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

Name: Chiang Mai
Address: Chiang Mai, TH

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $506 per month in Thika vs $950 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $862 per month in Thika vs $1,430 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,218 per month in Thika vs $1,909 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Thika is about 47% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Thika and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Thika 63% lower, Chiang Mai 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.45 KES 446

$2.10 ฿69.3

64.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.50 KES 4,461

$19.84 ฿656

73.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.27 KES 811

$5.79 ฿191

8.29%

Cappuccino

$1.90 KES 246

$1.83 ฿60.4

3.83%

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

$0.30 KES 38.72

$0.78 ฿25.61

-61.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.56 KES 72.8

$0.31 ฿10.37

80.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.98 KES 257

$2.34 ฿77.2

-15.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.10 KES 272

$3.70 ฿122

-43.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.69 KES 89.5

$2.03 ฿67.1

-66.01%

White Bread (500g)

$0.44 KES 57.2

$1.60 ฿52.7

-72.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.15 KES 149

$1.42 ฿46.75

-19.01%

Eggs

$1.41 KES 182

$2.18 ฿71.9

-35.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.27 KES 1,328

$15.91 ฿526

-35.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.36 KES 822

$3.07 ฿102

107.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.97 KES 513

$9.87 ฿326

-59.78%

Apples (1kg)

$1.56 KES 201

$2.63 ฿86.8

-40.68%

Banana (1kg)

$0.64 KES 83.2

$1.10 ฿36.19

-41.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.81 KES 104

$1.63 ฿53.8

-50.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.08 KES 140

$1.53 ฿50.6

-29.41%

Potato (1kg)

$0.38 KES 48.79

$1.24 ฿41.13

-69.35%

Onion (1kg)

$0.44 KES 57.5

$1.13 ฿37.37

-61.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.73 KES 94.0

$0.74 ฿24.38

-1.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.38 KES 48.63

$0.50 ฿16.48

-24.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.77 KES 359

$4.28 ฿141

-35.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.69 KES 735

$17.97 ฿594

-68.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 KES 238

$1.70 ฿56.1

8.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 KES 256

$2.90 ฿95.7

-31.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.94 ฿31.13

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.3 ฿1,827

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.52 KES 197

$1.23 ฿40.76

23.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.92 KES 119

$0.53 ฿17.66

73.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.96 KES 383

$2.40 ฿79.3

23.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.38 KES 179

$1.44 ฿47.55

-4.17%

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

$20.4K KES 2.6M

$21.2K ฿700.2K

-3.87%

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

$20.1K KES 2.6M

$27.3K ฿902.1K

-26.38%

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

$35.10 KES 4,539

$64.9 ฿2,145

-45.94%

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

$15.12 KES 1,955

$13.35 ฿441

13.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.30 KES 4,564

$20.83 ฿688

69.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.51 KES 5,885

$40.42 ฿1,336

12.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.95 ฿131

Cinema Ticket

$7.65 KES 989

$6.71 ฿222

14.01%

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

$53.9 KES 6,967

$787 ฿26.0K

-93.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,541 KES 457.8K

$15.1K ฿499.6K

-76.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.29 KES 3,529

$56.2 ฿1,858

-51.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.43 KES 3,417

$24.95 ฿824

5.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$63.5 KES 8,206

$92.7 ฿3,063

-31.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$19.58 KES 2,532

$75.1 ฿2,482

-73.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$98.4 KES 12.7K

$484 ฿16.0K

-79.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$58.7 KES 7,584

$287 ฿9,491

-79.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$270 KES 34.9K

$910 ฿30.1K

-70.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$177 KES 22.9K

$531 ฿17.5K

-66.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$616 KES 79.6K

$1,980 ฿65.4K

-68.89%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,451 ฿47.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$605 ฿20.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

14.71

5.57

164.09%

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

Last update for Thika: September 7, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $98.4 in Thika versus $484 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $34.00 in Thika versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $150 in Thika vs $242 in Chiang Mai – so Thika 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

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

Chiang Mai costs about 88% more than Thika, 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 $760 per month in Thika and $1,426 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Thika, 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 $34.00 in Thika and $20.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 61% 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 $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Thika, where all-in costs run around $506, than in Chiang Mai at $950. In Thika 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. Thika costs $506 versus $950 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 Thika. 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.