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

🙂 Solo nomad: Mbeya is 31.5% cheaper than Chiang Mai without rent, and 49.5% cheaper with rent.
🙂 Family of 3: Mbeya is 37.2% cheaper than Chiang Mai without rent, and 50% cheaper with rent.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Mbeya
Chiang Mai
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
-
$2.02 ฿65.3
-
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$22.74 TZS 58.2K
$18.78 ฿608
21.09%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.54 TZS 19.3K
$7.67 ฿248
-1.69%
Cappuccino
$1.52 TZS 3,881
$1.98 ฿64.2
-23.23%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.4 TZS 1,036
$0.82 ฿26.64
-51.22%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.37 TZS 957
$0.33 ฿10.58
12.12%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$0.8 TZS 2,039
$2.12 ฿68.6
-62.26%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$3.73 ฿121
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Mbeya
Chiang Mai
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.61 TZS 1,558
$1.64 ฿53.2
-62.80%
White Bread (500g)
$0.98 TZS 2,519
$1.57 ฿50.9
-37.58%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$0.96 TZS 2,447
$1.19 ฿38.62
-19.33%
Eggs
$2.33 TZS 5,974
$1.98 ฿64.1
17.68%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$3.94 TZS 10.1K
$15.99 ฿517
-75.36%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.93 TZS 10K
$3.12 ฿101
25.96%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$3.42 TZS 8,757
$11.16 ฿361
-69.35%
Apples (1kg)
$1.14 TZS 2,908
$2.76 ฿89.2
-58.70%
Banana (1kg)
$0.78 TZS 1,998
$1.22 ฿39.5
-36.07%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.02 TZS 2,604
$1.71 ฿55.4
-40.35%
Tomato (1kg)
$0.78 TZS 2,001
$1.55 ฿50.2
-49.68%
Potato (1kg)
$1.01 TZS 2,579
$1.34 ฿43.21
-24.63%
Onion (1kg)
$0.75 TZS 1,926
$1.21 ฿39.23
-38.02%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.56 TZS 1,427
$0.72 ฿23.2
-22.22%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.8 TZS 2,039
$0.53 ฿17.05
50.94%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$1.14 TZS 2,905
$4.72 ฿153
-75.85%
Wine (Bottle)
$4.01 TZS 10.3K
$18.39 ฿595
-78.19%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$0.8 TZS 2,055
$1.79 ฿57.9
-55.31%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.15 TZS 2,931
$3.21 ฿104
-64.17%
🚌 Getting Around
Mbeya
Chiang Mai
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.4 TZS 1,034
$0.94 ฿30.44
-57.45%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$18.9 ฿612
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.18 TZS 3,015
$1.42 ฿46.08
-16.90%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.76 TZS 4,504
$1.35 ฿43.53
30.37%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$2.74 TZS 7,012
$7.85 ฿254
-65.10%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.22 TZS 3,109
$1.25 ฿40.4
-2.40%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
-
$21.2K ฿684.9K
-
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
-
$21.8K ฿706.8K
-
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Mbeya
Chiang Mai
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$25.03 TZS 64K
$70.6 ฿2,285
-64.55%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$19.65 TZS 50.3K
$13.72 ฿444
43.22%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$45.52 TZS 116.5K
$17.56 ฿568
159.23%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Mbeya
Chiang Mai
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$39.25 TZS 100.4K
$41.64 ฿1,347
-5.74%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$6.9 ฿223
-
Cinema Ticket
$9.78 TZS 25K
$5.8 ฿188
68.62%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Mbeya
Chiang Mai
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$194 TZS 495.6K
$308 ฿9,963
-37.10%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$1,178 TZS 3M
$14.7K ฿475.8K
-91.99%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Mbeya
Chiang Mai
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$11.5 TZS 29.4K
$55.4 ฿1,793
-79.24%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$9.58 TZS 24.5K
$26.4 ฿854
-63.71%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$19.51 TZS 49.9K
$85.1 ฿2,755
-77.08%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$27.21 TZS 69.6K
$71.8 ฿2,323
-62.09%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Mbeya
Chiang Mai
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$116 TZS 297.5K
$434 ฿14K
-73.22%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$77.5 TZS 198.3K
$235 ฿7,610
-67.06%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$196 TZS 501.6K
$821 ฿26.6K
-76.13%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$116 TZS 296.3K
$498 ฿16.1K
-76.76%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
-
$2,180 ฿70.6K
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
-
$1,543 ฿49.9K
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Mbeya
Chiang Mai
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$203 TZS 520.4K
$703 ฿22.8K
-71.09%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
13
5
160.00%

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

Last update for Mbeya: October 28, 2025

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 29, 2025

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