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

Name: Chiang Mai
Address: Chiang Mai, TH

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $604 per month in Mombasa vs $866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,064 per month in Mombasa vs $1,351 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,525 per month in Mombasa vs $1,835 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Mombasa is about 30% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Mombasa and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Mombasa 55% lower, Chiang Mai 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.37 KES 308

$1.94 ฿63.5

22.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.29 KES 2,498

$18.64 ฿609

3.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.53 KES 1,106

$7.82 ฿255

9.08%

Cappuccino

$3.25 KES 421

$1.95 ฿63.8

66.67%

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

$0.51 KES 66.3

$0.85 ฿27.77

-40.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.47 KES 61.2

$0.35 ฿11.58

34.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.90 KES 246

$2.13 ฿69.6

-10.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.93 KES 380

$3.73 ฿122

-21.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.81 KES 104

$1.71 ฿56.0

-52.63%

White Bread (500g)

$0.53 KES 69.3

$1.63 ฿53.2

-67.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.44 KES 187

$1.14 ฿37.15

26.32%

Eggs

$1.73 KES 223

$1.93 ฿63.1

-10.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.96 KES 1,291

$16.21 ฿530

-38.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.82 KES 754

$3.12 ฿102

86.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.24 KES 679

$10.90 ฿356

-51.93%

Apples (1kg)

$1.81 KES 234

$2.75 ฿90.0

-34.18%

Banana (1kg)

$0.93 KES 121

$1.21 ฿39.52

-23.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.56 KES 202

$1.62 ฿53.0

-3.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.76 KES 98.2

$1.59 ฿51.8

-52.20%

Potato (1kg)

$0.71 KES 92.4

$1.40 ฿45.70

-49.29%

Onion (1kg)

$1.05 KES 136

$1.17 ฿38.17

-10.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 KES 86.9

$0.66 ฿21.60

1.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 KES 74.0

$0.53 ฿17.22

7.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.32 KES 430

$4.69 ฿153

-29.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.90 KES 1,023

$18.66 ฿609

-57.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.94 KES 252

$1.80 ฿58.8

7.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 KES 354

$3.23 ฿106

-15.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 KES 103

$0.90 ฿29.26

-12.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.09 KES 4,546

$19.21 ฿628

82.67%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 KES 391

$1.41 ฿45.91

114.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 KES 252

$1.29 ฿42.12

51.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.61 KES 597

$7.84 ฿256

-41.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.60 KES 208

$1.27 ฿41.58

25.98%

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

$12.1K KES 1.6M

$21.3K ฿694.9K

-43.20%

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

$11.8K KES 1.5M

$22.2K ฿725.4K

-46.94%

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

$44.87 KES 5,813

$69.1 ฿2,256

-35.04%

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

$14.07 KES 1,822

$14.08 ฿460

-0.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$44.11 KES 5,715

$18.00 ฿588

145.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$18.18 KES 2,356

$41.06 ฿1,341

-55.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.95 KES 2,455

$6.96 ฿227

172.27%

Cinema Ticket

$4.55 KES 589

$5.92 ฿193

-23.14%

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

$87.3 KES 11.3K

$299 ฿9,766

-70.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,325 KES 689.9K

$15.0K ฿488.3K

-64.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$13.39 KES 1,734

$54.7 ฿1,787

-75.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$13.83 KES 1,792

$26.77 ฿874

-48.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$23.61 KES 3,059

$85.0 ฿2,776

-72.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$47.29 KES 6,126

$70.6 ฿2,306

-33.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$178 KES 23.0K

$428 ฿14.0K

-58.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$115 KES 14.9K

$237 ฿7,752

-51.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$605 KES 78.4K

$801 ฿26.2K

-24.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 KES 60.2K

$515 ฿16.8K

-9.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,402 KES 699.9K

$1,975 ฿64.5K

173.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,839 KES 497.3K

$1,475 ฿48.2K

160.26%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$318 KES 41.2K

$617 ฿20.2K

-48.55%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

160.00%

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

Last update for Mombasa: May 31, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $178 in Mombasa versus $428 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 94% 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 $19.00 in Mombasa versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $170 vs $246 – making Mombasa the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

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

Chiang Mai costs about 43% more than Mombasa, 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 $907 per month in Mombasa and $1,300 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $87.3 per month in Mombasa and $299 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 45% 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 $604 in Mombasa and $866 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Mombasa costs $604 versus $866 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 Mombasa. 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.