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 $472 per month in Thika vs $852 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $791 per month in Thika vs $1,360 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,110 per month in Thika vs $1,867 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Thika is about 45% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Thika and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Thika 65% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.46 KES 705

$2.04 ฿68.4

167.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.67 KES 4,998

$18.71 ฿626

106.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.85 KES 885

$7.86 ฿263

-12.85%

Cappuccino

$2.41 KES 311

$2.03 ฿67.9

18.72%

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

$0.75 KES 96.6

$0.80 ฿26.71

-6.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.50 KES 65.0

$0.35 ฿11.71

42.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.65 KES 213

$2.14 ฿71.7

-22.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 KES 257

$3.67 ฿123

-45.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.87 KES 113

$1.73 ฿57.8

-49.71%

White Bread (500g)

$0.44 KES 56.9

$1.57 ฿52.5

-71.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.37 KES 177

$1.20 ฿40.10

14.17%

Eggs

$1.35 KES 174

$1.97 ฿66.0

-31.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.55 KES 1,493

$16.23 ฿543

-28.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.85 KES 885

$3.06 ฿102

123.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$1.88 KES 243

$10.80 ฿361

-82.59%

Apples (1kg)

$3.02 KES 391

$2.77 ฿92.6

9.03%

Banana (1kg)

$1.04 KES 134

$1.17 ฿39.05

-11.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.11 KES 273

$1.71 ฿57.1

23.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.00 KES 129

$1.59 ฿53.3

-37.11%

Potato (1kg)

$1.07 KES 138

$1.39 ฿46.63

-23.02%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 KES 144

$1.16 ฿38.67

-4.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.65 KES 83.9

$0.66 ฿22.11

-1.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.76 KES 98.1

$0.52 ฿17.35

46.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.37 KES 306

$4.65 ฿155

-49.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.67 KES 733

$17.78 ฿595

-68.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 KES 218

$1.79 ฿59.8

-5.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 KES 256

$3.34 ฿112

-40.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿30.35

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.64 ฿624

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.57 KES 203

$1.41 ฿47.17

11.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.53 KES 197

$1.34 ฿44.82

14.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.97 KES 384

$8.11 ฿271

-63.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.05 KES 136

$1.23 ฿41.27

-14.63%

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

$22.0K KES 2.8M

$21.4K ฿717.0K

2.57%

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

$19.9K KES 2.6M

$21.8K ฿730.0K

-8.96%

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

$33.97 KES 4,391

$71.3 ฿2,386

-52.38%

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

$16.57 KES 2,142

$14.01 ฿469

18.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.97 KES 5,166

$17.93 ฿600

122.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.82 ฿1,365

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿230

Cinema Ticket

$6.13 KES 793

$5.72 ฿191

7.17%

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

$203 KES 26.3K

$308 ฿10.3K

-34.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,150 KES 1.1M

$14.7K ฿491.0K

-44.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$18.27 KES 2,362

$55.8 ฿1,865

-67.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.31 KES 3,142

$26.04 ฿871

-6.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$66.4 KES 8,585

$84.8 ฿2,837

-21.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$55.6 KES 7,190

$71.0 ฿2,375

-21.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$423 ฿14.2K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 ฿8,110

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$797 ฿26.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$507 ฿17.0K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$613 KES 79.3K

$1,918 ฿64.2K

-68.02%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,464 ฿49.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

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: July 26, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 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 – $174 in Thika vs $244 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 81% 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 $707 per month in Thika and $1,279 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 40% 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 $472 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 $472 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.