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 $866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $532 in Elmina, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,351 per month in Chiang Mai vs $903 in Elmina, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,835 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,274 in Elmina, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 63% more than Elmina, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Chiang Mai and Elmina are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Elmina 60% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ฿63.5

$4.31 GHS 50.7

-54.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 ฿609

$47.20 GHS 554

-60.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 ฿255

$7.91 GHS 92.9

-1.14%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.8

$3.49 GHS 40.97

-44.13%

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

$0.85 ฿27.77

$0.93 GHS 10.87

-8.60%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.58

$0.34 GHS 4.05

2.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.6

$1.56 GHS 18.37

36.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

$2.56 GHS 30.01

45.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿56.0

$3.45 GHS 40.52

-50.43%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$1.43 GHS 16.81

13.99%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ฿37.15

$2.35 GHS 27.59

-51.49%

Eggs

$1.93 ฿63.1

$2.30 GHS 26.98

-16.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ฿530

$11.32 GHS 133

43.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿102

$4.79 GHS 56.2

-34.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿356

$6.00 GHS 70.5

81.67%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ฿90.0

$2.89 GHS 33.93

-4.84%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.52

$1.43 GHS 16.81

-15.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.0

$1.69 GHS 19.83

-4.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$3.19 GHS 37.48

-50.16%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿45.70

$3.10 GHS 36.34

-54.84%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.17

$2.43 GHS 28.55

-51.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.60

$0.77 GHS 9.00

-14.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.22

$0.51 GHS 6.03

3.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿153

$1.59 GHS 18.62

194.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿609

$7.05 GHS 82.8

164.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.8

$1.12 GHS 13.16

60.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$1.93 GHS 22.68

67.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.26

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.91

$1.55 GHS 18.18

-9.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.12

$1.21 GHS 14.18

6.61%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$5.40 GHS 63.3

45.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.58

$1.07 GHS 12.59

18.69%

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

$21.3K ฿694.9K

$7,843 GHS 92.1K

171.28%

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

$22.2K ฿725.4K

$9,458 GHS 111.0K

134.84%

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

$69.1 ฿2,256

$54.7 GHS 642

26.39%

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

$14.08 ฿460

$13.44 GHS 158

4.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿588

$37.50 GHS 440

-52.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,341

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿193

$9.70 GHS 114

-38.97%

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

$299 ฿9,766

$73.4 GHS 861

307.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿488.3K

$8,040 GHS 94.4K

85.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,787

$14.53 GHS 171

276.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.77 ฿874

$18.52 GHS 217

44.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 ฿2,776

$29.62 GHS 348

186.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,306

$40.75 GHS 478

73.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,752

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Elmina: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $47.00 in Elmina. Groceries tell a different story – $246 in Chiang Mai vs $236 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 63% 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 $1,300 per month in Chiang Mai and $798 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai and $47.00 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 $866 in Chiang Mai and $532 in Elmina, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Elmina costs $532 versus $866 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.