Cost of Living Comparison Between Addis Ababa and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between Addis Ababa and Chiang Mai

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,383 in Addis Ababa versus $866 in Chiang Mai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,083 in Addis Ababa versus $1,351 in Chiang Mai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,783 in Addis Ababa versus $1,835 in Chiang Mai.

Living in Addis Ababa is roughly 60% more expensive than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

The two cities straddle the global median: Addis Ababa is 3% above, Chiang Mai is 35% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.55 ETB 718

$1.94 ฿63.5

134.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.04 ETB 5,522

$18.64 ฿609

87.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.41 ETB 1,010

$7.82 ฿255

-18.03%

Cappuccino

$1.24 ETB 196

$1.95 ฿63.8

-36.41%

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

$0.69 ETB 109

$0.85 ฿27.77

-18.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.43 ETB 67.7

$0.35 ฿11.58

22.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.99 ETB 156

$2.13 ฿69.6

-53.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 ETB 468

$3.73 ฿122

-20.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 ETB 228

$1.71 ฿56.0

-15.79%

White Bread (500g)

$1.33 ETB 210

$1.63 ฿53.2

-18.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 ETB 343

$1.14 ฿37.15

90.35%

Eggs

$2.43 ETB 383

$1.93 ฿63.1

25.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.29 ETB 1,148

$16.21 ฿530

-55.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.73 ETB 2,164

$3.12 ฿102

340.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.09 ETB 2,063

$10.90 ฿356

20.09%

Apples (1kg)

$6.68 ETB 1,053

$2.75 ฿90.0

142.91%

Banana (1kg)

$0.98 ETB 154

$1.21 ฿39.52

-19.01%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.19 ETB 345

$1.62 ฿53.0

35.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.99 ETB 157

$1.59 ฿51.8

-37.74%

Potato (1kg)

$0.68 ETB 107

$1.40 ฿45.70

-51.43%

Onion (1kg)

$1.81 ETB 286

$1.17 ฿38.17

54.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 ETB 108

$0.66 ฿21.60

3.03%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.64 ETB 101

$0.53 ฿17.22

20.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.02 ETB 633

$4.69 ฿153

-14.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.77 ETB 909

$18.66 ฿609

-69.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.99 ETB 156

$1.80 ฿58.8

-45.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.89 ETB 298

$3.23 ฿106

-41.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.43 ETB 67.9

$0.90 ฿29.26

-52.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.21 ETB 1,925

$19.21 ฿628

-36.44%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.48 ETB 234

$1.41 ฿45.91

4.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.27 ETB 42.16

$1.29 ฿42.12

-79.07%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.05 ETB 323

$7.84 ฿256

-73.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 ETB 195

$1.27 ฿41.58

-2.36%

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

$55.4K ETB 8.7M

$21.3K ฿694.9K

160.51%

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

$54.0K ETB 8.5M

$22.2K ฿725.4K

143.15%

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

$157 ETB 24.8K

$69.1 ฿2,256

127.52%

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

$12.11 ETB 1,908

$14.08 ฿460

-13.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$129 ETB 20.3K

$18.00 ฿588

615.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$69.5 ETB 11.0K

$41.06 ฿1,341

69.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.71 ETB 5,786

$6.96 ฿227

427.44%

Cinema Ticket

$5.86 ETB 923

$5.92 ฿193

-1.01%

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

$81.1 ETB 12.8K

$299 ฿9,766

-72.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$41.1K ETB 6.5M

$15.0K ฿488.3K

174.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.81 ETB 7,377

$54.7 ฿1,787

-14.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$74.1 ETB 11.7K

$26.77 ฿874

176.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.3 ETB 14.7K

$85.0 ฿2,776

9.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 ETB 18.2K

$70.6 ฿2,306

63.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$758 ETB 119.5K

$428 ฿14.0K

77.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$495 ETB 78.0K

$237 ฿7,752

108.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,819 ETB 286.7K

$801 ฿26.2K

127.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$890 ETB 140.2K

$515 ฿16.8K

72.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,981 ETB 312.2K

$1,975 ฿64.5K

0.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,009 ETB 159.0K

$1,475 ฿48.2K

-31.61%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$206 ETB 32.5K

$617 ฿20.2K

-66.57%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

240.00%

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

Last update for Addis Ababa: May 31, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $758 in Addis Ababa and $428 in Chiang Mai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Chiang Mai pays 199% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $35.00 in Addis Ababa vs $19.00 in Chiang Mai for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $265 vs $246 per month, with Chiang Mai cheaper across the board.

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

Addis Ababa vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Addis Ababa and Chiang Mai differ by about 60% in total monthly costs ($1,383 vs $866 including rent). Chiang Mai is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Chiang Mai earns 199% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $758 in Addis Ababa versus $428 in Chiang Mai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,383 per month in Addis Ababa versus $866 in Chiang Mai – a 60% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Chiang Mai runs roughly 57% less than in Addis Ababa. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $866 in Chiang Mai versus $1,383 in Addis Ababa, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Chiang Mai but tight or insufficient in Addis Ababa. The gap between the two cities makes Chiang Mai the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Addis Ababa and Chiang Mai are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Chiang Mai gentler on the wallet – expenses run 60% less than in Addis Ababa. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.