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: $861 in Chiang Mai versus $1,344 in Abidjan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,350 in Chiang Mai versus $2,184 in Abidjan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,838 in Chiang Mai versus $3,023 in Abidjan.

Living in Chiang Mai costs roughly 36% less than in Abidjan, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Chiang Mai is 36% below, Abidjan is 1% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿65.7

$3.52 F CFA 2,015

-44.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.35 ฿616

$52.8 F CFA 30.2K

-65.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.48 ฿251

$10.66 F CFA 6,106

-29.83%

Cappuccino

$2.02 ฿67.7

$1.90 F CFA 1,086

6.32%

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

$0.85 ฿28.45

$0.80 F CFA 458

6.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.94

$0.86 F CFA 492

-58.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.7

$1.05 F CFA 601

103.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 ฿121

$1.73 F CFA 994

107.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿55.4

$2.40 F CFA 1,377

-31.25%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.6

$0.59 F CFA 335

166.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿39.95

$1.30 F CFA 747

-8.46%

Eggs

$1.94 ฿65.0

$2.28 F CFA 1,304

-14.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿544

$23.01 F CFA 13.2K

-29.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.99 ฿100

$8.38 F CFA 4,799

-64.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿367

$6.07 F CFA 3,479

80.23%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 ฿91.0

$3.87 F CFA 2,215

-29.97%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿39.18

$1.09 F CFA 623

7.34%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 ฿56.6

$2.20 F CFA 1,260

-23.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 ฿53.9

$1.96 F CFA 1,125

-18.37%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.45

$1.68 F CFA 963

-17.86%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.38

$1.74 F CFA 994

-31.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿22.46

$0.87 F CFA 497

-22.99%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.70

$0.86 F CFA 490

-34.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.64 ฿156

$1.80 F CFA 1,029

157.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.62 ฿591

$6.14 F CFA 3,520

186.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.4

$1.01 F CFA 577

84.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 ฿111

$1.42 F CFA 815

132.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.63

$0.99 F CFA 569

-11.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ฿649

$48.00 F CFA 27.5K

-59.71%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿45.82

$1.71 F CFA 982

-20.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.90

$1.59 F CFA 912

-15.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.21 ฿276

$26.42 F CFA 15.1K

-68.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ฿41.11

$1.55 F CFA 885

-21.29%

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

$21.4K ฿716.8K

$32.4K F CFA 18.6M

-34.05%

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

$22.5K ฿756.3K

$30.3K F CFA 17.3M

-25.59%

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

$70.7 ฿2,372

$187 F CFA 106.9K

-62.11%

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

$14.04 ฿471

$35.90 F CFA 20.6K

-60.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.49 ฿587

$46.13 F CFA 26.4K

-62.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.15 ฿1,415

$78.0 F CFA 44.7K

-45.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

$22.25 F CFA 12.7K

-69.08%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿199

$8.64 F CFA 4,953

-31.48%

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

$309 ฿10.4K

$291 F CFA 166.7K

6.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K ฿499.5K

$3,340 F CFA 1.9M

345.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,872

$90.5 F CFA 51.8K

-38.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.11 ฿877

$57.0 F CFA 32.6K

-54.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.0 ฿2,787

$84.1 F CFA 48.2K

-1.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 ฿2,365

$138 F CFA 79.1K

-49.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$432 ฿14.5K

$614 F CFA 351.8K

-29.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿8,020

$386 F CFA 220.9K

-38.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$822 ฿27.6K

$1,843 F CFA 1.1M

-55.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$512 ฿17.2K

$950 F CFA 544.5K

-46.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,915 ฿64.3K

$2,294 F CFA 1.3M

-16.52%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 ฿49.3K

$692 F CFA 396.3K

112.11%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$579 ฿19.4K

$221 F CFA 126.6K

162.19%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Abidjan: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $432 in Chiang Mai and $614 in Abidjan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Chiang Mai pays 162% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $18.00 in Chiang Mai vs $53.0 in Abidjan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $243 vs $260 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 56% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 162% higher in Chiang Mai, 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: $432 in Chiang Mai versus $614 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 $18.00 versus $53.0 in Abidjan. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $861 per month in Chiang Mai versus $1,344 in Abidjan – a 56% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $861 in Chiang Mai versus $1,344 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 56% less than in Abidjan. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.