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 $478 per month in Thika vs $852 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $795 per month in Thika vs $1,354 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,113 per month in Thika vs $1,857 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Thika is about 44% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Thika and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Thika 64% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.27 KES 681

$1.96 ฿63.6

168.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.16 KES 5,061

$18.81 ฿611

108.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.95 KES 899

$7.92 ฿258

-12.25%

Cappuccino

$2.44 KES 315

$1.91 ฿62.2

27.75%

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

$0.74 KES 95.8

$0.84 ฿27.25

-11.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.50 KES 64.5

$0.35 ฿11.44

42.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.73 KES 223

$2.21 ฿71.7

-21.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 KES 256

$3.80 ฿124

-47.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.92 KES 120

$1.64 ฿53.2

-43.90%

White Bread (500g)

$0.44 KES 57.5

$1.62 ฿52.8

-72.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 KES 171

$1.18 ฿38.40

12.71%

Eggs

$1.37 KES 177

$2.01 ฿65.4

-31.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.51 KES 1,488

$15.89 ฿517

-27.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.86 KES 887

$3.01 ฿98.0

127.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$1.98 KES 255

$10.77 ฿350

-81.62%

Apples (1kg)

$3.02 KES 390

$2.61 ฿85.0

15.71%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 KES 139

$1.22 ฿39.65

-12.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.09 KES 270

$1.70 ฿55.4

22.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.04 KES 135

$1.58 ฿51.2

-34.18%

Potato (1kg)

$1.03 KES 134

$1.32 ฿42.89

-21.97%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 KES 144

$1.17 ฿38.01

-5.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.69 KES 88.6

$0.67 ฿21.85

2.99%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 KES 106

$0.56 ฿18.21

46.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.35 KES 304

$4.53 ฿147

-48.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.65 KES 731

$18.20 ฿592

-68.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 KES 223

$1.83 ฿59.6

-5.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.91 KES 247

$3.23 ฿105

-40.87%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ฿28.83

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.38 ฿630

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.53 KES 198

$1.35 ฿43.95

13.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.57 KES 203

$1.35 ฿43.79

16.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.96 KES 383

$8.25 ฿268

-64.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.02 KES 132

$1.27 ฿41.40

-19.69%

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

$22.1K KES 2.9M

$21.2K ฿687.8K

4.42%

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

$19.7K KES 2.6M

$22.5K ฿731.0K

-12.22%

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

$34.17 KES 4,415

$70.2 ฿2,281

-51.29%

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

$17.06 KES 2,205

$13.77 ฿448

23.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.97 KES 5,036

$17.60 ฿572

121.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.57 ฿1,352

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.60 ฿215

Cinema Ticket

$6.30 KES 814

$5.78 ฿188

9.00%

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

$202 KES 26.1K

$306 ฿9,953

-34.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,948 KES 1.0M

$14.8K ฿482.0K

-46.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$18.57 KES 2,400

$54.4 ฿1,768

-65.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.27 KES 3,136

$26.14 ฿850

-7.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$66.5 KES 8,593

$84.5 ฿2,748

-21.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$56.7 KES 7,324

$69.4 ฿2,257

-18.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$424 ฿13.8K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$238 ฿7,743

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$825 ฿26.8K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.7K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$615 KES 79.5K

$2,049 ฿66.6K

-70.00%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,523 ฿49.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$635 ฿20.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.5

130.00%

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

Last update for Thika: April 26, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $39.00 in Thika versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $176 in Thika vs $243 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 78% 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 $717 per month in Thika and $1,278 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $39.00 in Thika 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 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.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $478 in Thika and $852 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Thika costs $478 versus $852 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.