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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $964 in Bafoussam versus $926 in Chiang Mai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,669 in Bafoussam versus $1,381 in Chiang Mai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,374 in Bafoussam versus $1,835 in Chiang Mai.

Living in Bafoussam is roughly 4% more expensive than in Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bafoussam 29% lower, Chiang Mai 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.28 FCFA 2,493

$2.10 ฿70.6

103.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$120 FCFA 70.1K

$19.22 ฿645

526.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.81 FCFA 3,968

$5.47 ฿184

24.50%

Cappuccino

$2.17 FCFA 1,263

$1.69 ฿56.6

28.40%

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

$1.65 FCFA 958

$0.65 ฿21.71

153.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.79 FCFA 462

$0.31 ฿10.32

154.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.24 FCFA 723

$2.32 ฿77.8

-46.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.55 FCFA 1,484

$3.91 ฿131

-34.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.95 FCFA 1,715

$2.07 ฿69.3

42.51%

White Bread (500g)

$0.43 FCFA 251

$1.53 ฿51.4

-71.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.18 FCFA 1,271

$1.25 ฿41.93

74.40%

Eggs

$1.95 FCFA 1,135

$2.19 ฿73.6

-10.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$22.41 FCFA 13.0K

$15.94 ฿535

40.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.90 FCFA 4,603

$2.76 ฿92.7

186.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.28 FCFA 3,656

$9.74 ฿327

-35.52%

Apples (1kg)

$4.67 FCFA 2,718

$2.66 ฿89.1

75.56%

Banana (1kg)

$2.10 FCFA 1,225

$1.05 ฿35.32

100.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.03 FCFA 1,180

$1.66 ฿55.6

22.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.39 FCFA 810

$1.48 ฿49.49

-6.08%

Potato (1kg)

$3.38 FCFA 1,966

$1.21 ฿40.73

179.34%

Onion (1kg)

$2.15 FCFA 1,252

$1.10 ฿36.95

95.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.77 FCFA 449

$0.76 ฿25.50

1.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.63 FCFA 370

$0.50 ฿16.66

26.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.65 FCFA 1,543

$4.38 ฿147

-39.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.81 FCFA 5,130

$17.50 ฿587

-49.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.51 FCFA 878

$1.66 ฿55.7

-9.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 FCFA 1,015

$2.78 ฿93.2

-37.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 ฿28.88

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.7 ฿1,803

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.60 FCFA 348

$1.22 ฿40.87

-50.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.91 FCFA 531

$0.56 ฿18.80

62.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.40 FCFA 4,893

$2.34 ฿78.6

258.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 FCFA 839

$1.45 ฿48.57

-0.69%

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

$30.0K FCFA 17.5M

$21.1K ฿706.4K

42.35%

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

$15.7K FCFA 9.1M

$26.3K ฿882.3K

-40.45%

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

$165 FCFA 95.9K

$63.6 ฿2,133

159.05%

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

$26.17 FCFA 15.2K

$12.56 ฿422

108.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$181 FCFA 105.7K

$20.04 ฿672

805.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.73 ฿1,299

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.80 ฿127

Cinema Ticket

$8.78 FCFA 5,112

$6.47 ฿217

35.70%

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

$521 FCFA 303.7K

$777 ฿26.1K

-32.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,410 FCFA 2.0M

$14.6K ฿489.1K

-76.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$81.6 FCFA 47.5K

$55.2 ฿1,853

47.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$68.4 FCFA 39.8K

$24.77 ฿831

176.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$140 FCFA 81.5K

$90.3 ฿3,029

54.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$151 FCFA 87.9K

$73.5 ฿2,467

105.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$466 ฿15.6K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$286 ฿9,601

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$866 ฿29.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$525 ฿17.6K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,978 ฿66.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,461 ฿49.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$581 ฿19.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

19.04

5.57

241.83%

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

Last update for Bafoussam: September 26, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $120 in Bafoussam vs $19.00 in Chiang Mai for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $281 vs $238 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

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

Chiang Mai wins on cost – living expenses run 4% lower than in Bafoussam. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Chiang Mai the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $1,446 in Bafoussam and $1,388 in Chiang Mai to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Childcare runs $521 in Bafoussam versus $777 in Chiang Mai. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Chiang Mai – a meal for two runs $19.00 versus $120 in Bafoussam. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $926 in Chiang Mai versus $964 in Bafoussam, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Chiang Mai but tight or insufficient in Bafoussam. The gap between the two cities makes Chiang Mai the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Chiang Mai delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $926 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Chiang Mai hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Bafoussam 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 4% less than in Bafoussam. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.