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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $617 per month in Banjul vs $852 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,087 per month in Banjul vs $1,354 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,558 per month in Banjul vs $1,857 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Banjul is about 28% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Banjul and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Banjul 54% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.32 GMD 395

$1.96 ฿64.0

171.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$65.3 GMD 4,842

$18.81 ฿615

247.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.76 GMD 502

$7.92 ฿259

-14.65%

Cappuccino

$2.48 GMD 184

$1.91 ฿62.6

29.84%

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

$2.23 GMD 165

$0.84 ฿27.41

165.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.31 GMD 97.0

$0.35 ฿11.51

274.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.06 GMD 301

$2.21 ฿72.1

83.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.20 GMD 311

$3.80 ฿124

10.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 GMD 106

$1.64 ฿53.5

-12.80%

White Bread (500g)

$0.57 GMD 42.18

$1.62 ฿53.1

-64.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.42 GMD 106

$1.18 ฿38.62

20.34%

Eggs

$2.01 GMD 149

$2.01 ฿65.8

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.29 GMD 466

$15.89 ฿520

-60.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.80 GMD 208

$3.01 ฿98.5

-6.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.96 GMD 442

$10.77 ฿352

-44.66%

Apples (1kg)

$2.17 GMD 161

$2.61 ฿85.5

-16.86%

Banana (1kg)

$1.32 GMD 97.7

$1.22 ฿39.88

8.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 GMD 142

$1.70 ฿55.7

12.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.44 GMD 107

$1.58 ฿51.5

-8.86%

Potato (1kg)

$0.96 GMD 71.2

$1.32 ฿43.14

-27.27%

Onion (1kg)

$1.03 GMD 76.4

$1.17 ฿38.23

-11.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.26 GMD 19.31

$0.67 ฿21.98

-61.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.42 GMD 31.20

$0.56 ฿18.32

-25.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.82 GMD 135

$4.53 ฿148

-59.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.57 GMD 487

$18.20 ฿595

-63.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.52 GMD 113

$1.83 ฿60.0

-16.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.72 GMD 128

$3.23 ฿106

-46.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.20 GMD 14.81

$0.89 ฿29.00

-77.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$6.71 GMD 498

$19.38 ฿634

-65.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.33 GMD 24.70

$1.35 ฿44.20

-75.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.68 GMD 50.8

$1.35 ฿44.05

-49.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.22 GMD 313

$8.25 ฿270

-48.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 GMD 83.6

$1.27 ฿41.64

-11.02%

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

$2,719 GMD 201.6K

$21.2K ฿691.8K

-87.15%

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

$3,451 GMD 255.9K

$22.5K ฿735.3K

-84.65%

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

$31.54 GMD 2,339

$70.2 ฿2,294

-55.04%

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

$14.86 GMD 1,102

$13.77 ฿450

7.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$47.93 GMD 3,555

$17.60 ฿575

172.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.43 GMD 1,812

$41.57 ฿1,360

-41.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.21 GMD 1,054

$6.60 ฿216

115.30%

Cinema Ticket

$3.62 GMD 268

$5.78 ฿189

-37.37%

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

$7.12 GMD 528

$306 ฿10.0K

-97.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$143 GMD 10.6K

$14.8K ฿484.8K

-99.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.1 GMD 4,163

$54.4 ฿1,778

3.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.77 GMD 3,246

$26.14 ฿855

67.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 GMD 7,450

$84.5 ฿2,764

18.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.1 GMD 6,383

$69.4 ฿2,270

23.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$103 GMD 7,662

$424 ฿13.9K

-75.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$54.4 GMD 4,037

$238 ฿7,788

-77.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$227 GMD 16.9K

$825 ฿27.0K

-72.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$144 GMD 10.7K

$515 ฿16.8K

-71.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,437 GMD 106.6K

$2,049 ฿67.0K

-29.88%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,159 GMD 85.9K

$1,523 ฿49.8K

-23.90%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$60.4 GMD 4,480

$635 ฿20.8K

-90.49%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.12

102.40%

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

Last update for Banjul: April 25, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $103 in Banjul versus $424 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 951% higher in Chiang Mai, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $65.0 in Banjul versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $153 in Banjul vs $243 in Chiang Mai – so Banjul wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

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

Yes – Chiang Mai is pricier by about 38%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $925 per month in Banjul and $1,278 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $617 in Banjul and $852 in Chiang Mai. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 189% less in Banjul. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $617 in Banjul and $852 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Banjul – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Banjul. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chiang Mai makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.