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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $866 in Chiang Mai versus $1,325 in Abidjan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,351 in Chiang Mai versus $2,172 in Abidjan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,835 in Chiang Mai versus $3,020 in Abidjan.

Living in Chiang Mai costs roughly 35% less than in Abidjan, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Chiang Mai 35% lower, Abidjan 1% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ฿63.5

$3.45 F CFA 1,947

-43.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 ฿609

$53.7 F CFA 30.3K

-65.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 ฿255

$10.66 F CFA 6,012

-26.64%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.8

$1.81 F CFA 1,020

7.73%

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

$0.85 ฿27.77

$0.86 F CFA 485

-1.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.58

$0.83 F CFA 467

-57.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.6

$1.03 F CFA 580

106.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

$1.79 F CFA 1,008

108.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿56.0

$2.34 F CFA 1,322

-26.92%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$0.62 F CFA 350

162.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ฿37.15

$1.29 F CFA 728

-11.63%

Eggs

$1.93 ฿63.1

$2.29 F CFA 1,290

-15.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ฿530

$23.28 F CFA 13.1K

-30.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿102

$8.59 F CFA 4,846

-63.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿356

$6.24 F CFA 3,519

74.68%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ฿90.0

$3.91 F CFA 2,203

-29.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.52

$1.15 F CFA 646

5.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.0

$2.20 F CFA 1,238

-26.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$2.03 F CFA 1,145

-21.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿45.70

$1.68 F CFA 949

-16.67%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.17

$1.75 F CFA 989

-33.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.60

$0.89 F CFA 502

-25.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.22

$0.91 F CFA 512

-41.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿153

$1.73 F CFA 973

171.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿609

$6.25 F CFA 3,524

198.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.8

$1.06 F CFA 596

69.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$1.42 F CFA 803

127.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.26

$0.98 F CFA 555

-8.16%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

$49.40 F CFA 27.9K

-61.11%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.91

$1.74 F CFA 982

-18.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.12

$1.55 F CFA 873

-16.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$26.56 F CFA 15.0K

-70.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.58

$1.55 F CFA 876

-18.06%

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

$21.3K ฿694.9K

$32.3K F CFA 18.2M

-34.10%

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

$22.2K ฿725.4K

$29.8K F CFA 16.8M

-25.56%

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

$69.1 ฿2,256

$183 F CFA 103.0K

-62.20%

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

$14.08 ฿460

$36.19 F CFA 20.4K

-61.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿588

$45.08 F CFA 25.4K

-60.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,341

$80.6 F CFA 45.5K

-49.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$21.96 F CFA 12.4K

-68.31%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿193

$8.91 F CFA 5,024

-33.56%

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

$299 ฿9,766

$285 F CFA 161.0K

4.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿488.3K

$3,287 F CFA 1.9M

354.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,787

$92.7 F CFA 52.3K

-40.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.77 ฿874

$57.9 F CFA 32.6K

-53.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 ฿2,776

$84.6 F CFA 47.7K

0.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,306

$138 F CFA 77.6K

-48.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

$623 F CFA 351.4K

-31.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,752

$399 F CFA 225.0K

-40.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.2K

$1,880 F CFA 1.1M

-57.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$920 F CFA 518.8K

-43.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

$2,302 F CFA 1.3M

-14.24%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

$707 F CFA 398.8K

108.60%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

$221 F CFA 124.7K

179.19%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

14.75

-66.10%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Last update for Abidjan: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $428 in Chiang Mai and $623 in Abidjan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Chiang Mai pays 179% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $19.00 in Chiang Mai vs $54.0 in Abidjan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $246 vs $264 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

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

Chiang Mai is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 53% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Chiang Mai pays 179% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $428 in Chiang Mai versus $623 in Abidjan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Chiang Mai – a meal for two runs $19.00 versus $54.0 in Abidjan. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $866 per month in Chiang Mai versus $1,325 in Abidjan – a 53% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $866 in Chiang Mai versus $1,325 in Abidjan, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Chiang Mai but tight or insufficient in Abidjan. The gap between the two cities makes Chiang Mai the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Chiang Mai is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Abidjan, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Chiang Mai and Abidjan 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 53% less than in Abidjan. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.