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

Name: Chiang Mai
Address: Chiang Mai, TH

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $766 per month in Accra vs $866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,317 per month in Accra vs $1,351 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,867 per month in Accra vs $1,835 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Accra is about 12% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Accra and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Accra 43% lower, Chiang Mai 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.29 GHS 50.7

$1.94 ฿63.5

121.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.88 GHS 554

$18.64 ฿609

151.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 GHS 92.5

$7.82 ฿255

Cappuccino

$3.45 GHS 40.81

$1.95 ฿63.8

76.92%

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

$0.94 GHS 11.14

$0.85 ฿27.77

10.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.34 GHS 4.06

$0.35 ฿11.58

-2.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.58 GHS 18.66

$2.13 ฿69.6

-25.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.52 GHS 29.80

$3.73 ฿122

-32.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.37 GHS 39.89

$1.71 ฿56.0

97.08%

White Bread (500g)

$1.43 GHS 16.93

$1.63 ฿53.2

-12.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.43 GHS 28.71

$1.14 ฿37.15

113.16%

Eggs

$2.29 GHS 27.08

$1.93 ฿63.1

18.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.36 GHS 134

$16.21 ฿530

-29.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.62 GHS 54.6

$3.12 ฿102

48.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.03 GHS 71.3

$10.90 ฿356

-44.68%

Apples (1kg)

$2.90 GHS 34.33

$2.75 ฿90.0

5.45%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 GHS 17.00

$1.21 ฿39.52

19.01%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 GHS 19.42

$1.62 ฿53.0

1.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.08 GHS 36.37

$1.59 ฿51.8

93.71%

Potato (1kg)

$3.13 GHS 36.96

$1.40 ฿45.70

123.57%

Onion (1kg)

$2.42 GHS 28.64

$1.17 ฿38.17

106.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.82 GHS 9.65

$0.66 ฿21.60

24.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 GHS 6.10

$0.53 ฿17.22

-1.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.58 GHS 18.62

$4.69 ฿153

-66.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.07 GHS 83.6

$18.66 ฿609

-62.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 GHS 13.24

$1.80 ฿58.8

-37.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.93 GHS 22.81

$3.23 ฿106

-40.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.04 GHS 12.29

$0.90 ฿29.26

15.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.78 GHS 411

$19.21 ฿628

81.05%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.56 GHS 18.42

$1.41 ฿45.91

10.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.18 GHS 13.92

$1.29 ฿42.12

-8.53%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.40 GHS 63.9

$7.84 ฿256

-31.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.07 GHS 12.64

$1.27 ฿41.58

-15.75%

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

$8,145 GHS 96.3K

$21.3K ฿694.9K

-61.72%

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

$9,815 GHS 116.0K

$22.2K ฿725.4K

-55.81%

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

$56.4 GHS 667

$69.1 ฿2,256

-18.31%

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

$13.00 GHS 154

$14.08 ฿460

-7.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.61 GHS 444

$18.00 ฿588

108.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.58 GHS 421

$41.06 ฿1,341

-13.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.03 GHS 190

$6.96 ฿227

130.32%

Cinema Ticket

$9.60 GHS 114

$5.92 ฿193

62.16%

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

$72.0 GHS 851

$299 ฿9,766

-75.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,954 GHS 94.0K

$15.0K ฿488.3K

-46.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$14.88 GHS 176

$54.7 ฿1,787

-72.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$18.54 GHS 219

$26.77 ฿874

-30.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$28.78 GHS 340

$85.0 ฿2,776

-66.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$40.81 GHS 482

$70.6 ฿2,306

-42.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$529 GHS 6,255

$428 ฿14.0K

23.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$150 GHS 1,776

$237 ฿7,752

-36.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,038 GHS 12.3K

$801 ฿26.2K

29.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$365 GHS 4,316

$515 ฿16.8K

-29.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,841 GHS 33.6K

$1,975 ฿64.5K

43.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,501 GHS 17.7K

$1,475 ฿48.2K

1.74%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$172 GHS 2,038

$617 ฿20.2K

-72.07%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

25.4

408.00%

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

Last update for Accra: May 31, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $529 in Accra versus $428 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 258% 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 $47.00 in Accra versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $235 in Accra vs $246 in Chiang Mai – so Accra 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $766 in Accra, $866 in Chiang Mai – roughly 13% apart. Chiang Mai costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,150 per month in Accra and $1,300 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 5% 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Accra and $19.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Accra, where all-in costs run around $766, than in Chiang Mai at $866. In Accra it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiang Mai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Chiang Mai has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $766 in Accra to $866 in Chiang Mai. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Accra. 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.