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: $950 in Chiang Mai versus $782 in Bouake.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,430 in Chiang Mai versus $1,291 in Bouake.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,909 in Chiang Mai versus $1,800 in Bouake.

Living in Chiang Mai is roughly 22% more expensive than in Bouake, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Chiang Mai 31% lower, Bouake 43% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.10 ฿69.3

$2.64 F CFA 1,491

-20.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.84 ฿656

$69.7 F CFA 39.4K

-71.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.79 ฿191

$10.57 F CFA 5,974

-45.22%

Cappuccino

$1.83 ฿60.4

$1.96 F CFA 1,105

-6.63%

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

$0.78 ฿25.61

$0.78 F CFA 441

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.37

$0.74 F CFA 421

-58.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.34 ฿77.2

$1.08 F CFA 611

116.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.70 ฿122

$1.74 F CFA 981

112.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.03 ฿67.1

$1.86 F CFA 1,051

9.14%

White Bread (500g)

$1.60 ฿52.7

$0.56 F CFA 315

185.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.42 ฿46.75

$1.21 F CFA 686

17.36%

Eggs

$2.18 ฿71.9

$2.42 F CFA 1,365

-9.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.91 ฿526

$21.89 F CFA 12.4K

-27.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.07 ฿102

$6.42 F CFA 3,625

-52.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.87 ฿326

$6.23 F CFA 3,519

58.43%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 ฿86.8

$4.18 F CFA 2,361

-37.08%

Banana (1kg)

$1.10 ฿36.19

$1.11 F CFA 628

-0.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.63 ฿53.8

$2.33 F CFA 1,316

-30.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿50.6

$2.48 F CFA 1,400

-38.31%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 ฿41.13

$1.95 F CFA 1,100

-36.41%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 ฿37.37

$1.77 F CFA 997

-36.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 ฿24.38

$0.88 F CFA 496

-15.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 ฿16.48

$0.82 F CFA 463

-39.02%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.28 ฿141

$1.82 F CFA 1,030

135.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.97 ฿594

$6.29 F CFA 3,552

185.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 ฿56.1

$1.11 F CFA 625

53.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿95.7

$1.36 F CFA 770

113.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.94 ฿31.13

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.3 ฿1,827

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.23 ฿40.76

$1.82 F CFA 1,027

-32.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ฿17.66

$1.72 F CFA 971

-69.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.40 ฿79.3

$26.30 F CFA 14.9K

-90.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 ฿47.55

$1.52 F CFA 860

-5.26%

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

$21.2K ฿700.2K

$29.8K F CFA 16.8M

-28.82%

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

$27.3K ฿902.1K

$28.4K F CFA 16.0M

-3.77%

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

$64.9 ฿2,145

$184 F CFA 104.0K

-64.71%

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

$13.35 ฿441

$27.63 F CFA 15.6K

-51.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.83 ฿688

$34.75 F CFA 19.6K

-40.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.42 ฿1,336

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.95 ฿131

Cinema Ticket

$6.71 ฿222

$8.68 F CFA 4,902

-22.70%

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

$787 ฿26.0K

$380 F CFA 214.9K

106.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.1K ฿499.6K

$4,781 F CFA 2.7M

216.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.2 ฿1,858

$93.6 F CFA 52.9K

-39.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.95 ฿824

$38.26 F CFA 21.6K

-34.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.7 ฿3,063

$78.9 F CFA 44.6K

17.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.1 ฿2,482

$145 F CFA 82.0K

-48.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$484 ฿16.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$287 ฿9,491

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$910 ฿30.1K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$531 ฿17.5K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,980 ฿65.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,451 ฿47.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$605 ฿20.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

15.75

-64.63%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 7, 2026

Last update for Bouake: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $20.00 in Chiang Mai vs $70.0 in Bouake for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $242 vs $248 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 22% 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 $1,426 in Chiang Mai and $1,173 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 2% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $950 per month in Chiang Mai versus $782 in Bouake – a 22% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $782 in Bouake versus $950 in Chiang Mai, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Bouake but tight or insufficient in Chiang Mai. The gap between the two cities makes Bouake the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Bouake delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $782 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 22% less than in Chiang Mai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.