Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Cape Coast Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Cape Coast

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $947 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,292 in Cape Coast, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,411 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,044 in Cape Coast, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,874 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,797 in Cape Coast, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 27% cheaper than Cape Coast, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and Cape Coast are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 31% lower, Cape Coast 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿68.6

$8.15 GHS 92.1

-74.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.64 ฿646

$54.2 GHS 612

-63.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.65 ฿186

$10.90 GHS 123

-48.17%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿59.4

$4.62 GHS 52.2

-60.82%

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

$0.71 ฿23.45

$1.66 GHS 18.71

-57.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ฿10.38

$0.46 GHS 5.20

-30.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.24 ฿73.6

$1.93 GHS 21.83

16.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ฿119

$2.35 GHS 26.51

54.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.96 ฿64.4

$3.68 GHS 41.61

-46.74%

White Bread (500g)

$1.50 ฿49.39

$1.71 GHS 19.34

-12.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 ฿43.93

$3.13 GHS 35.42

-57.19%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿74.5

$2.68 GHS 30.26

-15.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.26 ฿535

$12.24 GHS 138

32.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.95 ฿97.1

$7.60 GHS 85.9

-61.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.94 ฿327

$9.90 GHS 112

0.40%

Apples (1kg)

$2.57 ฿84.6

$3.66 GHS 41.36

-29.78%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 ฿34.73

$1.44 GHS 16.31

-26.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.61 ฿53.0

$1.82 GHS 20.56

-11.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.97

$3.67 GHS 41.46

-58.58%

Potato (1kg)

$1.27 ฿41.77

$2.77 GHS 31.27

-54.15%

Onion (1kg)

$1.07 ฿35.06

$2.85 GHS 32.21

-62.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.68

$0.78 GHS 8.87

-7.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.72

$0.59 GHS 6.66

-13.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 ฿138

$2.72 GHS 30.70

54.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.87 ฿587

$7.13 GHS 80.5

150.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 ฿55.7

$1.30 GHS 14.72

30.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 ฿93.3

$2.45 GHS 27.65

15.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.93 ฿30.43

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.9 ฿1,771

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.23 ฿40.59

$1.83 GHS 20.65

-32.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿18.96

$1.36 GHS 15.42

-57.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.42 ฿79.7

$4.45 GHS 50.3

-45.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 ฿46.43

$1.35 GHS 15.27

4.44%

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

$21.4K ฿705.1K

$7,970 GHS 90.1K

169.05%

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

$27.3K ฿898.7K

$9,968 GHS 112.6K

174.21%

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

$63.7 ฿2,093

$73.7 GHS 832

-13.57%

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

$12.85 ฿423

$19.82 GHS 224

-35.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.22 ฿665

$44.67 GHS 505

-54.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.74 ฿1,274

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.97 ฿130

Cinema Ticket

$6.74 ฿222

$13.40 GHS 151

-49.70%

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

$778 ฿25.6K

$467 GHS 5,281

66.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿480.4K

$18.8K GHS 212.9K

-22.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.3 ฿1,785

$14.97 GHS 169

262.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.45 ฿837

$18.90 GHS 214

34.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.3 ฿3,102

$37.76 GHS 427

149.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.4 ฿2,415

$54.3 GHS 613

35.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.1K

$629 GHS 7,110

-22.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$289 ฿9,512

$595 GHS 6,729

-51.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$894 ฿29.4K

$1,289 GHS 14.6K

-30.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$517 ฿17.0K

$1,147 GHS 13.0K

-54.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,955 ฿64.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,477 ฿48.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿19.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

26.75

-79.18%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 31, 2026

Last update for Cape Coast: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $490 in Chiang Mai versus $629 in Cape Coast. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $54.0 in Cape Coast. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $240 vs $284 – making Chiang Mai the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Cape Coast: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Cape Coast is pricier by about 36%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,421 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,937 in Cape Coast. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $947 in Chiang Mai and $1,292 in Cape Coast. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $778 per month in Chiang Mai and $467 in Cape Coast. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $947, than in Cape Coast at $1,292. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Cape Coast it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Chiang Mai – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Chiang Mai. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Cape Coast makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.