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 $861 per month in Chiang Mai vs $746 in Accra, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,350 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,304 in Accra, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,838 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,862 in Accra, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 15% more than Accra, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Chiang Mai and Accra are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Accra 44% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿65.8

$4.34 GHS 50.1

-54.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.35 ฿617

$48.15 GHS 556

-61.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.48 ฿252

$7.70 GHS 88.9

-2.86%

Cappuccino

$2.02 ฿67.8

$3.50 GHS 40.40

-42.29%

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

$0.85 ฿28.50

$1.00 GHS 11.54

-15.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.96

$0.35 GHS 3.98

2.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.8

$1.53 GHS 17.61

39.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 ฿121

$2.56 GHS 29.53

40.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿55.5

$3.37 GHS 38.91

-51.04%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.7

$1.46 GHS 16.83

7.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿40.02

$2.47 GHS 28.46

-51.82%

Eggs

$1.94 ฿65.1

$2.27 GHS 26.17

-14.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿544

$11.22 GHS 129

44.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.99 ฿101

$4.54 GHS 52.4

-34.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿368

$5.87 GHS 67.8

86.37%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 ฿91.2

$2.90 GHS 33.44

-6.55%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿39.25

$1.46 GHS 16.84

-19.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 ฿56.7

$1.71 GHS 19.78

-1.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 ฿54.0

$3.17 GHS 36.59

-49.53%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.54

$2.98 GHS 34.36

-53.69%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.45

$2.46 GHS 28.38

-51.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿22.50

$0.76 GHS 8.80

-11.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.73

$0.48 GHS 5.54

16.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.64 ฿156

$1.58 GHS 18.26

193.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.62 ฿593

$7.30 GHS 84.3

141.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.5

$1.16 GHS 13.37

60.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 ฿111

$1.96 GHS 22.66

68.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.68

$1.05 GHS 12.09

-16.19%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ฿650

$35.17 GHS 406

-45.01%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿45.90

$1.54 GHS 17.74

-11.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.98

$1.17 GHS 13.45

14.53%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.21 ฿276

$5.38 GHS 62.0

52.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ฿41.18

$1.13 GHS 12.99

7.96%

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

$21.4K ฿718.1K

$8,009 GHS 92.4K

166.62%

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

$22.5K ฿757.7K

$9,480 GHS 109.4K

137.66%

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

$70.7 ฿2,376

$55.6 GHS 642

27.06%

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

$14.04 ฿472

$13.03 GHS 150

7.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.49 ฿588

$37.61 GHS 434

-53.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.15 ฿1,417

$35.17 GHS 406

19.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

$16.03 GHS 185

-57.08%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿199

$9.74 GHS 112

-39.22%

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

$309 ฿10.4K

$72.2 GHS 833

327.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K ฿500.4K

$7,959 GHS 91.8K

86.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,875

$14.51 GHS 167

284.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.11 ฿878

$18.82 GHS 217

38.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.0 ฿2,792

$28.88 GHS 333

187.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 ฿2,369

$40.84 GHS 471

72.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$432 ฿14.5K

$530 GHS 6,114

-18.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿8,035

$147 GHS 1,698

62.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$822 ฿27.7K

$1,048 GHS 12.1K

-21.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$512 ฿17.2K

$378 GHS 4,366

35.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,915 ฿64.4K

$2,797 GHS 32.3K

-31.55%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 ฿49.3K

$1,469 GHS 17.0K

-0.12%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$579 ฿19.5K

$180 GHS 2,081

221.21%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Accra: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $432 in Chiang Mai versus $530 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 221% 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 $18.00 in Chiang Mai versus $48.00 in Accra. Groceries tell a different story – $243 in Chiang Mai vs $234 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: $861 in Chiang Mai, $746 in Accra – roughly 15% apart. Chiang Mai costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,292 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,119 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 4% 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 $18.00 in Chiang Mai and $48.00 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 $746, than in Chiang Mai at $861. 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 $746 in Accra to $861 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.