Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Abomey-Calavi Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Abomey-Calavi

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $725 in Abomey-Calavi, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,360 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,163 in Abomey-Calavi, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,867 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,601 in Abomey-Calavi, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 18% more than Abomey-Calavi, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Chiang Mai and Abomey-Calavi are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Abomey-Calavi 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.04 ฿68.2

$5.67 F CFA 3,219

-64.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.71 ฿624

$26.69 F CFA 15.2K

-29.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.86 ฿262

$8.50 F CFA 4,824

-7.53%

Cappuccino

$2.03 ฿67.7

$4.99 F CFA 2,835

-59.32%

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

$0.80 ฿26.64

$1.18 F CFA 670

-32.20%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.68

$1.79 F CFA 1,017

-80.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.5

$1.81 F CFA 1,025

18.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿122

$5.42 F CFA 3,077

-32.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 ฿57.6

$2.18 F CFA 1,238

-20.64%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.4

$0.25 F CFA 141

528.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 ฿39.99

$2.06 F CFA 1,169

-41.75%

Eggs

$1.97 ฿65.8

$2.00 F CFA 1,134

-1.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.23 ฿541

$3.56 F CFA 2,022

355.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.06 ฿102

$4.01 F CFA 2,277

-23.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.80 ฿360

$6.36 F CFA 3,610

69.81%

Apples (1kg)

$2.77 ฿92.3

$2.26 F CFA 1,282

22.57%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.94

$0.84 F CFA 476

39.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 ฿57.0

$0.73 F CFA 415

134.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿53.2

$2.16 F CFA 1,228

-26.39%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.51

$0.94 F CFA 536

47.87%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 ฿38.56

$0.82 F CFA 464

41.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿22.05

$0.73 F CFA 412

-9.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.31

$0.91 F CFA 516

-42.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 ฿155

$0.43 F CFA 243

981.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.78 ฿593

$10.95 F CFA 6,219

62.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ฿59.6

$0.95 F CFA 541

88.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 ฿111

$1.12 F CFA 634

198.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿30.27

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.64 ฿622

$7.86 F CFA 4,460

137.15%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿47.04

$1.73 F CFA 984

-18.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.70

$1.63 F CFA 924

-17.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.11 ฿270

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿41.16

$1.25 F CFA 707

-1.60%

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

$21.4K ฿715.1K

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

$21.8K ฿728.0K

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

$71.3 ฿2,379

$123 F CFA 69.8K

-41.94%

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

$14.01 ฿467

$20.08 F CFA 11.4K

-30.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.93 ฿598

$89.4 F CFA 50.8K

-79.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.82 ฿1,362

$35.39 F CFA 20.1K

15.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿230

$5.19 F CFA 2,946

32.56%

Cinema Ticket

$5.72 ฿191

$6.34 F CFA 3,602

-9.78%

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

$308 ฿10.3K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿489.7K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,860

$17.37 F CFA 9,861

221.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.04 ฿869

$8.87 F CFA 5,034

193.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 ฿2,829

$26.05 F CFA 14.8K

225.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.0 ฿2,368

$26.03 F CFA 14.8K

172.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$423 ฿14.1K

$101 F CFA 57.5K

317.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 ฿8,088

$74.3 F CFA 42.2K

226.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$797 ฿26.6K

$225 F CFA 127.5K

255.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$507 ฿16.9K

$282 F CFA 160.1K

79.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,918 ฿64.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,464 ฿48.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

$85.4 F CFA 48.5K

597.02%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 27, 2026

Last update for Abomey-Calavi: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $423 in Chiang Mai versus $101 in Abomey-Calavi. 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 597% 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $27.00 in Abomey-Calavi. Groceries tell a different story – $244 in Chiang Mai vs $168 in Abomey-Calavi – so Abomey-Calavi 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

Chiang Mai vs Abomey-Calavi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Chiang Mai is pricier by about 18%, and the gap shows up most in Monthly Utilities & Internet. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,279 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,088 in Abomey-Calavi. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Abomey-Calavi, 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 $852 in Chiang Mai and $725 in Abomey-Calavi. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai and $27.00 in Abomey-Calavi. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $852 in Chiang Mai and $725 in Abomey-Calavi, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Abomey-Calavi – 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 Abomey-Calavi. 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.