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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $861 per month in Chiang Mai vs $526 in Elmina, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,350 per month in Chiang Mai vs $905 in Elmina, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,838 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,284 in Elmina, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 64% more than Elmina, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Chiang Mai and Elmina are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Elmina 61% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿65.9

$4.45 GHS 51.4

-55.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.35 ฿617

$48.28 GHS 558

-61.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.48 ฿252

$7.79 GHS 90.0

-3.98%

Cappuccino

$2.02 ฿67.8

$3.54 GHS 40.94

-42.94%

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

$0.85 ฿28.52

$0.92 GHS 10.68

-7.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.97

$0.34 GHS 3.96

5.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.9

$1.58 GHS 18.20

35.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 ฿121

$2.48 GHS 28.60

44.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿55.5

$3.47 GHS 40.09

-52.45%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.7

$1.45 GHS 16.80

8.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿40.05

$2.37 GHS 27.33

-49.79%

Eggs

$1.94 ฿65.1

$2.40 GHS 27.70

-19.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿545

$11.04 GHS 128

46.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.99 ฿101

$4.54 GHS 52.4

-34.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿368

$5.82 GHS 67.2

87.97%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 ฿91.2

$2.91 GHS 33.62

-6.87%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿39.27

$1.40 GHS 16.13

-16.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 ฿56.8

$1.71 GHS 19.69

-1.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 ฿54.0

$3.21 GHS 37.02

-50.16%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.56

$3.00 GHS 34.64

-54.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.47

$2.44 GHS 28.15

-50.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿22.51

$0.75 GHS 8.69

-10.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.74

$0.49 GHS 5.61

14.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.64 ฿156

$1.65 GHS 19.05

181.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.62 ฿593

$7.42 GHS 85.8

137.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.6

$1.11 GHS 12.85

67.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 ฿111

$1.96 GHS 22.64

68.37%

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

$1.62 GHS 18.65

-16.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿45.00

$1.17 GHS 13.54

14.53%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.21 ฿276

$5.48 GHS 63.2

49.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ฿41.20

$1.09 GHS 12.59

11.93%

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

$21.4K ฿718.5K

$8,156 GHS 94.2K

161.80%

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

$22.5K ฿758.1K

$9,546 GHS 110.3K

136.00%

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

$70.7 ฿2,378

$56.5 GHS 652

25.19%

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

$14.04 ฿472

$13.33 GHS 154

5.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.49 ฿589

$38.32 GHS 443

-54.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.15 ฿1,418

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿199

$9.92 GHS 115

-40.32%

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

$309 ฿10.4K

$71.4 GHS 825

332.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K ฿500.7K

$7,919 GHS 91.5K

87.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,876

$14.66 GHS 169

280.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.11 ฿879

$19.23 GHS 222

35.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.0 ฿2,793

$28.80 GHS 333

188.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 ฿2,371

$41.81 GHS 483

68.50%

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 %)

25.4

-80.31%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Last update for Elmina: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $18.00 in Chiang Mai versus $48.00 in Elmina. Groceries tell a different story – $243 in Chiang Mai vs $234 in Elmina – so Elmina wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Elmina: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 64% more than Elmina, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,292 per month in Chiang Mai and $789 in Elmina. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $18.00 in Chiang Mai and $48.00 in Elmina. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 4% more in Chiang Mai, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $861 in Chiang Mai and $526 in Elmina, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Elmina costs $526 versus $861 in Chiang Mai. 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 Elmina. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chiang Mai makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.