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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,105 per month in Accra vs $950 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,727 per month in Accra vs $1,430 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,348 per month in Accra vs $1,909 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Accra costs about 16% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Accra and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Accra 20% lower, Chiang Mai 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.99 GHS 91.3

$2.10 ฿69.3

280.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.9 GHS 593

$19.84 ฿656

161.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.73 GHS 123

$5.79 ฿191

85.32%

Cappuccino

$4.59 GHS 52.5

$1.83 ฿60.4

150.82%

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

$1.62 GHS 18.53

$0.78 ฿25.61

107.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.45 GHS 5.17

$0.31 ฿10.37

45.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.90 GHS 21.70

$2.34 ฿77.2

-18.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.33 GHS 26.66

$3.70 ฿122

-37.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.68 GHS 42.03

$2.03 ฿67.1

81.28%

White Bread (500g)

$1.72 GHS 19.62

$1.60 ฿52.7

7.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.17 GHS 36.18

$1.42 ฿46.75

123.24%

Eggs

$2.70 GHS 30.80

$2.18 ฿71.9

23.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.24 GHS 140

$15.91 ฿526

-23.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.54 GHS 86.1

$3.07 ฿102

145.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.04 GHS 115

$9.87 ฿326

1.72%

Apples (1kg)

$3.75 GHS 42.87

$2.63 ฿86.8

42.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.43 GHS 16.29

$1.10 ฿36.19

30.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.80 GHS 20.59

$1.63 ฿53.8

10.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.59 GHS 41.01

$1.53 ฿50.6

134.64%

Potato (1kg)

$2.72 GHS 31.01

$1.24 ฿41.13

119.35%

Onion (1kg)

$2.76 GHS 31.48

$1.13 ฿37.37

144.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.73 GHS 8.34

$0.74 ฿24.38

-1.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.63 GHS 7.15

$0.50 ฿16.48

26.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.61 GHS 29.77

$4.28 ฿141

-39.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.32 GHS 83.5

$17.97 ฿594

-59.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.30 GHS 14.81

$1.70 ฿56.1

-23.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.43 GHS 27.77

$2.90 ฿95.7

-16.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.58 GHS 18.01

$0.94 ฿31.13

68.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$42.03 GHS 480

$55.3 ฿1,827

-23.98%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.78 GHS 20.38

$1.23 ฿40.76

44.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 GHS 15.31

$0.53 ฿17.66

152.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.52 GHS 51.7

$2.40 ฿79.3

88.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.38 GHS 15.76

$1.44 ฿47.55

-4.17%

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

$7,902 GHS 90.2K

$21.2K ฿700.2K

-62.71%

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

$10.2K GHS 116.1K

$27.3K ฿902.1K

-62.75%

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

$75.8 GHS 865

$64.9 ฿2,145

16.66%

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

$19.38 GHS 221

$13.35 ฿441

45.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$44.26 GHS 506

$20.83 ฿688

112.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$73.0 GHS 833

$40.42 ฿1,336

80.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.49 GHS 211

$3.95 ฿131

368.10%

Cinema Ticket

$13.00 GHS 148

$6.71 ฿222

93.74%

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

$468 GHS 5,344

$787 ฿26.0K

-40.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.4K GHS 210.6K

$15.1K ฿499.6K

21.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$14.45 GHS 165

$56.2 ฿1,858

-74.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$18.99 GHS 217

$24.95 ฿824

-23.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$37.24 GHS 425

$92.7 ฿3,063

-59.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$54.6 GHS 623

$75.1 ฿2,482

-27.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$693 GHS 7,909

$484 ฿16.0K

43.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$278 GHS 3,180

$287 ฿9,491

-3.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,104 GHS 12.6K

$910 ฿30.1K

21.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$475 GHS 5,419

$531 ฿17.5K

-10.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,888 GHS 33.0K

$1,980 ฿65.4K

45.85%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,474 GHS 16.8K

$1,451 ฿47.9K

1.56%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$181 GHS 2,068

$605 ฿20.0K

-70.09%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

26.75

5.57

380.25%

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

Last update for Accra: September 5, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $693 in Accra versus $484 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 234% higher in Chiang Mai, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $52.0 in Accra versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $285 vs $242 – making Chiang Mai the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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: $1,105 in Accra, $950 in Chiang Mai – roughly 16% apart. Accra costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,658 per month in Accra and $1,426 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 17% more in Accra, 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 $52.0 in Accra and $20.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $950, than in Accra at $1,105. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Accra 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 $950 in Chiang Mai to $1,105 in Accra. 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 Chiang Mai. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Accra makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.