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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $861 in Chiang Mai versus $838 in Bouake.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,350 in Chiang Mai versus $1,308 in Bouake.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,838 in Chiang Mai versus $1,777 in Bouake.

Living in Chiang Mai is roughly 3% more expensive than in Bouake, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Chiang Mai 36% lower, Bouake 37% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿65.9

$3.51 F CFA 2,011

-44.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.35 ฿617

$53.4 F CFA 30.6K

-65.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.48 ฿252

$10.44 F CFA 5,988

-28.35%

Cappuccino

$2.02 ฿67.8

$1.83 F CFA 1,050

10.38%

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

$0.85 ฿28.52

$0.85 F CFA 487

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.97

$0.85 F CFA 487

-57.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.9

$1.09 F CFA 625

96.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 ฿121

$1.72 F CFA 987

108.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿55.5

$2.39 F CFA 1,373

-30.96%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.7

$0.62 F CFA 358

153.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿40.05

$1.29 F CFA 742

-7.75%

Eggs

$1.94 ฿65.1

$2.21 F CFA 1,265

-12.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿545

$22.50 F CFA 12.9K

-28.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.99 ฿101

$8.48 F CFA 4,865

-64.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿368

$5.96 F CFA 3,418

83.56%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 ฿91.2

$4.02 F CFA 2,307

-32.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿39.27

$1.10 F CFA 630

6.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 ฿56.8

$2.16 F CFA 1,238

-21.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 ฿54.0

$2.01 F CFA 1,155

-20.40%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.56

$1.68 F CFA 963

-17.86%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.47

$1.75 F CFA 1,001

-31.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿22.51

$0.93 F CFA 531

-27.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.74

$0.91 F CFA 522

-38.46%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.64 ฿156

$1.78 F CFA 1,021

160.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.62 ฿593

$6.21 F CFA 3,562

183.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.6

$1.05 F CFA 602

77.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 ฿111

$1.37 F CFA 785

140.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.70

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ฿651

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿45.92

$1.71 F CFA 981

-20.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿45.00

$1.61 F CFA 922

-16.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.21 ฿276

$26.76 F CFA 15.3K

-69.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ฿41.20

$1.50 F CFA 861

-18.67%

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

$21.4K ฿718.5K

$32.0K F CFA 18.4M

-33.29%

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

$22.5K ฿758.1K

$29.2K F CFA 16.7M

-22.83%

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

$70.7 ฿2,378

$188 F CFA 107.8K

-62.39%

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

$14.04 ฿472

$36.48 F CFA 20.9K

-61.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.49 ฿589

$45.00 F CFA 25.8K

-61.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.15 ฿1,418

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿199

$9.02 F CFA 5,174

-34.37%

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

$309 ฿10.4K

$290 F CFA 166.2K

6.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K ฿500.7K

$3,313 F CFA 1.9M

349.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,876

$89.9 F CFA 51.6K

-38.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.11 ฿879

$58.5 F CFA 33.5K

-55.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.0 ฿2,793

$85.0 F CFA 48.7K

-2.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 ฿2,371

$137 F CFA 78.7K

-48.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$432 ฿14.5K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿8,040

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$822 ฿27.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$512 ฿17.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,915 ฿64.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 ฿49.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$579 ฿19.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

14.75

-66.10%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Last update for Bouake: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $18.00 in Chiang Mai vs $53.0 in Bouake for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $243 vs $261 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 Bouake: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bouake wins on cost – living expenses run 3% lower than in Chiang Mai. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Bouake the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $1,292 in Chiang Mai and $1,257 in Bouake 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.

Shoppers in Chiang Mai pay roughly 7% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $861 per month in Chiang Mai versus $838 in Bouake – a 3% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Either city works on $800 a month, though Bouake gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

Both work as nomad bases, but Bouake delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $838 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Bouake hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Chiang Mai and Bouake 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 Bouake gentler on the wallet – expenses run 3% less than in Chiang Mai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.