Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Enugu

For one person, living is cheaper in Enugu: $436 a month against $936 in Chiang Mai, rent and utilities included – about $6,000 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Chiang Mai, Thailand
Enugu, Nigeria
Chiang Mai
🇹🇭 Thailand
$936
/mo nomad
Enugu
🇳🇬 Nigeria
$436
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

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 Enugu actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $936 per month in Chiang Mai vs $436 in Enugu, rent included.

  • Chiang Mai $936
  • Enugu $436

A couple spends around $1,457 per month in Chiang Mai vs $610 in Enugu, rent included.

  • Chiang Mai $1,457
  • Enugu $610

A family of three spends $1,979 per month in Chiang Mai vs $784 in Enugu, rent included.

  • Chiang Mai $1,979
  • Enugu $784

Chiang Mai costs about 115% more than Enugu, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chiang Mai and Enugu are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 31% lower, Enugu 68% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Chiang Mai
Enugu
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.24 ฿75.5
$1.54 ₦2,057
45.45%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$19.00 ฿640
$11.05 ₦14.8K
71.95%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.55 ฿187
$3.43 ₦4,589
61.81%
Cappuccino
$1.67 ฿56.4
$1.43 ₦1,910
16.78%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.64 ฿21.51
$0.52 ₦696
23.08%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.31 ฿10.29
$0.44 ₦585
-29.55%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.36 ฿79.5
$1.02 ₦1,357
131.37%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.66 ฿123
$1.23 ₦1,642
197.56%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Chiang Mai
Enugu
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.95 ฿65.7
$2.26 ₦3,020
-13.72%
White Bread (500g)
$1.44 ฿48.41
$1.10 ₦1,465
30.91%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.33 ฿44.97
$3.78 ₦5,054
-64.81%
Eggs
$2.28 ฿77.0
$2.27 ₦3,036
0.44%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$16.45 ฿554
-
-
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$2.78 ฿93.8
$4.79 ₦6,407
-41.96%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$9.31 ฿314
$6.82 ₦9,112
36.51%
Apples (1kg)
$2.35 ฿79.3
-
-
Banana (1kg)
$0.97 ฿32.75
-
-
Oranges (1kg)
$1.60 ฿53.8
-
-
Tomato (1kg)
$1.50 ฿50.6
-
-
Potato (1kg)
$1.28 ฿43.06
-
-
Onion (1kg)
$1.10 ฿37.14
-
-
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.71 ฿23.79
-
-
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.49 ฿16.34
$0.21 ₦280
133.33%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.14 ฿140
-
-
Wine (Bottle)
$17.52 ฿590
-
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.61 ฿54.4
-
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.78 ฿93.8
-
-
🚌 Getting Around
Chiang Mai
Enugu
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.87 ฿29.27
$0.99 ₦1,320
-12.12%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$54.1 ฿1,823
$20.03 ₦26.8K
170.04%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.16 ฿39.00
-
-
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.53 ฿17.78
$2.05 ₦2,735
-74.15%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$2.42 ฿81.6
$2.96 ₦3,960
-18.24%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.45 ฿48.82
$0.99 ₦1,319
46.46%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.1K ฿709.7K
$30.3K ₦40.5M
-30.50%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.9K ฿907.9K
$34.4K ₦46.0M
-21.71%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Chiang Mai
Enugu
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$62.2 ฿2,095
$187 ₦249.4K
-66.68%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$12.17 ฿410
$4.16 ₦5,558
192.55%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$20.12 ฿678
$7.61 ₦10.2K
164.39%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Chiang Mai
Enugu
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$37.31 ฿1,257
$15.04 ₦20.1K
148.07%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$3.77 ฿127
$6.13 ₦8,193
-38.50%
Cinema Ticket
$6.49 ฿219
$3.04 ₦4,067
113.49%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Chiang Mai
Enugu
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$736 ฿24.8K
$37.61 ₦50.3K
1857.33%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$14.8K ฿497.6K
$890 ₦1.2M
1559.46%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Chiang Mai
Enugu
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$53.4 ฿1,799
-
-
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$24.64 ฿830
-
-
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$91.5 ฿3,083
$28.32 ₦37.9K
223.02%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$71.9 ฿2,424
$30.39 ₦40.6K
136.72%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Chiang Mai
Enugu
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$482 ฿16.3K
$186 ₦248.4K
159.54%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$309 ฿10.4K
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,006 ฿33.9K
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$633 ฿21.3K
-
-
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,363 ฿79.6K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,589 ฿53.6K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Chiang Mai
Enugu
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$590 ฿19.9K
$113 ₦151.3K
420.82%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.57
17.5
-68.17%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 26, 2026

Last update for Enugu: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Chiang Mai
$309
Enugu
–
Groceries & Markets
Chiang Mai
$234
Enugu
–
Clothing & Footwear
Chiang Mai
$109
Enugu
–
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Chiang Mai
$94
Enugu
–
Eating Out
Chiang Mai
$78
Enugu
–
Getting Around
Chiang Mai
$61
Enugu
–
Sport & Entertainment
Chiang Mai
$50
Enugu
–

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Chiang Mai versus $186 in Enugu. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in Chiang Mai are about 5.2 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19 in Chiang Mai versus $11 in Enugu. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $234 vs $105 – making Enugu the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇹🇭 Chiang Mai
🇳🇬 Enugu
🕒 Local time
11:22 11:22 AM
05:22 5:22 AM
6 h behind Chiang Mai
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
127,240
722,664
💱 Currency
Thai Baht THB ฿
Exchange rates and currency converter

NGN, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

Thai Baht exchange rates as of November 3, 2026: 1 USD = 33.7 THB (100 THB = 2.97 USD). 1 EUR = 37.77 THB (100 THB = 2.65 EUR).

Nigerian Naira exchange rates as of November 3, 2026: 1 USD = 1,337 NGN (10,000 NGN = 7.48 USD). 1 EUR = 1,498 NGN (10,000 NGN = 6.68 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Chiang Mai Enugu 9,930 km ≈ 13 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Chiang Mai
  • Enugu

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 Enugu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Chiang Mai or Enugu?
Chiang Mai costs about 115% more than Enugu, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Chiang Mai and in Enugu?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,403 per month in Chiang Mai and $654 in Enugu. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Chiang Mai or Enugu?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Enugu, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $186 there versus $482 in Chiang Mai.
How do childcare costs compare in Chiang Mai and in Enugu?
Kindergarten costs $736 per month in Chiang Mai and $38 in Enugu. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Are groceries more expensive in Chiang Mai or in Enugu?
Groceries cost about 124% more in Chiang Mai, though the gap depends on what you buy.
Can you live on $1,200/month in Chiang Mai or in Enugu?
$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $936 in Chiang Mai and $436 in Enugu, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.
Which city is better for families?
Families tend to lean toward Enugu – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
How safe is Chiang Mai compared to Enugu?
Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.
Should I move to Chiang Mai or to Enugu?
If budget matters most, go with Enugu. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chiang Mai makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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