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 $932 per month in Chiang Mai vs $744 in Abomey-Calavi, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,399 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,164 in Abomey-Calavi, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,584 in Abomey-Calavi, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 25% more than Abomey-Calavi, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and Abomey-Calavi are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 32% lower, Abomey-Calavi 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿69.5

$5.55 F CFA 3,174

-62.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.61 ฿655

$26.00 F CFA 14.9K

-24.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.67 ฿189

$8.13 F CFA 4,647

-30.26%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿60.3

$4.89 F CFA 2,793

-62.99%

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

$0.77 ฿25.65

$1.12 F CFA 638

-31.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.53

$1.75 F CFA 998

-80.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿73.9

$1.81 F CFA 1,034

22.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿127

$5.25 F CFA 3,002

-27.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 ฿68.4

$2.16 F CFA 1,237

-5.09%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 ฿50.6

$0.25 F CFA 142

504.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 ฿46.69

$2.07 F CFA 1,184

-32.37%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿75.4

$2.06 F CFA 1,177

9.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿540

$3.55 F CFA 2,027

356.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.90 ฿96.7

$3.86 F CFA 2,207

-24.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.42 ฿314

$6.14 F CFA 3,511

53.42%

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 ฿89.4

$2.16 F CFA 1,233

24.07%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.37

$0.92 F CFA 526

18.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.0

$0.67 F CFA 382

141.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.74

$2.05 F CFA 1,173

-28.78%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.65

$0.94 F CFA 536

36.17%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 ฿35.31

$0.82 F CFA 468

29.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.94

$0.67 F CFA 383

7.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.56

$0.90 F CFA 515

-41.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.23 ฿141

$0.42 F CFA 243

907.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.29 ฿611

$11.05 F CFA 6,317

65.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ฿54.4

$0.99 F CFA 567

64.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿96.8

$1.17 F CFA 667

147.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.32

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.8 ฿1,795

$7.69 F CFA 4,396

599.22%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 ฿39.14

$1.74 F CFA 992

-32.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿19.30

$1.75 F CFA 998

-66.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.39 ฿79.6

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.41

$1.24 F CFA 709

16.94%

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

$21.0K ฿701.4K

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

$26.4K ฿882.0K

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

$63.7 ฿2,125

$121 F CFA 69.4K

-47.59%

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

$12.89 ฿430

$20.29 F CFA 11.6K

-36.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.52 ฿685

$89.5 F CFA 51.1K

-77.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.02 ฿1,302

$35.48 F CFA 20.3K

9.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.92 ฿131

$5.25 F CFA 3,001

-25.33%

Cinema Ticket

$6.58 ฿220

$6.12 F CFA 3,497

7.52%

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

$784 ฿26.2K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿489.8K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 ฿1,840

$17.53 F CFA 10.0K

214.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.74 ฿826

$8.88 F CFA 5,075

178.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.1 ฿3,142

$26.47 F CFA 15.1K

255.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.0 ฿2,469

$26.31 F CFA 15.0K

181.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.4K

$103 F CFA 59.0K

375.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$288 ฿9,620

$76.1 F CFA 43.5K

278.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$891 ฿29.8K

$220 F CFA 125.5K

305.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$521 ฿17.4K

$283 F CFA 161.6K

84.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,974 ฿65.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,444 ฿48.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿20.1K

$89.3 F CFA 51.0K

573.44%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 13, 2026

Last update for Abomey-Calavi: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $490 in Chiang Mai versus $103 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 573% 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $26.00 in Abomey-Calavi. Groceries tell a different story – $241 in Chiang Mai vs $166 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 25%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,398 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,116 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 $932 in Chiang Mai and $744 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 $20.00 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.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Abomey-Calavi, where all-in costs run around $744, than in Chiang Mai at $932. In Abomey-Calavi it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiang Mai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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.