Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Ibadan

For one person, living is cheaper in Ibadan: $251 a month against $936 in Chiang Mai, rent and utilities included – about $8,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

45

Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai Living Index
12

Cost of Living Index in Ibadan
Learn more

Ibadan Living Index

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Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$936

/mo nomad

Ibadan

🇳🇬 Nigeria

$251

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

A single person spends $936 per month in Chiang Mai vs $251 in Ibadan, rent included.

Chiang Mai $936
Ibadan $251

A couple spends around $1,457 per month in Chiang Mai vs $558 in Ibadan, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,457
Ibadan $558

A family of three spends $1,979 per month in Chiang Mai vs $865 in Ibadan, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,979
Ibadan $865

Chiang Mai costs about 273% more than Ibadan, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chiang Mai and Ibadan are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 31% lower, Ibadan 82% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.24 ฿75.7

$1.10 ₦1,471

103.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.00 ฿642

$29.84 ₦40.0K

-36.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.55 ฿188

$6.06 ₦8,127

-8.42%

Cappuccino

$1.67 ฿56.6

$0.78 ₦1,046

114.10%

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

$0.64 ฿21.56

$0.22 ₦295

190.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.32

$0.13 ₦179

138.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.36 ฿79.6

$0.53 ₦715

345.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿124

$1.15 ₦1,545

218.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 ฿65.8

$0.58 ₦782

236.21%

White Bread (500g)

$1.44 ฿48.51

$0.60 ₦798

140.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 ฿45.07

$1.10 ₦1,478

20.91%

Eggs

$2.28 ฿77.1

$1.57 ₦2,102

45.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.45 ฿556

$3.62 ₦4,857

354.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.78 ฿94.0

$3.83 ₦5,129

-27.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.31 ฿314

$0.72 ₦962

1193.06%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 ฿79.5

$1.64 ₦2,203

43.29%

Banana (1kg)

$0.97 ฿32.82

$1.27 ₦1,696

-23.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.60 ฿53.9

$1.09 ₦1,464

46.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.7

$0.29 ₦388

417.24%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿43.15

$0.57 ₦769

124.56%

Onion (1kg)

$1.10 ฿37.22

$0.23 ₦308

378.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 ฿23.84

$0.21 ₦281

238.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.38

$0.12 ₦159

308.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.14 ฿140

$0.58 ₦781

613.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.52 ฿592

$1.11 ₦1,484

1478.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.61 ฿54.5

$0.40 ₦531

302.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿94.0

$0.50 ₦669

456.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.87 ฿29.33

$0.14 ₦187

521.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.1 ฿1,827

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.16 ฿39.08

$0.66 ₦884

75.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ฿17.82

$0.62 ₦825

-14.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.42 ฿81.8

$1.14 ₦1,523

112.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.93

$0.57 ₦759

154.39%

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

$21.1K ฿711.2K

$4,183 ₦5.6M

403.46%

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

$26.9K ฿909.8K

$29.0K ₦38.8M

-7.01%

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

$62.2 ฿2,100

$11.37 ₦15.2K

446.79%

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

$12.17 ฿411

$3.83 ₦5,129

217.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.12 ฿680

$8.60 ₦11.5K

133.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.31 ฿1,260

$21.27 ₦28.5K

75.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.77 ฿127

Cinema Ticket

$6.49 ฿219

$1.47 ₦1,973

341.50%

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

$736 ฿24.9K

$48.34 ₦64.8K

1422.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿498.6K

$622 ₦833.1K

2275.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.4 ฿1,802

$11.76 ₦15.8K

353.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.64 ฿832

$5.62 ₦7,529

338.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.5 ฿3,089

$14.86 ₦19.9K

515.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.9 ฿2,429

$20.99 ₦28.1K

242.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.3K

$123 ₦165.0K

291.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$309 ฿10.4K

$45.67 ₦61.2K

576.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 ฿34.0K

$444 ₦594.5K

126.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$633 ฿21.4K

$293 ₦392.4K

116.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,363 ฿79.8K

$849 ₦1.1M

178.34%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,589 ฿53.7K

$30.37 ₦40.7K

5132.24%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$590 ฿19.9K

$57.7 ₦77.3K

922.59%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

18.39

-69.71%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 26, 2026

Last update for Ibadan: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$309 33%

Ibadan

$46 18.2% 85.2% $263

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$234 25.1%

Ibadan

$86 34.3% 63.3% $148

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$109 11.6%

Ibadan

$24 9.6% 78% $85

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$94 10.1%

Ibadan

$24 9.5% 74.8% $71

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$78 8.3%

Ibadan

$43 17.1% 44.9% $35

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$61 6.6%

Ibadan

$4.3 * 1.7% 93% $57

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$50 5.4%

Ibadan

$24 9.7% 51.8% $26

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Chiang Mai versus $123 in Ibadan. 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 10 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19 in Chiang Mai versus $30 in Ibadan. Groceries tell a different story – $234 in Chiang Mai vs $86 in Ibadan – so Ibadan wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇳🇬 Ibadan

🕒 Local time

01:50 1:50 AM

19:50 7:50 PM

6 h behind Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

3,034,200

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Nigerian Naira NGN ₦

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.96 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

10,000 NGN = 7.46 USD

10,000 NGN = 6.7 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

NGN, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 33.77 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.59 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

Nigerian Naira exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 1,340 NGN (10,000 NGN = 7.46 USD). 1 EUR = 1,492 NGN (10,000 NGN = 6.7 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Chiang Mai Ibadan 10,270 km ≈ 13 h nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
Ibadan

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 Ibadan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 273% more than Ibadan, 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 $1,403 per month in Chiang Mai and $376 in Ibadan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Ibadan, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $123 there versus $482 in Chiang Mai.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19 in Chiang Mai and $30 in Ibadan. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 173% 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.

A $800 monthly budget goes further in Ibadan, where all-in costs run around $251, than in Chiang Mai at $936. In Ibadan it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiang Mai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Ibadan – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Ibadan. 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.