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 $746 per month in Abomey-Calavi vs $869 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,157 per month in Abomey-Calavi vs $1,362 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,568 per month in Abomey-Calavi vs $1,855 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Abomey-Calavi is about 14% 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 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.82 F CFA 3,284

$1.98 ฿64.3

193.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.98 F CFA 14.7K

$18.80 ฿612

38.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.54 F CFA 4,821

$7.75 ฿252

10.19%

Cappuccino

$4.75 F CFA 2,681

$1.92 ฿62.5

147.40%

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

$1.14 F CFA 644

$0.79 ฿25.79

44.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.81 F CFA 1,022

$0.36 ฿11.62

402.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 F CFA 974

$2.21 ฿72.1

-22.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.41 F CFA 3,057

$3.66 ฿119

47.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 F CFA 1,258

$1.65 ฿53.8

35.15%

White Bread (500g)

$0.25 F CFA 141

$1.63 ฿53.2

-84.66%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.05 F CFA 1,158

$1.19 ฿38.86

72.27%

Eggs

$2.03 F CFA 1,147

$2.00 ฿65.1

1.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.56 F CFA 2,012

$15.98 ฿520

-77.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.95 F CFA 2,230

$3.03 ฿98.5

30.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.34 F CFA 3,578

$10.86 ฿354

-41.62%

Apples (1kg)

$2.15 F CFA 1,213

$2.76 ฿90.0

-22.10%

Banana (1kg)

$0.89 F CFA 503

$1.18 ฿38.42

-24.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.68 F CFA 385

$1.64 ฿53.5

-58.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.13 F CFA 1,206

$1.52 ฿49.51

40.13%

Potato (1kg)

$0.94 F CFA 531

$1.38 ฿45.10

-31.88%

Onion (1kg)

$0.81 F CFA 455

$1.19 ฿38.84

-31.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 F CFA 418

$0.70 ฿22.86

5.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 F CFA 516

$0.56 ฿18.13

62.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$0.45 F CFA 256

$4.58 ฿149

-90.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.93 F CFA 6,174

$16.56 ฿539

-34.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.98 F CFA 556

$1.83 ฿59.5

-46.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.12 F CFA 635

$3.20 ฿104

-65.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿28.56

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$7.77 F CFA 4,388

$18.72 ฿610

-58.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.71 F CFA 965

$1.36 ฿44.16

25.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.56 F CFA 879

$1.34 ฿43.65

16.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 F CFA 688

$1.23 ฿39.92

-0.81%

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

$21.6K ฿704.3K

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

$22.5K ฿734.3K

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

$125 F CFA 70.4K

$70.5 ฿2,298

76.59%

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

$20.23 F CFA 11.4K

$13.68 ฿445

47.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$89.1 F CFA 50.3K

$17.45 ฿568

410.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.09 F CFA 19.8K

$41.33 ฿1,346

-15.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.17 F CFA 2,917

$6.96 ฿227

-25.72%

Cinema Ticket

$6.10 F CFA 3,444

$5.77 ฿188

5.72%

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

$307 ฿10.0K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿475.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$17.72 F CFA 10.0K

$55.8 ฿1,817

-68.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$8.60 F CFA 4,858

$26.21 ฿854

-67.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$26.12 F CFA 14.8K

$85.8 ฿2,793

-69.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$26.39 F CFA 14.9K

$72.2 ฿2,353

-63.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$100 F CFA 56.7K

$430 ฿14.0K

-76.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$74.7 F CFA 42.2K

$239 ฿7,774

-68.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$220 F CFA 124.2K

$817 ฿26.6K

-73.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$282 F CFA 159.2K

$511 ฿16.6K

-44.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,983 ฿64.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,484 ฿48.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$86.6 F CFA 48.9K

$619 ฿20.2K

-86.01%

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: June 6, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $100 in Abomey-Calavi versus $430 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 615% 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 – $167 in Abomey-Calavi vs $241 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 17%, 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 $1,118 per month in Abomey-Calavi and $1,303 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 $746 in Abomey-Calavi and $869 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 $746 in Abomey-Calavi and $869 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.