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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,254 in Abidjan versus $947 in Chiang Mai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,174 in Abidjan versus $1,411 in Chiang Mai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,094 in Abidjan versus $1,874 in Chiang Mai.

Living in Abidjan is roughly 32% more expensive than in Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Abidjan 9% lower, Chiang Mai 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.63 F CFA 1,488

$2.08 ฿69.4

26.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$71.1 F CFA 40.2K

$19.64 ฿654

262.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 F CFA 6,076

$5.65 ฿188

90.27%

Cappuccino

$1.94 F CFA 1,099

$1.81 ฿60.1

7.18%

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

$0.79 F CFA 444

$0.71 ฿23.75

11.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 F CFA 415

$0.32 ฿10.52

128.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.09 F CFA 615

$2.24 ฿74.5

-51.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.81 F CFA 1,023

$3.63 ฿121

-50.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.84 F CFA 1,038

$1.96 ฿65.2

-6.12%

White Bread (500g)

$0.56 F CFA 317

$1.50 ฿50.0

-62.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.26 F CFA 712

$1.34 ฿44.49

-5.97%

Eggs

$2.33 F CFA 1,320

$2.26 ฿75.4

3.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$22.12 F CFA 12.5K

$16.26 ฿541

36.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.64 F CFA 3,753

$2.95 ฿98.4

125.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.23 F CFA 3,525

$9.94 ฿331

-37.32%

Apples (1kg)

$4.21 F CFA 2,382

$2.57 ฿85.7

63.81%

Banana (1kg)

$1.10 F CFA 622

$1.06 ฿35.18

3.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 F CFA 1,253

$1.61 ฿53.7

37.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.35 F CFA 1,330

$1.52 ฿50.6

54.61%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 F CFA 1,043

$1.27 ฿42.30

44.88%

Onion (1kg)

$1.77 F CFA 1,002

$1.07 ฿35.51

65.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.86 F CFA 485

$0.72 ฿23.98

19.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.89 F CFA 501

$0.51 ฿16.94

74.51%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.73 F CFA 976

$4.19 ฿140

-58.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.02 F CFA 3,404

$17.87 ฿595

-66.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 F CFA 634

$1.69 ฿56.4

-33.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.40 F CFA 793

$2.84 ฿94.5

-50.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 F CFA 517

$0.93 ฿30.82

-2.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$43.61 F CFA 24.7K

$53.9 ฿1,794

-19.03%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.74 F CFA 985

$1.23 ฿41.11

41.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.79 F CFA 1,013

$0.58 ฿19.20

208.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.49 F CFA 15.0K

$2.42 ฿80.7

994.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.53 F CFA 867

$1.41 ฿47.03

8.51%

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

$29.8K F CFA 16.8M

$21.4K ฿714.1K

38.97%

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

$28.6K F CFA 16.2M

$27.3K ฿910.2K

4.70%

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

$189 F CFA 106.9K

$63.7 ฿2,120

196.89%

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

$27.84 F CFA 15.7K

$12.85 ฿428

116.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.98 F CFA 19.8K

$20.22 ฿673

73.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$81.1 F CFA 45.8K

$38.74 ฿1,290

109.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.62 F CFA 12.2K

$3.97 ฿132

444.58%

Cinema Ticket

$9.08 F CFA 5,132

$6.74 ฿224

34.72%

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

$381 F CFA 215.2K

$778 ฿25.9K

-51.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,795 F CFA 2.7M

$14.6K ฿486.5K

-67.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$94.6 F CFA 53.5K

$54.3 ฿1,808

74.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.30 F CFA 21.1K

$25.45 ฿847

46.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.2 F CFA 44.2K

$94.3 ฿3,141

-17.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$145 F CFA 81.8K

$73.4 ฿2,446

97.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$702 F CFA 396.6K

$490 ฿16.3K

43.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$365 F CFA 206.2K

$289 ฿9,634

26.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,707 F CFA 1.5M

$894 ฿29.8K

202.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,030 F CFA 582.1K

$517 ฿17.2K

99.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,264 F CFA 1.3M

$1,955 ฿65.1K

15.80%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$697 F CFA 393.8K

$1,477 ฿49.2K

-52.84%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$221 F CFA 124.9K

$602 ฿20.0K

-63.32%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

15.75

5.57

182.76%

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

Last update for Abidjan: August 31, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $702 in Abidjan and $490 in Chiang Mai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Chiang Mai pays 173% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $71.0 in Abidjan vs $20.00 in Chiang Mai for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $249 vs $240 per month, with Chiang Mai cheaper across the board.

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

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

Chiang Mai is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 32% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 173% lower in Chiang Mai. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $702 in Abidjan versus $490 in Chiang Mai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Chiang Mai – a meal for two runs $20.00 versus $71.0 in Abidjan. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,254 per month in Abidjan versus $947 in Chiang Mai – a 32% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $947 in Chiang Mai versus $1,254 in Abidjan, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Chiang Mai but tight or insufficient in Abidjan. The gap between the two cities makes Chiang Mai the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Chiang Mai is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Abidjan, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Abidjan and Chiang Mai are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Chiang Mai gentler on the wallet – expenses run 32% less than in Abidjan. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.