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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $920 in Chiang Mai versus $987 in Bafoussam.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,408 in Chiang Mai versus $1,675 in Bafoussam.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,895 in Chiang Mai versus $2,363 in Bafoussam.

Living in Chiang Mai costs roughly 7% less than in Bafoussam, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities sit below the global median: Chiang Mai 33% lower, Bafoussam 28% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.11 ฿69.1

$4.50 FCFA 2,525

-53.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.75 ฿648

$122 FCFA 68.2K

-83.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.85 ฿192

$7.13 FCFA 3,999

-17.95%

Cappuccino

$1.76 ฿57.8

$2.23 FCFA 1,249

-21.08%

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

$0.74 ฿24.37

$1.71 FCFA 959

-56.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 ฿10.90

$0.86 FCFA 483

-61.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.47 ฿81.0

$1.25 FCFA 703

97.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.88 ฿127

$2.59 FCFA 1,453

49.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.90 ฿62.4

$2.79 FCFA 1,562

-31.90%

White Bread (500g)

$1.67 ฿54.7

$0.42 FCFA 233

297.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.35 ฿44.24

$2.23 FCFA 1,250

-39.46%

Eggs

$2.14 ฿70.2

$1.98 FCFA 1,112

8.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.89 ฿521

$23.15 FCFA 13.0K

-31.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.83 ฿92.9

$7.74 FCFA 4,341

-63.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.53 ฿345

$6.40 FCFA 3,590

64.53%

Apples (1kg)

$2.38 ฿78.2

$4.92 FCFA 2,759

-51.63%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 ฿35.01

$2.07 FCFA 1,161

-48.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.79

$2.06 FCFA 1,158

-26.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 ฿49.30

$1.37 FCFA 767

9.49%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿41.96

$3.32 FCFA 1,862

-61.45%

Onion (1kg)

$1.10 ฿36.17

$2.17 FCFA 1,216

-49.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.69 ฿22.54

$0.79 FCFA 445

-12.66%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.18

$0.64 FCFA 357

-23.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 ฿140

$3.56 FCFA 1,998

19.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.78 ฿550

$9.09 FCFA 5,099

84.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 ฿54.4

$1.46 FCFA 821

13.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.81 ฿92.3

$1.87 FCFA 1,046

50.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.44

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.9 ฿1,801

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.20 ฿39.24

$0.63 FCFA 355

90.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.54 ฿17.78

$0.86 FCFA 481

-37.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.37 ฿77.9

$8.44 FCFA 4,734

-71.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 ฿46.88

$1.49 FCFA 838

-4.03%

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

$21.1K ฿691.5K

$31.3K FCFA 17.6M

-32.70%

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

$27.1K ฿890.2K

$15.9K FCFA 8.9M

71.12%

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

$64.7 ฿2,124

$167 FCFA 93.7K

-61.26%

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

$13.19 ฿433

$26.00 FCFA 14.6K

-49.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.44 ฿638

$181 FCFA 101.4K

-89.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.45 ฿1,294

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.77 ฿124

Cinema Ticket

$6.62 ฿217

$8.67 FCFA 4,862

-23.64%

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

$805 ฿26.4K

$536 FCFA 300.8K

50.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.1K ฿496.1K

$3,523 FCFA 2.0M

329.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.8 ฿1,796

$82.5 FCFA 46.2K

-33.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.43 ฿834

$70.0 FCFA 39.2K

-63.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.9 ฿3,015

$144 FCFA 80.9K

-36.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.7 ฿2,449

$153 FCFA 86.1K

-51.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$467 ฿15.3K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$282 ฿9,251

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$891 ฿29.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$521 ฿17.1K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,985 ฿65.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,462 ฿48.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$592 ฿19.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

19.04

-70.75%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 17, 2026

Last update for Bafoussam: August 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $20.00 in Chiang Mai vs $122 in Bafoussam for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $237 vs $283 per month, with Chiang Mai cheaper across the board.

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 Bafoussam: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai wins on cost – living expenses run 7% lower than in Bafoussam. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Chiang Mai the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $1,380 in Chiang Mai and $1,480 in Bafoussam to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Childcare runs $805 in Chiang Mai versus $536 in Bafoussam. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Chiang Mai – a meal for two runs $20.00 versus $122 in Bafoussam. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $920 in Chiang Mai versus $987 in Bafoussam, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Chiang Mai but tight or insufficient in Bafoussam. The gap between the two cities makes Chiang Mai the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Chiang Mai delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $920 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Chiang Mai hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Chiang Mai and Bafoussam are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Chiang Mai gentler on the wallet – expenses run 7% less than in Bafoussam. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.