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

Name: Chiang Mai
Address: Chiang Mai, TH

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $722 per month in Ndola vs $866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,700 per month in Ndola vs $1,351 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,678 per month in Ndola vs $1,835 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Ndola is about 17% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Ndola and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Ndola 46% lower, Chiang Mai 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.10 ZMW 127

$1.94 ฿63.5

265.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.46 ZMW 437

$18.64 ฿609

31.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.66 ZMW 65.3

$7.82 ฿255

-53.20%

Cappuccino

$1.94 ZMW 34.61

$1.95 ฿63.8

-0.51%

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

$0.38 ZMW 6.70

$0.85 ฿27.77

-55.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.17 ZMW 3.09

$0.35 ฿11.58

-51.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.94 ZMW 16.76

$2.13 ฿69.6

-55.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.84 ZMW 32.88

$3.73 ฿122

-50.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.24 ZMW 22.15

$1.71 ฿56.0

-27.49%

White Bread (500g)

$0.79 ZMW 14.08

$1.63 ฿53.2

-51.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 ZMW 28.09

$1.14 ฿37.15

37.72%

Eggs

$1.26 ZMW 22.58

$1.93 ฿63.1

-34.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.55 ZMW 135

$16.21 ฿530

-53.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.95 ZMW 70.5

$3.12 ฿102

26.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.69 ZMW 83.8

$10.90 ฿356

-56.97%

Apples (1kg)

$1.23 ZMW 21.87

$2.75 ฿90.0

-55.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.65 ZMW 29.45

$1.21 ฿39.52

36.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.78 ZMW 49.57

$1.62 ฿53.0

71.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.17 ZMW 20.94

$1.59 ฿51.8

-26.42%

Potato (1kg)

$1.80 ZMW 32.20

$1.40 ฿45.70

28.57%

Onion (1kg)

$1.32 ZMW 23.49

$1.17 ฿38.17

12.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.92 ZMW 16.36

$0.66 ฿21.60

39.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ZMW 9.12

$0.53 ฿17.22

-3.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.50 ZMW 44.66

$4.69 ฿153

-46.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.85 ZMW 194

$18.66 ฿609

-41.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 ZMW 20.36

$1.80 ฿58.8

-36.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.56 ZMW 27.88

$3.23 ฿106

-51.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 ZMW 9.90

$0.90 ฿29.26

-38.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.83 ZMW 32.63

$1.41 ฿45.91

29.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.12

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.44 ZMW 168

$7.84 ฿256

20.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 ZMW 21.31

$1.27 ฿41.58

-6.30%

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

$8,120 ZMW 144.9K

$21.3K ฿694.9K

-61.84%

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

$28.0K ZMW 500.4K

$22.2K ฿725.4K

26.20%

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

$91.8 ZMW 1,638

$69.1 ฿2,256

32.89%

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

$36.35 ZMW 649

$14.08 ฿460

158.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$124 ZMW 2,206

$18.00 ฿588

586.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,341

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

Cinema Ticket

$4.06 ZMW 72.5

$5.92 ฿193

-31.42%

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

$173 ZMW 3,095

$299 ฿9,766

-42.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,711 ZMW 173.3K

$15.0K ฿488.3K

-35.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$19.00 ZMW 339

$54.7 ฿1,787

-65.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$17.14 ZMW 306

$26.77 ฿874

-35.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.6 ZMW 1,510

$85.0 ฿2,776

-0.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.2 ZMW 1,307

$70.6 ฿2,306

3.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$126 ZMW 2,253

$428 ฿14.0K

-70.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$109 ZMW 1,953

$237 ฿7,752

-53.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$266 ZMW 4,753

$801 ฿26.2K

-66.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,481 ZMW 26.4K

$515 ฿16.8K

187.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$610 ZMW 10.9K

$617 ฿20.2K

-1.17%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

400.00%

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

Last update for Ndola: May 31, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $126 in Ndola 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 1% 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 $24.00 in Ndola versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $170 in Ndola vs $246 in Chiang Mai – so Ndola 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

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

Chiang Mai costs about 20% more than Ndola, with the gap driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,083 per month in Ndola 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 Ndola, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $24.00 in Ndola and $19.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap 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.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $722 in Ndola and $866 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Ndola costs $722 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 Ndola. 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.