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

Name: Chiang Mai
Address: Chiang Mai, TH

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $606 per month in Narok vs $932 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $912 per month in Narok vs $1,399 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,217 per month in Narok vs $1,866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Narok is about 35% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Narok and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Narok 56% lower, Chiang Mai 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.37 KES 306

$2.08 ฿69.2

13.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.12 KES 2,992

$19.61 ฿652

17.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.65 KES 601

$5.67 ฿189

-17.99%

Cappuccino

$1.92 KES 248

$1.81 ฿60.0

6.08%

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

$0.41 KES 52.4

$0.77 ฿25.55

-46.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.22 KES 28.39

$0.35 ฿11.48

-37.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.92 KES 248

$2.21 ฿73.6

-13.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 KES 302

$3.79 ฿126

-38.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.79 KES 102

$2.05 ฿68.1

-61.46%

White Bread (500g)

$0.48 KES 61.9

$1.51 ฿50.4

-68.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.37 KES 178

$1.40 ฿46.51

-2.14%

Eggs

$1.26 KES 163

$2.26 ฿75.1

-44.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.26 KES 810

$16.19 ฿538

-61.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.14 KES 794

$2.90 ฿96.3

111.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.25 KES 809

$9.42 ฿313

-33.65%

Apples (1kg)

$3.11 KES 402

$2.68 ฿89.1

16.04%

Banana (1kg)

$1.03 KES 133

$1.09 ฿36.23

-5.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 KES 257

$1.62 ฿53.8

22.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.80 KES 103

$1.46 ฿48.55

-45.21%

Potato (1kg)

$0.81 KES 105

$1.28 ฿42.48

-36.72%

Onion (1kg)

$0.81 KES 105

$1.06 ฿35.17

-23.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.69 KES 89.4

$0.72 ฿23.85

-4.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 KES 68.1

$0.53 ฿17.49

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.57 KES 203

$4.23 ฿141

-62.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.93 KES 897

$18.29 ฿608

-62.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.88 KES 243

$1.63 ฿54.2

15.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.36 KES 305

$2.90 ฿96.5

-18.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.15 KES 148

$0.88 ฿29.20

30.68%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.32 KES 5,088

$53.8 ฿1,788

-26.87%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.52 KES 197

$1.17 ฿38.99

29.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.37 KES 177

$0.58 ฿19.22

136.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.15 KES 149

$2.39 ฿79.3

-51.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.38 KES 179

$1.45 ฿48.22

-4.83%

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

$19.0K KES 2.5M

$21.0K ฿698.6K

-9.38%

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

$20.1K KES 2.6M

$26.4K ฿878.6K

-23.85%

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

$61.5 KES 7,959

$63.7 ฿2,116

-3.36%

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

$7.66 KES 991

$12.89 ฿429

-40.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.13 KES 2,993

$20.52 ฿682

12.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.42 KES 3,030

$39.02 ฿1,297

-39.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$2.31 KES 299

$3.92 ฿130

-41.07%

Cinema Ticket

$7.80 KES 1,009

$6.58 ฿219

18.54%

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

$57.8 KES 7,473

$784 ฿26.1K

-92.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,656 KES 990.6K

$14.7K ฿487.9K

-47.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$15.56 KES 2,014

$55.1 ฿1,833

-71.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$15.54 KES 2,011

$24.74 ฿823

-37.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$22.93 KES 2,967

$94.1 ฿3,130

-75.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$38.21 KES 4,945

$74.0 ฿2,459

-48.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$230 KES 29.8K

$490 ฿16.3K

-53.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$153 KES 19.8K

$288 ฿9,582

-46.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$309 KES 40.0K

$891 ฿29.6K

-65.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$234 KES 30.3K

$521 ฿17.3K

-55.07%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,563 KES 202.2K

$1,974 ฿65.6K

-20.83%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,155 KES 149.5K

$1,444 ฿48.0K

-20.00%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$308 KES 39.9K

$602 ฿20.0K

-48.76%

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 Narok: September 12, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $230 in Narok 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 95% 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 Narok versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $166 in Narok vs $241 in Chiang Mai – so Narok 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

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

Chiang Mai costs about 54% more than Narok, 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 $908 per month in Narok and $1,398 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $57.8 per month in Narok and $784 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.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Narok, where all-in costs run around $606, than in Chiang Mai at $932. In Narok 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. Narok costs $606 versus $932 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 Narok. 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.