😐A single person spends $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $741 in Abomey-Calavi, rent included.
😐A couple spends around $1,354 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,164 in Abomey-Calavi, rent included.
😐A family of three spends $1,857 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,587 in Abomey-Calavi, rent included.
😐Chiang Mai costs about 15% more than Abomey-Calavi, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.
📊Both Chiang Mai and Abomey-Calavi are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai36% lower, Abomey-Calavi45% lower.
Moneda
🍽 Eating Out
Chiang Mai
Abomey-Calavi
Diferencia
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$1.96฿63.6
$5.82F CFA 3,263
-66.32%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$18.81฿611
$26.01F CFA 14.6K
-27.68%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$7.92฿258
$8.22F CFA 4,606
-3.65%
Cappuccino
$1.91฿62.2
$4.75F CFA 2,663
-59.79%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.84฿27.25
$1.18F CFA 659
-28.81%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.35฿11.44
$1.79F CFA 1,001
-80.45%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.21฿71.7
$1.75F CFA 979
26.29%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.80฿124
$5.23F CFA 2,929
-27.34%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Chiang Mai
Abomey-Calavi
Diferencia
Milk(1 liter)
$1.64฿53.2
$2.28F CFA 1,275
-28.07%
White Bread(500g)
$1.62฿52.8
$0.27F CFA 153
500.00%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.18฿38.40
$2.00F CFA 1,121
-41.00%
Eggs
$2.01฿65.4
$1.96F CFA 1,099
2.55%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$15.89฿517
$3.60F CFA 2,019
341.39%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.01฿98.0
$4.03F CFA 2,256
-25.31%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$10.77฿350
$6.22F CFA 3,483
73.15%
Apples(1kg)
$2.61฿85.0
$2.27F CFA 1,269
14.98%
Banana(1kg)
$1.22฿39.65
$0.90F CFA 502
35.56%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.70฿55.4
$0.69F CFA 384
146.38%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.58฿51.2
$2.10F CFA 1,179
-24.76%
Potato(1kg)
$1.32฿42.89
$1.02F CFA 569
29.41%
Onion(1kg)
$1.17฿38.01
$0.83F CFA 463
40.96%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.67฿21.85
$0.73F CFA 408
-8.22%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.56฿18.21
$0.90F CFA 503
-37.78%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.53฿147
$0.43F CFA 239
953.49%
Wine(Bottle)
$18.20฿592
$11.08F CFA 6,207
64.26%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.83฿59.6
$0.96F CFA 536
90.63%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.23฿105
$1.12F CFA 627
188.39%
🚌 Getting Around
Chiang Mai
Abomey-Calavi
Diferencia
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.89฿28.83
-
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$19.38฿630
$7.57F CFA 4,240
156.01%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.35฿43.95
$1.78F CFA 997
-24.16%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.35฿43.79
$1.56F CFA 872
-13.46%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$8.25฿268
-
-
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.27฿41.40
$1.26F CFA 705
0.79%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.2K฿687.8K
-
-
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$22.5K฿731.0K
-
-
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Chiang Mai
Abomey-Calavi
Diferencia
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$70.2฿2,281
$125F CFA 69.9K
-43.79%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.77฿448
$20.02F CFA 11.2K
-31.22%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$17.60฿572
$89.7F CFA 50.2K
-80.37%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Chiang Mai
Abomey-Calavi
Diferencia
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$41.57฿1,352
$35.17F CFA 19.7K
18.20%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$6.60฿215
$5.34F CFA 2,992
23.60%
Cinema Ticket
$5.78฿188
$6.16F CFA 3,449
-6.17%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Chiang Mai
Abomey-Calavi
Diferencia
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$306฿9,953
-
-
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$14.8K฿482.0K
-
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Chiang Mai
Abomey-Calavi
Diferencia
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$54.4฿1,768
$17.39F CFA 9,743
212.65%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$26.14฿850
$8.60F CFA 4,818
203.95%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$84.5฿2,748
$26.21F CFA 14.7K
222.55%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$69.4฿2,257
$26.48F CFA 14.8K
162.20%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Chiang Mai
Abomey-Calavi
Diferencia
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$424฿13.8K
$99.7F CFA 55.9K
324.76%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$238฿7,743
$76.3F CFA 42.7K
212.33%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$825฿26.8K
$219F CFA 122.7K
276.68%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$515฿16.7K
$277F CFA 155.1K
86.06%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$2,049฿66.6K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,523฿49.5K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Chiang Mai
Abomey-Calavi
Diferencia
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$635฿20.6K
$89.4F CFA 50.1K
610.19%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5
0
-
Los datos de CityCost se basan en IA y aportaciones de usuarios. Puede haber pequeñas variaciones.
Última actualización para Chiang Mai: April 27, 2026
Última actualización para Abomey-Calavi: April 28, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $424 in Chiang Mai versus $99.7 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 610% 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 $26.00 in Abomey-Calavi. Groceries tell a different story – $243 in Chiang Mai vs $168 in Abomey-Calavi – so Abomey-Calavi wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.
Comparación de velocidades medias de internet por ciudad (actualizado April 2026)
El gráfico resalta el umbral de precisión para velocidades de internet móvil y fija, actualizado trimestralmente.
Índice del coste de vida para nómadas digitales
Chiang Mai vs Abomey-Calavi: Coste de vida - preguntas frecuentes
Is Abomey-Calavi cheaper than Chiang Mai?
Yes – Chiang Mai is pricier by about 15%, and the gap shows up most in Monthly Utilities & Internet. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,278 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,112 in Abomey-Calavi. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
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.
What are total monthly expenses in Chiang Mai vs Abomey-Calavi?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $852 in Chiang Mai and $741 in Abomey-Calavi. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.
Is eating out cheaper in Chiang Mai or Abomey-Calavi?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai and $26.00 in Abomey-Calavi. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Is $1,000 enough for either Chiang Mai or Abomey-Calavi?
$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $852 in Chiang Mai and $741 in Abomey-Calavi, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.
Is Chiang Mai or Abomey-Calavi more family-friendly?
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.
Which city is safer, Chiang Mai or Abomey-Calavi?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
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.
Chiang Mai vs otros destinos: coste de vida comparado