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 $947 per month in Chiang Mai vs $680 in Elmina, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,411 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,160 in Elmina, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,874 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,640 in Elmina, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 39% more than Elmina, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and Elmina are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 31% lower, Elmina 50% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿68.6

$8.14 GHS 92.0

-74.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.64 ฿646

$53.4 GHS 604

-63.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.65 ฿186

$10.81 GHS 122

-47.73%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿59.4

$4.72 GHS 53.3

-61.65%

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

$0.71 ฿23.45

$1.65 GHS 18.66

-56.97%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ฿10.38

$0.49 GHS 5.48

-34.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.24 ฿73.6

$1.86 GHS 21.01

20.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ฿119

$2.27 GHS 25.65

59.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.96 ฿64.4

$3.81 GHS 43.11

-48.56%

White Bread (500g)

$1.50 ฿49.39

$1.80 GHS 20.34

-16.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 ฿43.93

$3.14 GHS 35.48

-57.32%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿74.5

$2.71 GHS 30.61

-16.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.26 ฿535

$12.56 GHS 142

29.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.95 ฿97.1

$7.49 GHS 84.6

-60.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.94 ฿327

$10.26 GHS 116

-3.12%

Apples (1kg)

$2.57 ฿84.6

$3.77 GHS 42.55

-31.83%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 ฿34.73

$1.47 GHS 16.63

-27.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.61 ฿53.0

$1.86 GHS 21.06

-13.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.97

$3.75 GHS 42.42

-59.47%

Potato (1kg)

$1.27 ฿41.77

$2.81 GHS 31.80

-54.80%

Onion (1kg)

$1.07 ฿35.06

$2.73 GHS 30.84

-60.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.68

$0.78 GHS 8.78

-7.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.72

$0.62 GHS 6.95

-17.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 ฿138

$2.59 GHS 29.23

61.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.87 ฿587

$7.16 GHS 80.9

149.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 ฿55.7

$1.32 GHS 14.93

28.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 ฿93.3

$2.46 GHS 27.75

15.45%

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

$1.73 GHS 19.53

-28.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿18.96

$1.29 GHS 14.59

-55.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.42 ฿79.7

$4.38 GHS 49.50

-44.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 ฿46.43

$1.39 GHS 15.73

1.44%

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

$21.4K ฿705.1K

$8,005 GHS 90.5K

167.87%

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

$27.3K ฿898.7K

$10.3K GHS 116.0K

166.25%

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

$63.7 ฿2,093

$74.0 GHS 836

-13.90%

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

$12.85 ฿423

$19.52 GHS 221

-34.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.22 ฿665

$43.23 GHS 489

-53.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.74 ฿1,274

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.97 ฿130

Cinema Ticket

$6.74 ฿222

$13.10 GHS 148

-48.55%

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

$778 ฿25.6K

$468 GHS 5,294

66.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿480.4K

$18.5K GHS 208.8K

-20.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.3 ฿1,785

$14.64 GHS 165

270.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.45 ฿837

$19.45 GHS 220

30.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.3 ฿3,102

$37.21 GHS 420

153.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.4 ฿2,415

$55.0 GHS 621

33.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$289 ฿9,512

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$894 ฿29.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$517 ฿17.0K

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 Elmina: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $53.0 in Elmina. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $240 vs $290 – 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 Elmina: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 39% more than Elmina, with the gap driven mainly by 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 $1,421 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,021 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai and $53.0 in Elmina. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 20% cheaper in Chiang Mai – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Elmina, where all-in costs run around $680, than in Chiang Mai at $947. In Elmina it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiang Mai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Elmina costs $680 versus $947 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.