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: $1,282 in Addis Ababa versus $947 in Chiang Mai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,880 in Addis Ababa versus $1,411 in Chiang Mai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,478 in Addis Ababa versus $1,874 in Chiang Mai.

Living in Addis Ababa is roughly 35% more expensive than in Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities sit below the global median: Addis Ababa 7% lower, Chiang Mai 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.11 ETB 663

$2.08 ฿69.4

97.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.92 ETB 6,932

$19.64 ฿654

118.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.45 ETB 1,042

$5.65 ฿188

14.16%

Cappuccino

$0.95 ETB 154

$1.81 ฿60.1

-47.51%

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

$0.63 ETB 102

$0.71 ฿23.75

-11.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.68 ETB 110

$0.32 ฿10.52

112.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.82 ETB 132

$2.24 ฿74.5

-63.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 ETB 372

$3.63 ฿121

-36.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.11 ETB 179

$1.96 ฿65.2

-43.37%

White Bread (500g)

$1.22 ETB 197

$1.50 ฿50.0

-18.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 ETB 351

$1.34 ฿44.49

61.94%

Eggs

$1.72 ETB 278

$2.26 ฿75.4

-23.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.51 ETB 1,213

$16.26 ฿541

-53.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.16 ETB 1,640

$2.95 ฿98.4

244.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.17 ETB 1,480

$9.94 ฿331

-7.75%

Apples (1kg)

$5.25 ETB 848

$2.57 ฿85.7

104.28%

Banana (1kg)

$0.63 ETB 102

$1.06 ฿35.18

-40.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.20 ETB 355

$1.61 ฿53.7

36.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.70 ETB 113

$1.52 ฿50.6

-53.95%

Potato (1kg)

$0.49 ETB 79.5

$1.27 ฿42.30

-61.42%

Onion (1kg)

$1.09 ETB 176

$1.07 ฿35.51

1.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ETB 107

$0.72 ฿23.98

-8.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 ETB 92.9

$0.51 ฿16.94

13.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.04 ETB 1,298

$4.19 ฿140

91.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.68 ETB 918

$17.87 ฿595

-68.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.67 ETB 109

$1.69 ฿56.4

-60.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.27 ETB 204

$2.84 ฿94.5

-55.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 ETB 83.8

$0.93 ฿30.82

-44.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.84 ETB 3,366

$53.9 ฿1,794

-61.31%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.35 ETB 217

$1.23 ฿41.11

9.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.29 ETB 46.84

$0.58 ฿19.20

-50.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.95 ETB 314

$2.42 ฿80.7

-19.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.88 ETB 143

$1.41 ฿47.03

-37.59%

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

$55.5K ETB 9.0M

$21.4K ฿714.1K

158.85%

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

$55.4K ETB 8.9M

$27.3K ฿910.2K

102.65%

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

$208 ETB 33.6K

$63.7 ฿2,120

226.89%

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

$7.26 ETB 1,172

$12.85 ฿428

-43.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$211 ETB 34.0K

$20.22 ฿673

941.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.06 ETB 7,116

$38.74 ฿1,290

13.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.68 ETB 5,762

$3.97 ฿132

798.74%

Cinema Ticket

$3.73 ETB 602

$6.74 ฿224

-44.66%

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

$137 ETB 22.1K

$778 ฿25.9K

-82.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.5K ETB 4.9M

$14.6K ฿486.5K

109.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$32.94 ETB 5,319

$54.3 ฿1,808

-39.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$70.0 ETB 11.3K

$25.45 ฿847

174.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.8 ETB 12.6K

$94.3 ฿3,141

-17.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$82.5 ETB 13.3K

$73.4 ฿2,446

12.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$721 ETB 116.4K

$490 ฿16.3K

47.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$401 ETB 64.7K

$289 ฿9,634

38.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,289 ETB 369.6K

$894 ฿29.8K

156.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$759 ETB 122.6K

$517 ฿17.2K

46.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,954 ETB 315.5K

$1,955 ฿65.1K

-0.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$996 ETB 160.9K

$1,477 ฿49.2K

-32.54%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$200 ETB 32.3K

$602 ฿20.0K

-66.74%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

18.5

5.57

232.14%

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

Last update for Addis Ababa: August 30, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $721 in Addis Ababa and $490 in Chiang Mai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Chiang Mai pays 201% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $43.00 in Addis Ababa vs $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries flip the comparison at $213 vs $240, with Addis Ababa cheaper for home cooking.

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 35% in total monthly costs ($1,282 vs $947 including rent). Chiang Mai is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 201% lower in Chiang Mai. 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: $721 in Addis Ababa versus $490 in Chiang Mai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,282 per month in Addis Ababa versus $947 in Chiang Mai – a 35% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Chiang Mai runs roughly 158% less than in Addis Ababa. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $947 in Chiang Mai versus $1,282 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 35% less than in Addis Ababa. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.