Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Accra Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Accra

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $766 in Accra, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,351 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,317 in Accra, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,835 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,867 in Accra, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 13% more than Accra, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Chiang Mai and Accra are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Accra 43% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ฿63.5

$4.29 GHS 50.7

-54.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 ฿609

$46.88 GHS 554

-60.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 ฿255

$7.82 GHS 92.5

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.8

$3.45 GHS 40.81

-43.48%

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

$0.85 ฿27.77

$0.94 GHS 11.14

-9.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.58

$0.34 GHS 4.06

2.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.6

$1.58 GHS 18.66

34.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

$2.52 GHS 29.80

48.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿56.0

$3.37 GHS 39.89

-49.26%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$1.43 GHS 16.93

13.99%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ฿37.15

$2.43 GHS 28.71

-53.09%

Eggs

$1.93 ฿63.1

$2.29 GHS 27.08

-15.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ฿530

$11.36 GHS 134

42.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿102

$4.62 GHS 54.6

-32.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿356

$6.03 GHS 71.3

80.76%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ฿90.0

$2.90 GHS 34.33

-5.17%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.52

$1.44 GHS 17.00

-15.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.0

$1.64 GHS 19.42

-1.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$3.08 GHS 36.37

-48.38%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿45.70

$3.13 GHS 36.96

-55.27%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.17

$2.42 GHS 28.64

-51.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.60

$0.82 GHS 9.65

-19.51%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.22

$0.52 GHS 6.10

1.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿153

$1.58 GHS 18.62

196.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿609

$7.07 GHS 83.6

163.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.8

$1.12 GHS 13.24

60.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$1.93 GHS 22.81

67.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.26

$1.04 GHS 12.29

-13.46%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

$34.78 GHS 411

-44.77%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.91

$1.56 GHS 18.42

-9.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.12

$1.18 GHS 13.92

9.32%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$5.40 GHS 63.9

45.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.58

$1.07 GHS 12.64

18.69%

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

$21.3K ฿694.9K

$8,145 GHS 96.3K

161.24%

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

$22.2K ฿725.4K

$9,815 GHS 116.0K

126.31%

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

$69.1 ฿2,256

$56.4 GHS 667

22.42%

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

$14.08 ฿460

$13.00 GHS 154

8.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿588

$37.61 GHS 444

-52.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,341

$35.58 GHS 421

15.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$16.03 GHS 190

-56.58%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿193

$9.60 GHS 114

-38.33%

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

$299 ฿9,766

$72.0 GHS 851

315.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿488.3K

$7,954 GHS 94.0K

87.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,787

$14.88 GHS 176

267.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.77 ฿874

$18.54 GHS 219

44.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 ฿2,776

$28.78 GHS 340

195.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,306

$40.81 GHS 482

73.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

$529 GHS 6,255

-19.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,752

$150 GHS 1,776

57.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.2K

$1,038 GHS 12.3K

-22.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$365 GHS 4,316

41.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

$2,841 GHS 33.6K

-30.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

$1,501 GHS 17.7K

-1.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

$172 GHS 2,038

258.05%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

25.4

-80.31%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Last update for Accra: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $428 in Chiang Mai versus $529 in Accra. 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 258% 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 $47.00 in Accra. Groceries tell a different story – $246 in Chiang Mai vs $235 in Accra – so Accra 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 Accra: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $866 in Chiang Mai, $766 in Accra – roughly 13% apart. Chiang Mai costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,300 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,150 in Accra. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Accra, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 5% more in Chiang Mai, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai and $47.00 in Accra. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Accra, where all-in costs run around $766, than in Chiang Mai at $866. In Accra it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiang Mai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Chiang Mai has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $766 in Accra to $866 in Chiang Mai. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Accra. 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.