Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Kaduna Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Kaduna

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $869 per month in Chiang Mai vs $400 in Kaduna, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,362 per month in Chiang Mai vs $728 in Kaduna, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,855 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,057 in Kaduna, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 117% more than Kaduna, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Kaduna are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Kaduna 70% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.98 ฿64.3

$2.07 ₦2,817

-4.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.80 ฿612

$34.66 ₦47.1K

-45.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.75 ฿252

$3.50 ₦4,754

121.43%

Cappuccino

$1.92 ฿62.5

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

$0.79 ฿25.79

$0.33 ₦454

139.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.62

$0.13 ₦170

176.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$0.87 ₦1,190

154.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

$1.37 ₦1,866

167.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿53.8

$2.19 ₦2,977

-24.66%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$1.00 ₦1,361

63.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.86

$2.07 ₦2,818

-42.51%

Eggs

$2.00 ฿65.1

$3.29 ₦4,477

-39.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.98 ฿520

$2.27 ₦3,087

603.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.03 ฿98.5

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 ฿354

$5.48 ₦7,452

98.18%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 ฿90.0

$6.45 ₦8,777

-57.21%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.42

$3.52 ₦4,785

-66.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$1.19 ₦1,618

37.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.51

$1.89 ₦2,564

-19.58%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿45.10

$2.34 ₦3,189

-41.03%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.84

$2.36 ₦3,216

-49.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ฿22.86

$0.37 ₦499

89.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.13

$0.37 ₦508

51.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.58 ฿149

Wine (Bottle)

$16.56 ฿539

$1.80 ₦2,448

820.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿59.5

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 ฿104

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿28.56

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.72 ฿610

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿44.16

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿43.65

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿39.92

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

$21.6K ฿704.3K

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

$22.5K ฿734.3K

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

$70.5 ฿2,298

$14.10 ₦19.2K

400.28%

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

$13.68 ฿445

$7.26 ₦9,870

88.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.45 ฿568

$32.99 ₦44.9K

-47.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.33 ฿1,346

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

Cinema Ticket

$5.77 ฿188

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

$307 ฿10.0K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿475.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,817

$11.39 ₦15.5K

389.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.21 ฿854

$21.39 ₦29.1K

22.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 ฿2,793

$21.30 ₦29.0K

302.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.2 ฿2,353

$21.21 ₦28.8K

240.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$430 ฿14.0K

$175 ₦238.4K

145.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿7,774

$105 ₦142.5K

127.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$817 ฿26.6K

$488 ₦664.1K

67.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$511 ฿16.6K

$271 ₦368.6K

88.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,983 ฿64.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,484 ฿48.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$619 ฿20.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 7, 2026

Last update for Kaduna: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $430 in Chiang Mai versus $175 in Kaduna. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $35.00 in Kaduna. Groceries tell a different story – $241 in Chiang Mai vs $166 in Kaduna – so Kaduna 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 Kaduna: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 117% more than Kaduna, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,303 per month in Chiang Mai and $600 in Kaduna. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Kaduna, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $869 in Chiang Mai and $400 in Kaduna. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Groceries cost about 46% 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.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $869 in Chiang Mai and $400 in Kaduna, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Kaduna costs $400 versus $869 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 Kaduna. 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.