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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $926 per month in Chiang Mai vs $853 in Koforidua, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,381 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,363 in Koforidua, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,835 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,874 in Koforidua, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 9% more than Koforidua, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and Koforidua are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 31% lower, Koforidua 37% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.10 ฿70.6

$8.08 GHS 94.7

-74.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.22 ฿645

$51.4 GHS 603

-62.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.47 ฿184

$10.31 GHS 121

-46.94%

Cappuccino

$1.69 ฿56.6

$4.46 GHS 52.2

-62.11%

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

$0.65 ฿21.71

$1.60 GHS 18.72

-59.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.32

$0.44 GHS 5.21

-29.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.32 ฿77.8

$1.84 GHS 21.56

26.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.91 ฿131

$2.29 GHS 26.87

70.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.07 ฿69.3

$3.59 GHS 42.04

-42.34%

White Bread (500g)

$1.53 ฿51.4

$1.75 GHS 20.56

-12.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.25 ฿41.93

$3.07 GHS 35.99

-59.28%

Eggs

$2.19 ฿73.6

$2.72 GHS 31.84

-19.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.94 ฿535

$11.99 GHS 140

32.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.76 ฿92.7

$7.07 GHS 82.9

-60.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.74 ฿327

$9.84 GHS 115

-1.02%

Apples (1kg)

$2.66 ฿89.1

$3.73 GHS 43.73

-28.69%

Banana (1kg)

$1.05 ฿35.32

$1.46 GHS 17.09

-28.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.66 ฿55.6

$1.86 GHS 21.80

-10.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.48 ฿49.49

$3.64 GHS 42.64

-59.34%

Potato (1kg)

$1.21 ฿40.73

$2.63 GHS 30.82

-53.99%

Onion (1kg)

$1.10 ฿36.95

$2.80 GHS 32.77

-60.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.76 ฿25.50

$0.75 GHS 8.74

1.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 ฿16.66

$0.62 GHS 7.22

-19.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.38 ฿147

$2.53 GHS 29.66

73.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.50 ฿587

$7.02 GHS 82.2

149.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 ฿55.7

$1.28 GHS 14.97

29.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿93.2

$2.32 GHS 27.23

19.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 ฿28.88

$0.82 GHS 9.63

4.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.7 ฿1,803

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.22 ฿40.87

$1.71 GHS 20.01

-28.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 ฿18.80

$1.27 GHS 14.83

-55.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.34 ฿78.6

$4.35 GHS 51.0

-46.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.57

$1.31 GHS 15.29

10.69%

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

$21.1K ฿706.4K

$7,875 GHS 92.3K

167.36%

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

$26.3K ฿882.3K

$9,996 GHS 117.2K

163.08%

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

$63.6 ฿2,133

$74.4 GHS 872

-14.56%

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

$12.56 ฿422

$19.60 GHS 230

-35.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.04 ฿672

$42.26 GHS 495

-52.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.73 ฿1,299

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.80 ฿127

Cinema Ticket

$6.47 ฿217

$12.76 GHS 150

-49.29%

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

$777 ฿26.1K

$458 GHS 5,369

69.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿489.1K

$18.7K GHS 218.7K

-21.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.2 ฿1,853

$14.63 GHS 171

277.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.77 ฿831

$18.31 GHS 215

35.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.3 ฿3,029

$35.84 GHS 420

151.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.5 ฿2,467

$52.4 GHS 614

40.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$466 ฿15.6K

$339 GHS 3,975

37.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$286 ฿9,601

$171 GHS 2,003

67.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$866 ฿29.0K

$514 GHS 6,024

68.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$525 ฿17.6K

$261 GHS 3,058

101.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,978 ฿66.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,461 ฿49.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$581 ฿19.5K

$337 GHS 3,952

72.31%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

26.75

-79.18%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 26, 2026

Last update for Koforidua: September 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $466 in Chiang Mai versus $339 in Koforidua. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 72% higher in Chiang Mai, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $51.0 in Koforidua. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $238 vs $279 – making Chiang Mai the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Koforidua: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 9% more than Koforidua, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. 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 $1,279 in Koforidua. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai and $51.0 in Koforidua. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 17% cheaper in Chiang Mai – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Koforidua, where all-in costs run around $853, than in Chiang Mai at $926. In Koforidua it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiang Mai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Koforidua costs $853 versus $926 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 Koforidua. 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.