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: $950 in Chiang Mai versus $1,222 in Abidjan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,430 in Chiang Mai versus $2,130 in Abidjan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,909 in Chiang Mai versus $3,038 in Abidjan.

Living in Chiang Mai costs roughly 22% less than in Abidjan, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Chiang Mai 31% lower, Abidjan 11% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.10 ฿69.3

$2.67 F CFA 1,511

-21.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.84 ฿656

$70.7 F CFA 40.0K

-71.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.79 ฿191

$10.50 F CFA 5,933

-44.86%

Cappuccino

$1.83 ฿60.4

$1.98 F CFA 1,121

-7.58%

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

$0.78 ฿25.61

$0.74 F CFA 417

5.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.37

$0.78 F CFA 442

-60.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.34 ฿77.2

$1.05 F CFA 591

122.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.70 ฿122

$1.75 F CFA 989

111.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.03 ฿67.1

$2.10 F CFA 1,185

-3.33%

White Bread (500g)

$1.60 ฿52.7

$0.56 F CFA 316

185.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.42 ฿46.75

$1.24 F CFA 703

14.52%

Eggs

$2.18 ฿71.9

$2.43 F CFA 1,371

-10.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.91 ฿526

$21.85 F CFA 12.3K

-27.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.07 ฿102

$6.09 F CFA 3,440

-49.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.87 ฿326

$6.20 F CFA 3,502

59.19%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 ฿86.8

$4.14 F CFA 2,338

-36.47%

Banana (1kg)

$1.10 ฿36.19

$1.12 F CFA 631

-1.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.63 ฿53.8

$2.09 F CFA 1,180

-22.01%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿50.6

$2.38 F CFA 1,346

-35.71%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 ฿41.13

$1.77 F CFA 1,000

-29.94%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 ฿37.37

$1.72 F CFA 974

-34.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 ฿24.38

$0.74 F CFA 416

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 ฿16.48

$0.83 F CFA 469

-39.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.28 ฿141

$1.78 F CFA 1,008

140.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.97 ฿594

$5.40 F CFA 3,051

232.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 ฿56.1

$1.04 F CFA 588

63.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿95.7

$1.29 F CFA 731

124.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.94 ฿31.13

$0.86 F CFA 486

9.30%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.3 ฿1,827

$43.65 F CFA 24.7K

26.67%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.23 ฿40.76

$1.73 F CFA 975

-28.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ฿17.66

$1.79 F CFA 1,011

-70.39%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.40 ฿79.3

$26.97 F CFA 15.2K

-91.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 ฿47.55

$1.52 F CFA 860

-5.26%

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

$21.2K ฿700.2K

$29.6K F CFA 16.7M

-28.44%

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

$27.3K ฿902.1K

$27.4K F CFA 15.5M

-0.37%

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

$64.9 ฿2,145

$170 F CFA 95.9K

-61.75%

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

$13.35 ฿441

$25.69 F CFA 14.5K

-48.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.83 ฿688

$34.84 F CFA 19.7K

-40.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.42 ฿1,336

$72.4 F CFA 40.9K

-44.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.95 ฿131

$22.55 F CFA 12.7K

-82.48%

Cinema Ticket

$6.71 ฿222

$8.70 F CFA 4,915

-22.87%

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

$787 ฿26.0K

$372 F CFA 210.0K

111.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.1K ฿499.6K

$4,856 F CFA 2.7M

211.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.2 ฿1,858

$96.7 F CFA 54.7K

-41.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.95 ฿824

$38.37 F CFA 21.7K

-34.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.7 ฿3,063

$79.5 F CFA 44.9K

16.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.1 ฿2,482

$143 F CFA 80.8K

-47.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$484 ฿16.0K

$694 F CFA 392.4K

-30.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$287 ฿9,491

$362 F CFA 204.4K

-20.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$910 ฿30.1K

$2,661 F CFA 1.5M

-65.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$531 ฿17.5K

$1,026 F CFA 579.5K

-48.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,980 ฿65.4K

$2,287 F CFA 1.3M

-13.42%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,451 ฿47.9K

$685 F CFA 387.3K

111.70%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$605 ฿20.0K

$224 F CFA 126.8K

169.75%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

15.75

-64.63%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 7, 2026

Last update for Abidjan: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $484 in Chiang Mai and $694 in Abidjan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Chiang Mai pays 170% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $20.00 in Chiang Mai vs $71.0 in Abidjan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $242 vs $244 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 29% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 170% 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: $484 in Chiang Mai versus $694 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 $20.00 versus $71.0 in Abidjan. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $950 per month in Chiang Mai versus $1,222 in Abidjan – a 29% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $950 in Chiang Mai versus $1,222 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 29% less than in Abidjan. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.