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 $845 per month in Chiang Mai vs $396 in Kaduna, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,323 per month in Chiang Mai vs $740 in Kaduna, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,802 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,085 in Kaduna, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 114% more than Kaduna, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Kaduna are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 37% lower, Kaduna 70% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.95 ฿62.8

$2.18 ₦2,942

-10.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.43 ฿594

$35.08 ₦47.3K

-47.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.50 ฿241

$3.52 ₦4,744

113.07%

Cappuccino

$1.93 ฿62.3

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

$0.78 ฿25.08

$0.33 ₦452

136.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ฿10.42

$0.16 ₦215

100.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.15 ฿69.2

$0.82 ₦1,104

162.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.71 ฿120

$1.44 ₦1,943

157.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿55.2

$2.15 ₦2,903

-20.47%

White Bread (500g)

$1.56 ฿50.3

$0.93 ₦1,252

67.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.06

$2.06 ₦2,785

-42.72%

Eggs

$1.98 ฿63.9

$3.35 ₦4,525

-40.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.04 ฿517

$2.31 ₦3,122

594.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.17 ฿102

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿353

$5.71 ₦7,704

91.59%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 ฿84.7

$6.46 ₦8,712

-59.29%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿37.61

$3.41 ₦4,606

-65.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.65 ฿53.0

$1.13 ₦1,527

46.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.54 ฿49.51

$1.91 ₦2,582

-19.37%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿44.34

$2.27 ₦3,062

-39.21%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿37.54

$2.32 ₦3,127

-49.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.25

$0.36 ₦490

83.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.55

$0.37 ₦503

37.84%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.52 ฿146

Wine (Bottle)

$18.32 ฿590

$1.76 ₦2,370

940.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿57.9

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 ฿102

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿28.97

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.00 ฿612

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.50

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.31 ฿42.15

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.09 ฿261

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 ฿41.08

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

$21.3K ฿686.1K

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

$21.7K ฿699.3K

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

$69.2 ฿2,230

$14.23 ₦19.2K

386.30%

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

$13.97 ฿450

$7.28 ₦9,819

91.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.95 ฿578

$33.43 ₦45.1K

-46.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.31 ฿1,363

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.66 ฿214

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿191

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

$299 ฿9,640

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿478.4K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.2 ฿1,810

$11.15 ₦15.0K

403.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.94 ฿868

$21.39 ₦28.9K

25.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.9 ฿2,735

$21.40 ₦28.9K

296.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.8 ฿2,314

$21.46 ₦29.0K

234.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$435 ฿14.0K

$172 ₦231.7K

153.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$240 ฿7,727

$106 ₦142.8K

126.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$798 ฿25.7K

$502 ₦677.6K

58.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$498 ฿16.1K

$276 ₦372.6K

80.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,995 ฿64.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,532 ฿49.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$628 ฿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: April 20, 2026

Last update for Kaduna: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $435 in Chiang Mai versus $172 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 $18 in Chiang Mai versus $35 in Kaduna. Groceries tell a different story – $244 in Chiang Mai vs $164 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 114% 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 $1,267 per month in Chiang Mai and $593 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 $845 in Chiang Mai and $396 in Kaduna. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Groceries cost about 48% 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 $845 in Chiang Mai and $396 in Kaduna, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Kaduna costs $396 versus $845 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.