Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Francistown

For one person, living is cheaper in Chiang Mai: $925 a month against $1,036 in Francistown, rent and utilities included – about $1,300 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Francistown outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

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Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai Living Index

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Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$925

/mo nomad

Francistown

🇧🇼 Botswana

$1,036

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

A single person spends $925 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,036 in Francistown, rent included.

Chiang Mai $925
Francistown $1,036

A couple spends around $1,414 per month in Chiang Mai vs $868 in Francistown, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,414
Francistown $868

A family of three spends $1,903 per month in Chiang Mai vs $700 in Francistown, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,903
Francistown $700

Chiang Mai is about 11% cheaper than Francistown, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chiang Mai and Francistown are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 32% lower, Francistown 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.29 ฿76.5

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.64 ฿656

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.61 ฿188

Cappuccino

$1.66 ฿55.6

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

$0.70 ฿23.40

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.24

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿80.4

$1.45 P 19.33

66.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.71 ฿124

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 ฿65.3

$1.26 P 16.88

54.76%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 ฿47.03

$0.65 P 8.66

116.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.31 ฿43.62

Eggs

$2.18 ฿72.9

$1.79 P 23.89

21.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.65 ฿556

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.76 ฿92.2

$6.13 P 81.9

-54.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.11 ฿304

$6.27 P 83.7

45.30%

Apples (1kg)

$2.39 ฿80.0

$1.07 P 14.26

123.36%

Banana (1kg)

$1.03 ฿34.26

$1.42 P 18.97

-27.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.63 ฿54.4

$1.49 P 19.87

9.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.0

$1.37 P 18.31

9.49%

Potato (1kg)

$1.29 ฿43.13

$1.62 P 21.71

-20.37%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 ฿37.03

$1.50 P 20.05

-26.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿24.08

$0.94 P 12.50

-23.40%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.59

$0.78 P 10.36

-32.05%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.31 ฿144

$5.45 P 72.8

-20.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.95 ฿600

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 ฿52.9

$1.49 P 19.90

6.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 ฿95.0

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 ฿28.86

$0.56 P 7.43

53.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.3 ฿1,780

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.21 ฿40.29

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.57 ฿18.99

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.35 ฿78.6

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 ฿47.96

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

$20.7K ฿692.8K

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

$26.8K ฿895.7K

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

$62.3 ฿2,083

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

$12.11 ฿405

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.94 ฿666

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.07 ฿1,239

$29.71 P 397

24.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.78 ฿126

Cinema Ticket

$6.50 ฿217

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

$793 ฿26.5K

$108 P 1,448

631.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿494.9K

$1,757 P 23.5K

742.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.7 ฿1,796

$57.6 P 769

-6.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.62 ฿823

$32.83 P 439

-25.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.9 ฿3,036

$110 P 1,468

-17.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.1 ฿2,378

$110 P 1,473

-35.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$455 ฿15.2K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$298 ฿9,954

$727 P 9,713

-59.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$908 ฿30.4K

$414 P 5,537

119.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$554 ฿18.5K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,931 ฿64.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,445 ฿48.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$591 ฿19.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 17, 2026

Last update for Francistown: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$298 32.2%

Francistown

–

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$235 25.5%

Francistown

–

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$108 11.7%

Francistown

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$94 10.2%

Francistown

–

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$79 8.5%

Francistown

–

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$61 6.6%

Francistown

–

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$50 5.4%

Francistown

–

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇧🇼 Francistown

🕒 Local time

20:31 8:31 PM

15:31 3:31 PM

5 h behind Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

100,079

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Botswana Pula BWP P

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.99 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

100 BWP = 7.48 USD

100 BWP = 6.66 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

BWP, 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).

Botswana Pula exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 13.36 BWP (100 BWP = 7.48 USD). 1 EUR = 15.02 BWP (100 BWP = 6.66 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Chiang Mai Francistown 8,960 km ≈ 12 h nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
Francistown

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 Francistown: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Francistown costs about 12% more than Chiang Mai, 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.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,388 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,555 in Francistown. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $925 in Chiang Mai and $1,036 in Francistown. That's a gap of about 12%.

Interestingly, groceries are about 80% cheaper in Francistown – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $925, than in Francistown at $1,036. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Francistown it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $925 versus $1,036 in Francistown. 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, Francistown makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.