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: $1,429 in Addis Ababa versus $861 in Chiang Mai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,079 in Addis Ababa versus $1,350 in Chiang Mai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,730 in Addis Ababa versus $1,838 in Chiang Mai.

Living in Addis Ababa is roughly 66% more expensive than in Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

The two cities straddle the global median: Addis Ababa is 7% above, Chiang Mai is 36% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.44 ETB 704

$1.96 ฿65.7

126.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.55 ETB 5,634

$18.35 ฿616

93.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.67 ETB 1,058

$7.48 ฿251

-10.83%

Cappuccino

$1.30 ETB 206

$2.02 ฿67.7

-35.64%

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

$0.63 ETB 100

$0.85 ฿28.45

-25.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.43 ETB 68.4

$0.36 ฿11.94

19.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.97 ETB 154

$2.14 ฿71.7

-54.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.93 ETB 465

$3.59 ฿121

-18.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.46 ETB 231

$1.65 ฿55.4

-11.52%

White Bread (500g)

$1.33 ETB 211

$1.57 ฿52.6

-15.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.15 ETB 341

$1.19 ฿39.95

80.67%

Eggs

$2.40 ETB 380

$1.94 ฿65.0

23.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.12 ETB 1,128

$16.19 ฿544

-56.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.71 ETB 2,173

$2.99 ฿100

358.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.07 ETB 2,071

$10.94 ฿367

19.47%

Apples (1kg)

$6.66 ETB 1,055

$2.71 ฿91.0

145.76%

Banana (1kg)

$1.04 ETB 165

$1.17 ฿39.18

-11.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.19 ETB 348

$1.69 ฿56.6

29.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.98 ETB 155

$1.60 ฿53.9

-38.75%

Potato (1kg)

$0.63 ETB 99.9

$1.38 ฿46.45

-54.35%

Onion (1kg)

$1.91 ETB 303

$1.20 ฿40.38

59.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ETB 105

$0.67 ฿22.46

-1.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.68 ETB 108

$0.56 ฿18.70

21.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 ETB 629

$4.64 ฿156

-14.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.68 ETB 901

$17.62 ฿591

-67.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 ETB 164

$1.86 ฿62.4

-44.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.83 ETB 290

$3.30 ฿111

-44.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.44 ETB 69.8

$0.88 ฿29.63

-50.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.19 ETB 1,932

$19.34 ฿649

-36.97%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.43 ETB 226

$1.36 ฿45.82

5.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.29 ETB 46.37

$1.34 ฿44.90

-78.36%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.04 ETB 323

$8.21 ฿276

-75.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 ETB 198

$1.22 ฿41.11

2.46%

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

$55.6K ETB 8.8M

$21.4K ฿716.8K

160.37%

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

$54.3K ETB 8.6M

$22.5K ฿756.3K

141.07%

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

$163 ETB 25.8K

$70.7 ฿2,372

130.06%

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

$12.23 ETB 1,938

$14.04 ฿471

-12.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$129 ETB 20.5K

$17.49 ฿587

638.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$69.4 ETB 11.0K

$42.15 ฿1,415

64.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.29 ETB 5,752

$6.88 ฿231

427.47%

Cinema Ticket

$5.82 ETB 923

$5.92 ฿199

-1.69%

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

$80.5 ETB 12.8K

$309 ฿10.4K

-73.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$40.0K ETB 6.3M

$14.9K ฿499.5K

168.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.75 ETB 7,568

$55.8 ฿1,872

-14.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$74.4 ETB 11.8K

$26.11 ฿877

184.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.4 ETB 14.5K

$83.0 ฿2,787

10.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 ETB 18.4K

$70.5 ฿2,365

64.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$732 ETB 116.0K

$432 ฿14.5K

69.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$511 ETB 81.1K

$239 ฿8,020

114.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,816 ETB 287.9K

$822 ฿27.6K

120.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$885 ETB 140.3K

$512 ฿17.2K

72.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,969 ETB 312.1K

$1,915 ฿64.3K

2.84%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$992 ETB 157.2K

$1,467 ฿49.3K

-32.40%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$200 ETB 31.7K

$579 ฿19.4K

-65.43%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $732 in Addis Ababa and $432 in Chiang Mai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Chiang Mai pays 189% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $36.00 in Addis Ababa vs $18.00 in Chiang Mai for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $265 vs $243 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 66% in total monthly costs ($1,429 vs $861 including rent). Chiang Mai is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 189% 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: $732 in Addis Ababa versus $432 in Chiang Mai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,429 per month in Addis Ababa versus $861 in Chiang Mai – a 66% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Chiang Mai runs roughly 59% less than in Addis Ababa. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $861 in Chiang Mai versus $1,429 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 66% less than in Addis Ababa. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.