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

🙂 Solo nomad: Meru is 16.3% cheaper than Chiang Mai without rent, and 45% cheaper with rent.
🙂 Family of 3: Meru is 5% cheaper than Chiang Mai without rent, and 37.7% cheaper with rent.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Meru
Chiang Mai
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$5.37 KES 694
$2.02 ฿65.3
165.84%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$38.81 KES 5,016
$18.78 ฿608
106.66%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$6.98 KES 902
$7.67 ฿248
-9.00%
Cappuccino
$2.38 KES 307
$1.98 ฿64.2
20.20%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.72 KES 92.5
$0.82 ฿26.64
-12.20%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.5 KES 65.2
$0.33 ฿10.58
51.52%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.26 KES 292
$2.12 ฿68.6
6.60%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.98 KES 385
$3.73 ฿121
-20.11%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Meru
Chiang Mai
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.86 KES 112
$1.64 ฿53.2
-47.56%
White Bread (500g)
$0.38 KES 48.62
$1.57 ฿50.9
-75.80%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.1 KES 142
$1.19 ฿38.62
-7.56%
Eggs
$1.39 KES 179
$1.98 ฿64.1
-29.80%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.72 KES 1,514
$15.99 ฿517
-26.70%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$6.77 KES 874
$3.12 ฿101
116.99%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$4.98 KES 643
$11.16 ฿361
-55.38%
Apples (1kg)
$3.12 KES 404
$2.76 ฿89.2
13.04%
Banana (1kg)
$0.75 KES 96.5
$1.22 ฿39.5
-38.52%
Oranges (1kg)
$0.81 KES 104
$1.71 ฿55.4
-52.63%
Tomato (1kg)
$0.75 KES 97.4
$1.55 ฿50.2
-51.61%
Potato (1kg)
$1.07 KES 138
$1.34 ฿43.21
-20.15%
Onion (1kg)
$1.03 KES 133
$1.21 ฿39.23
-14.88%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.24 KES 31.17
$0.72 ฿23.2
-66.67%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.45 KES 57.6
$0.53 ฿17.05
-15.09%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.13 KES 404
$4.72 ฿153
-33.69%
Wine (Bottle)
$11.68 KES 1,510
$18.39 ฿595
-36.49%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.23 KES 288
$1.79 ฿57.9
24.58%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.72 KES 352
$3.21 ฿104
-15.26%
🚌 Getting Around
Meru
Chiang Mai
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
-
$0.94 ฿30.44
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$18.9 ฿612
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.53 KES 197
$1.42 ฿46.08
7.75%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.5 KES 194
$1.35 ฿43.53
11.11%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$2.92 KES 377
$7.85 ฿254
-62.80%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.03 KES 133
$1.25 ฿40.4
-17.60%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.9K KES 2.8M
$21.2K ฿684.9K
3.26%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$19.9K KES 2.6M
$21.8K ฿706.8K
-8.85%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Meru
Chiang Mai
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$34.99 KES 4,522
$70.6 ฿2,285
-50.45%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$16.73 KES 2,162
$13.72 ฿444
21.94%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$40.14 KES 5,188
$17.56 ฿568
128.59%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Meru
Chiang Mai
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
-
$41.64 ฿1,347
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$6.9 ฿223
-
Cinema Ticket
$6.33 KES 818
$5.8 ฿188
9.14%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Meru
Chiang Mai
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$204 KES 26.3K
$308 ฿9,963
-33.83%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$8,145 KES 1.1M
$14.7K ฿475.8K
-44.60%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Meru
Chiang Mai
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$18.26 KES 2,360
$55.4 ฿1,793
-67.04%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$24.34 KES 3,146
$26.4 ฿854
-7.80%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$66.3 KES 8,573
$85.1 ฿2,755
-22.08%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$56.2 KES 7,266
$71.8 ฿2,323
-21.68%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Meru
Chiang Mai
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
-
$434 ฿14K
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
-
$235 ฿7,610
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
-
$821 ฿26.6K
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
-
$498 ฿16.1K
-
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
-
$2,180 ฿70.6K
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
-
$1,543 ฿49.9K
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Meru
Chiang Mai
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$703 ฿22.8K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
14.84
5
196.80%

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

Last update for Meru: October 28, 2025

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 29, 2025

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