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 $618 per month in Mombasa vs $861 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,060 per month in Mombasa vs $1,350 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,502 per month in Mombasa vs $1,838 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Mombasa is about 28% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Mombasa and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Mombasa 54% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.35 KES 304

$1.96 ฿65.7

19.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.18 KES 2,478

$18.35 ฿616

4.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.80 KES 1,137

$7.48 ฿251

17.65%

Cappuccino

$3.18 KES 411

$2.02 ฿67.7

57.43%

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

$0.48 KES 62.4

$0.85 ฿28.45

-43.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 KES 61.7

$0.36 ฿11.94

33.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.96 KES 253

$2.14 ฿71.7

-8.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.82 KES 364

$3.59 ฿121

-21.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.82 KES 106

$1.65 ฿55.4

-50.30%

White Bread (500g)

$0.49 KES 63.9

$1.57 ฿52.6

-68.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 KES 180

$1.19 ฿39.95

17.65%

Eggs

$1.79 KES 231

$1.94 ฿65.0

-7.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.71 KES 1,255

$16.19 ฿544

-40.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.82 KES 752

$2.99 ฿100

94.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.22 KES 675

$10.94 ฿367

-52.29%

Apples (1kg)

$1.79 KES 231

$2.71 ฿91.0

-33.95%

Banana (1kg)

$0.91 KES 117

$1.17 ฿39.18

-22.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 KES 197

$1.69 ฿56.6

-10.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.79 KES 102

$1.60 ฿53.9

-50.63%

Potato (1kg)

$0.68 KES 87.5

$1.38 ฿46.45

-50.72%

Onion (1kg)

$1.08 KES 139

$1.20 ฿40.38

-10.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 KES 85.4

$0.67 ฿22.46

-1.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 KES 78.0

$0.56 ฿18.70

7.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.30 KES 427

$4.64 ฿156

-28.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.95 KES 1,027

$17.62 ฿591

-54.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.88 KES 242

$1.86 ฿62.4

1.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 KES 358

$3.30 ฿111

-16.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.75 KES 96.4

$0.88 ฿29.63

-14.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.08 KES 4,532

$19.34 ฿649

81.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.05 KES 394

$1.36 ฿45.82

124.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.94 KES 251

$1.34 ฿44.90

44.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.58 KES 592

$8.21 ฿276

-44.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.60 KES 206

$1.22 ฿41.11

31.15%

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

$12.0K KES 1.5M

$21.4K ฿716.8K

-43.85%

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

$11.8K KES 1.5M

$22.5K ฿756.3K

-47.64%

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

$44.61 KES 5,764

$70.7 ฿2,372

-36.88%

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

$14.45 KES 1,867

$14.04 ฿471

2.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$43.55 KES 5,626

$17.49 ฿587

149.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$18.09 KES 2,337

$42.15 ฿1,415

-57.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.19 KES 2,480

$6.88 ฿231

178.92%

Cinema Ticket

$4.71 KES 609

$5.92 ฿199

-20.44%

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

$87.7 KES 11.3K

$309 ฿10.4K

-71.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,406 KES 698.5K

$14.9K ฿499.5K

-63.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$13.03 KES 1,684

$55.8 ฿1,872

-76.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$13.80 KES 1,784

$26.11 ฿877

-47.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$23.61 KES 3,050

$83.0 ฿2,787

-71.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$45.93 KES 5,934

$70.5 ฿2,365

-34.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$181 KES 23.4K

$432 ฿14.5K

-58.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$118 KES 15.3K

$239 ฿8,020

-50.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$590 KES 76.3K

$822 ฿27.6K

-28.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$462 KES 59.7K

$512 ฿17.2K

-9.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,440 KES 702.8K

$1,915 ฿64.3K

184.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,820 KES 493.6K

$1,467 ฿49.3K

160.40%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$321 KES 41.5K

$579 ฿19.4K

-44.54%

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: July 14, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $181 in Mombasa versus $432 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 80% 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 $18.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $169 in Mombasa vs $243 in Chiang Mai – so Mombasa 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

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

Chiang Mai costs about 39% 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 $928 per month in Mombasa and $1,292 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 $87.7 per month in Mombasa and $309 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 44% 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 $618 in Mombasa and $861 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Mombasa costs $618 versus $861 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.