Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Dakar

For one person, living is cheaper in Chiang Mai: $925 a month against $1,415 in Dakar, rent and utilities included – about $5,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

45

Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai Living Index
68

Cost of Living Index in Dakar
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Dakar Living Index

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Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$925

/mo nomad

Dakar

🇸🇳 Senegal

$1,415

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chiang Mai and in Dakar

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Chiang Mai and in Dakar actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $925 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,415 in Dakar, rent included.

Chiang Mai $925
Dakar $1,415

A couple spends around $1,414 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,220 in Dakar, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,414
Dakar $2,220

A family of three spends $1,903 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,026 in Dakar, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,903
Dakar $3,026

Chiang Mai is about 35% cheaper than Dakar, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Chiang Mai sits 32% below the global median, while Dakar is 4% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.29 ฿76.5

$5.23 F CFA 3,051

-56.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.64 ฿656

$52.0 F CFA 30.3K

-62.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.61 ฿188

$11.25 F CFA 6,561

-50.13%

Cappuccino

$1.66 ฿55.6

$3.43 F CFA 1,999

-51.60%

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

$0.70 ฿23.40

$1.25 F CFA 728

-44.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.24

$0.92 F CFA 538

-66.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿80.4

$2.52 F CFA 1,469

-4.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.71 ฿124

$4.24 F CFA 2,473

-12.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 ฿65.3

$2.60 F CFA 1,513

-25.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 ฿47.03

$0.76 F CFA 445

85.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.31 ฿43.62

$1.66 F CFA 967

-21.08%

Eggs

$2.18 ฿72.9

$2.52 F CFA 1,467

-13.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.65 ฿556

$17.67 F CFA 10.3K

-5.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.76 ฿92.2

$9.03 F CFA 5,268

-69.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.11 ฿304

$10.89 F CFA 6,349

-16.35%

Apples (1kg)

$2.39 ฿80.0

$3.27 F CFA 1,906

-26.91%

Banana (1kg)

$1.03 ฿34.26

$1.86 F CFA 1,084

-44.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.63 ฿54.4

$2.99 F CFA 1,741

-45.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.0

$1.71 F CFA 999

-12.28%

Potato (1kg)

$1.29 ฿43.13

$1.33 F CFA 776

-3.01%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 ฿37.03

$0.97 F CFA 566

14.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿24.08

$1.13 F CFA 661

-36.28%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.59

$0.69 F CFA 403

-23.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.31 ฿144

$2.20 F CFA 1,282

95.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.95 ฿600

$17.00 F CFA 9,912

5.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 ฿52.9

$1.58 F CFA 923

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 ฿95.0

$3.30 F CFA 1,923

-13.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 ฿28.86

$0.41 F CFA 239

109.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.3 ฿1,780

$77.0 F CFA 44.9K

-30.77%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.21 ฿40.29

$2.13 F CFA 1,241

-43.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.57 ฿18.99

$2.20 F CFA 1,284

-74.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.35 ฿78.6

$17.16 F CFA 10.0K

-86.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 ฿47.96

$1.64 F CFA 956

-12.20%

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

$20.7K ฿692.8K

$49.7K F CFA 29.0M

-58.25%

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

$26.8K ฿895.7K

$47.9K F CFA 27.9M

-44.08%

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

$62.3 ฿2,083

$202 F CFA 117.7K

-69.13%

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

$12.11 ฿405

$11.68 F CFA 6,811

3.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.94 ฿666

$46.07 F CFA 26.9K

-56.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.07 ฿1,239

$44.29 F CFA 25.8K

-16.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.78 ฿126

$22.92 F CFA 13.4K

-83.51%

Cinema Ticket

$6.50 ฿217

$8.32 F CFA 4,852

-21.88%

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

$793 ฿26.5K

$327 F CFA 190.5K

142.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿494.9K

$10.4K F CFA 6.1M

41.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.7 ฿1,796

$58.6 F CFA 34.2K

-8.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.62 ฿823

$44.95 F CFA 26.2K

-45.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.9 ฿3,036

$87.1 F CFA 50.8K

4.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.1 ฿2,378

$97.1 F CFA 56.6K

-26.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$455 ฿15.2K

$827 F CFA 482.1K

-44.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$298 ฿9,954

$430 F CFA 250.9K

-30.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$908 ฿30.4K

$1,724 F CFA 1.0M

-47.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$554 ฿18.5K

$916 F CFA 534.2K

-39.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,931 ฿64.5K

$4,838 F CFA 2.8M

-60.09%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,445 ฿48.3K

$1,494 F CFA 871.1K

-3.31%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$591 ฿19.7K

$341 F CFA 198.7K

73.40%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

8.75

-36.34%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 17, 2026

Last update for Dakar: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$298 32.2%

Dakar

$430 30.4% 44.4% $132

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$235 25.5%

Dakar

$296 21% 25.9% $61

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$108 11.7%

Dakar

$129 9.2% 19.7% $21

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$94 10.2%

Dakar

$260 18.4% 175% $165

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$79 8.5%

Dakar

$147 10.4% 86.4% $68

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$61 6.6%

Dakar

$92 6.5% 50.9% $31

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$50 5.4%

Dakar

$61 4.3% 21.7% $11

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $455 in Chiang Mai versus $827 in Dakar. 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 73% higher in Chiang Mai, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $52.0 in Dakar. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $235 vs $296 – making Chiang Mai the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇸🇳 Dakar

🕒 Local time

01:01 1:01 AM

18:01 6:01 PM

7 h behind Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

2,396,800 Capital

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

West African CFA Franc XOF Fr

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.99 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

1,000 XOF = 1.71 USD

1,000 XOF = 1.53 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

XOF, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 33.42 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.57 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

West African CFA Franc exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 583 XOF (1,000 XOF = 1.71 USD). 1 EUR = 656 XOF (1,000 XOF = 1.53 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Chiang Mai Dakar 12,120 km ≈ 16 h nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
Dakar

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Dakar: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Dakar costs about 53% more than Chiang Mai, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from eating out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,388 per month in Chiang Mai and $2,122 in Dakar. 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.

Kindergarten costs $793 per month in Chiang Mai and $327 in Dakar. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 26% more in Dakar, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $925, than in Dakar at $1,415. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Dakar it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $925 versus $1,415 in Dakar. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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, Dakar makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.