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 $725 per month in Abomey-Calavi vs $852 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,163 per month in Abomey-Calavi vs $1,360 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,601 per month in Abomey-Calavi vs $1,867 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Abomey-Calavi is about 15% 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

$5.67 F CFA 3,219

$2.04 ฿68.2

177.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.69 F CFA 15.2K

$18.71 ฿624

42.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.50 F CFA 4,824

$7.86 ฿262

8.14%

Cappuccino

$4.99 F CFA 2,835

$2.03 ฿67.7

145.81%

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

$1.18 F CFA 670

$0.80 ฿26.64

47.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.79 F CFA 1,017

$0.35 ฿11.68

411.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.81 F CFA 1,025

$2.14 ฿71.5

-15.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.42 F CFA 3,077

$3.67 ฿122

47.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.18 F CFA 1,238

$1.73 ฿57.6

26.01%

White Bread (500g)

$0.25 F CFA 141

$1.57 ฿52.4

-84.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.06 F CFA 1,169

$1.20 ฿39.99

71.67%

Eggs

$2.00 F CFA 1,134

$1.97 ฿65.8

1.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.56 F CFA 2,022

$16.23 ฿541

-78.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.01 F CFA 2,277

$3.06 ฿102

31.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.36 F CFA 3,610

$10.80 ฿360

-41.11%

Apples (1kg)

$2.26 F CFA 1,282

$2.77 ฿92.3

-18.41%

Banana (1kg)

$0.84 F CFA 476

$1.17 ฿38.94

-28.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.73 F CFA 415

$1.71 ฿57.0

-57.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.16 F CFA 1,228

$1.59 ฿53.2

35.85%

Potato (1kg)

$0.94 F CFA 536

$1.39 ฿46.51

-32.37%

Onion (1kg)

$0.82 F CFA 464

$1.16 ฿38.56

-29.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.73 F CFA 412

$0.66 ฿22.05

10.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 F CFA 516

$0.52 ฿17.31

75.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$0.43 F CFA 243

$4.65 ฿155

-90.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.95 F CFA 6,219

$17.78 ฿593

-38.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.95 F CFA 541

$1.79 ฿59.6

-46.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.12 F CFA 634

$3.34 ฿111

-66.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿30.27

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$7.86 F CFA 4,460

$18.64 ฿622

-57.83%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.73 F CFA 984

$1.41 ฿47.04

22.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.63 F CFA 924

$1.34 ฿44.70

21.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.11 ฿270

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 F CFA 707

$1.23 ฿41.16

1.63%

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

$21.4K ฿715.1K

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

$21.8K ฿728.0K

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

$123 F CFA 69.8K

$71.3 ฿2,379

72.24%

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

$20.08 F CFA 11.4K

$14.01 ฿467

43.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$89.4 F CFA 50.8K

$17.93 ฿598

398.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.39 F CFA 20.1K

$40.82 ฿1,362

-13.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.19 F CFA 2,946

$6.88 ฿230

-24.56%

Cinema Ticket

$6.34 F CFA 3,602

$5.72 ฿191

10.84%

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

$308 ฿10.3K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿489.7K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$17.37 F CFA 9,861

$55.8 ฿1,860

-68.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$8.87 F CFA 5,034

$26.04 ฿869

-65.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$26.05 F CFA 14.8K

$84.8 ฿2,829

-69.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$26.03 F CFA 14.8K

$71.0 ฿2,368

-63.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$101 F CFA 57.5K

$423 ฿14.1K

-76.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$74.3 F CFA 42.2K

$242 ฿8,088

-69.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$225 F CFA 127.5K

$797 ฿26.6K

-71.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$282 F CFA 160.1K

$507 ฿16.9K

-44.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,918 ฿64.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,464 ฿48.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$85.4 F CFA 48.5K

$595 ฿19.9K

-85.65%

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: July 26, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $101 in Abomey-Calavi versus $423 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 597% 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 $27.00 in Abomey-Calavi versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $168 in Abomey-Calavi vs $244 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 18%, 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 $1,088 per month in Abomey-Calavi and $1,279 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 $725 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 $27.00 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 $725 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.