Cost of Living Comparison Between Abomey-Calavi and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between Abomey-Calavi and Chiang Mai

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $741 per month in Abomey-Calavi vs $852 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,164 per month in Abomey-Calavi vs $1,354 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,587 per month in Abomey-Calavi vs $1,857 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Abomey-Calavi is about 13% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Abomey-Calavi and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Abomey-Calavi 45% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.82 F CFA 3,263

$1.96 ฿63.6

196.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.01 F CFA 14.6K

$18.81 ฿611

38.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.22 F CFA 4,606

$7.92 ฿258

3.79%

Cappuccino

$4.75 F CFA 2,663

$1.91 ฿62.2

148.69%

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

$1.18 F CFA 659

$0.84 ฿27.25

40.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.79 F CFA 1,001

$0.35 ฿11.44

411.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.75 F CFA 979

$2.21 ฿71.7

-20.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.23 F CFA 2,929

$3.80 ฿124

37.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.28 F CFA 1,275

$1.64 ฿53.2

39.02%

White Bread (500g)

$0.27 F CFA 153

$1.62 ฿52.8

-83.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.00 F CFA 1,121

$1.18 ฿38.40

69.49%

Eggs

$1.96 F CFA 1,099

$2.01 ฿65.4

-2.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.60 F CFA 2,019

$15.89 ฿517

-77.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.03 F CFA 2,256

$3.01 ฿98.0

33.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.22 F CFA 3,483

$10.77 ฿350

-42.25%

Apples (1kg)

$2.27 F CFA 1,269

$2.61 ฿85.0

-13.03%

Banana (1kg)

$0.90 F CFA 502

$1.22 ฿39.65

-26.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.69 F CFA 384

$1.70 ฿55.4

-59.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.10 F CFA 1,179

$1.58 ฿51.2

32.91%

Potato (1kg)

$1.02 F CFA 569

$1.32 ฿42.89

-22.73%

Onion (1kg)

$0.83 F CFA 463

$1.17 ฿38.01

-29.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.73 F CFA 408

$0.67 ฿21.85

8.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 F CFA 503

$0.56 ฿18.21

60.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$0.43 F CFA 239

$4.53 ฿147

-90.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.08 F CFA 6,207

$18.20 ฿592

-39.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.96 F CFA 536

$1.83 ฿59.6

-47.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.12 F CFA 627

$3.23 ฿105

-65.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ฿28.83

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$7.57 F CFA 4,240

$19.38 ฿630

-60.94%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.78 F CFA 997

$1.35 ฿43.95

31.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.56 F CFA 872

$1.35 ฿43.79

15.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.25 ฿268

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 F CFA 705

$1.27 ฿41.40

-0.79%

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

$21.2K ฿687.8K

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

$22.5K ฿731.0K

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

$125 F CFA 69.9K

$70.2 ฿2,281

77.89%

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

$20.02 F CFA 11.2K

$13.77 ฿448

45.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$89.7 F CFA 50.2K

$17.60 ฿572

409.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.17 F CFA 19.7K

$41.57 ฿1,352

-15.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.34 F CFA 2,992

$6.60 ฿215

-19.09%

Cinema Ticket

$6.16 F CFA 3,449

$5.78 ฿188

6.57%

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

$306 ฿9,953

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿482.0K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$17.39 F CFA 9,743

$54.4 ฿1,768

-68.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$8.60 F CFA 4,818

$26.14 ฿850

-67.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$26.21 F CFA 14.7K

$84.5 ฿2,748

-69.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$26.48 F CFA 14.8K

$69.4 ฿2,257

-61.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$99.7 F CFA 55.9K

$424 ฿13.8K

-76.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$76.3 F CFA 42.7K

$238 ฿7,743

-67.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$219 F CFA 122.7K

$825 ฿26.8K

-73.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$277 F CFA 155.1K

$515 ฿16.7K

-46.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,049 ฿66.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,523 ฿49.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$89.4 F CFA 50.1K

$635 ฿20.6K

-85.92%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

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

Last update for Abomey-Calavi: April 28, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $99.7 in Abomey-Calavi versus $424 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 610% 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 $26.00 in Abomey-Calavi versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $168 in Abomey-Calavi vs $243 in Chiang Mai – so Abomey-Calavi 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

Abomey-Calavi vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Chiang Mai is pricier by about 15%, and the gap shows up most in Monthly Utilities & Internet. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,112 per month in Abomey-Calavi and $1,278 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Abomey-Calavi, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $741 in Abomey-Calavi and $852 in Chiang Mai. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $26.00 in Abomey-Calavi and $19.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $741 in Abomey-Calavi and $852 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Abomey-Calavi – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Abomey-Calavi. 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.