.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.05 UGX 18.9K

$3.03 ฿98.5

66.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.99 UGX 15.0K

$10.86 ฿354

-63.26%

Apples (1kg)

$2.70 UGX 10.1K

$2.76 ฿90.0

-2.17%

Banana (1kg)

$1.48 UGX 5,556

$1.18 ฿38.42

25.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.74 UGX 6,532

$1.64 ฿53.5

6.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 UGX 5,683

$1.52 ฿49.51

Potato (1kg)

$1.62 UGX 6,078

$1.38 ฿45.10

17.39%

Onion (1kg)

$1.92 UGX 7,192

$1.19 ฿38.84

61.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 UGX 4,004

$0.70 ฿22.86

52.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 UGX 2,177

$0.56 ฿18.13

3.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.89 UGX 10.8K

$4.58 ฿149

-36.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.76 UGX 32.8K

$16.56 ฿539

-47.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 UGX 4,671

$1.83 ฿59.5

-31.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 UGX 7,626

$3.20 ฿104

-36.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.80 UGX 3,016

$0.88 ฿28.56

-9.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.72 ฿610

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.58 UGX 2,166

$1.36 ฿44.16

-57.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.26 UGX 963

$1.34 ฿43.65

-80.60%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.27 UGX 16.0K

$7.84 ฿256

-45.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.50 UGX 5,604

$1.23 ฿39.92

21.95%

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

$8,971 UGX 33.6M

$21.6K ฿704.3K

-58.51%

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

$8,729 UGX 32.7M

$22.5K ฿734.3K

-61.29%

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

$42.35 UGX 158.7K

$70.5 ฿2,298

-39.96%

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

$14.64 UGX 54.9K

$13.68 ฿445

7.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$43.46 UGX 162.9K

$17.45 ฿568

149.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$20.99 UGX 78.7K

$41.33 ฿1,346

-49.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

Cinema Ticket

$6.32 UGX 23.7K

$5.77 ฿188

9.53%

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

$163 UGX 611.3K

$307 ฿10.0K

-46.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,250 UGX 15.9M

$14.6K ฿475.9K

-70.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$17.01 UGX 63.8K

$55.8 ฿1,817

-69.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$14.22 UGX 53.3K

$26.21 ฿854

-45.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$38.82 UGX 145.5K

$85.8 ฿2,793

-54.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$47.37 UGX 177.5K

$72.2 ฿2,353

-34.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$99.1 UGX 371.5K

$430 ฿14.0K

-76.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$82.1 UGX 307.7K

$239 ฿7,774

-65.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$266 UGX 998.3K

$817 ฿26.6K

-67.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$191 UGX 717.3K

$511 ฿16.6K

-62.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,983 ฿64.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,484 ฿48.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$619 ฿20.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

20.8

316.00%

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

Last update for Mbarara: June 8, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $99.1 in Mbarara versus $430 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $26.00 in Mbarara versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $165 in Mbarara vs $241 in Chiang Mai – so Mbarara 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

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

Chiang Mai costs about 60% more than Mbarara, 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 $816 per month in Mbarara and $1,303 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Mbarara, 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 $26.00 in Mbarara 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 46% 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 $544 in Mbarara and $869 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Mbarara costs $544 versus $869 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 Mbarara. 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.