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 $689 per month in Mombasa vs $947 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,111 per month in Mombasa vs $1,411 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,534 per month in Mombasa vs $1,874 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Mombasa is about 27% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Mombasa and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Mombasa 50% lower, Chiang Mai 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.30 KES 298

$2.08 ฿69.4

10.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.05 KES 2,981

$19.64 ฿654

17.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.61 KES 1,372

$5.65 ฿188

87.79%

Cappuccino

$3.60 KES 466

$1.81 ฿60.1

98.90%

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

$1.00 KES 130

$0.71 ฿23.75

40.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.42 KES 54.7

$0.32 ฿10.52

31.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.26 KES 292

$2.24 ฿74.5

0.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.22 KES 417

$3.63 ฿121

-11.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.94 KES 121

$1.96 ฿65.2

-52.04%

White Bread (500g)

$0.49 KES 63.8

$1.50 ฿50.0

-67.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.58 KES 204

$1.34 ฿44.49

17.91%

Eggs

$1.82 KES 235

$2.26 ฿75.4

-19.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.94 KES 1,415

$16.26 ฿541

-32.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.44 KES 704

$2.95 ฿98.4

84.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.34 KES 691

$9.94 ฿331

-46.28%

Apples (1kg)

$2.10 KES 271

$2.57 ฿85.7

-18.29%

Banana (1kg)

$1.15 KES 148

$1.06 ฿35.18

8.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.79 KES 231

$1.61 ฿53.7

11.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.65 KES 84.1

$1.52 ฿50.6

-57.24%

Potato (1kg)

$0.72 KES 93.7

$1.27 ฿42.30

-43.31%

Onion (1kg)

$1.05 KES 135

$1.07 ฿35.51

-1.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.57 KES 73.4

$0.72 ฿23.98

-20.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.46 KES 59.3

$0.51 ฿16.94

-9.80%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.51 KES 583

$4.19 ฿140

7.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.61 KES 984

$17.87 ฿595

-57.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.00 KES 258

$1.69 ฿56.4

18.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 KES 372

$2.84 ฿94.5

1.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.76 KES 98.0

$0.93 ฿30.82

-18.28%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.00 KES 4,914

$53.9 ฿1,794

-29.45%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.01 KES 389

$1.23 ฿41.11

144.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.71 KES 221

$0.58 ฿19.20

194.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.54 KES 587

$2.42 ฿80.7

87.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.56 KES 202

$1.41 ฿47.03

10.64%

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

$12.1K KES 1.6M

$21.4K ฿714.1K

-43.67%

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

$11.8K KES 1.5M

$27.3K ฿910.2K

-56.93%

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

$55.1 KES 7,124

$63.7 ฿2,120

-13.48%

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

$13.42 KES 1,735

$12.85 ฿428

4.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.92 KES 4,386

$20.22 ฿673

67.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$18.20 KES 2,354

$38.74 ฿1,290

-53.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.95 KES 2,450

$3.97 ฿132

377.33%

Cinema Ticket

$11.00 KES 1,422

$6.74 ฿224

63.20%

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

$87.7 KES 11.3K

$778 ฿25.9K

-88.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,514 KES 713.0K

$14.6K ฿486.5K

-62.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$13.03 KES 1,685

$54.3 ฿1,808

-76.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$13.50 KES 1,745

$25.45 ฿847

-46.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$23.12 KES 2,989

$94.3 ฿3,141

-75.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$45.53 KES 5,887

$73.4 ฿2,446

-38.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$229 KES 29.6K

$490 ฿16.3K

-53.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$154 KES 19.9K

$289 ฿9,634

-46.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$537 KES 69.5K

$894 ฿29.8K

-39.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$389 KES 50.2K

$517 ฿17.2K

-24.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,396 KES 697.7K

$1,955 ฿65.1K

175.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,931 KES 508.3K

$1,477 ฿49.2K

166.18%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$321 KES 41.5K

$602 ฿20.0K

-46.75%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

133.39%

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

Last update for Mombasa: August 30, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $229 in Mombasa versus $490 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 88% 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 $23.00 in Mombasa versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $175 in Mombasa vs $240 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 38% more than Mombasa, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,033 per month in Mombasa and $1,421 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 $778 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 38% 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.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Mombasa, where all-in costs run around $689, than in Chiang Mai at $947. In Mombasa it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiang Mai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Mombasa costs $689 versus $947 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.