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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $872 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,028 in Lome, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,337 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,520 in Lome, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,802 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,012 in Lome, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 15% cheaper than Lome, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and Lome are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Lome 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.01 ฿64.5

$2.18 F CFA 1,219

-7.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.23 ฿584

$31.89 F CFA 17.8K

-42.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.65 ฿245

$5.15 F CFA 2,876

48.54%

Cappuccino

$1.92 ฿61.5

$5.90 F CFA 3,291

-67.46%

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

$0.84 ฿26.97

$3.38 F CFA 1,888

-75.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.42

$1.11 F CFA 621

-67.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.19 ฿70.2

$0.84 F CFA 472

160.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿121

$1.71 F CFA 955

121.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 ฿52.5

$2.42 F CFA 1,353

-32.23%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 ฿52.0

$1.26 F CFA 706

28.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.15 ฿36.98

$1.85 F CFA 1,031

-37.84%

Eggs

$1.94 ฿62.2

$2.06 F CFA 1,148

-5.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.94 ฿511

$14.08 F CFA 7,859

13.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.10 ฿99.5

$8.50 F CFA 4,746

-63.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.07 ฿355

$8.91 F CFA 4,974

24.24%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 ฿86.8

$2.63 F CFA 1,471

3.04%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 ฿37.80

$1.51 F CFA 842

-21.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 ฿54.7

$2.69 F CFA 1,504

-36.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.61 ฿51.5

$2.43 F CFA 1,358

-33.74%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 ฿44.66

$1.80 F CFA 1,007

-22.78%

Onion (1kg)

$1.15 ฿36.81

$1.75 F CFA 975

-34.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 ฿22.83

$0.52 F CFA 289

36.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ฿17.65

$0.86 F CFA 479

-36.05%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.57 ฿146

$1.38 F CFA 773

231.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.87 ฿605

$4.83 F CFA 2,699

290.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.82 ฿58.4

$1.36 F CFA 760

33.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.21 ฿103

$1.50 F CFA 839

114.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿28.24

$0.34 F CFA 190

158.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.89 ฿606

$52.2 F CFA 29.1K

-63.80%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.30

$2.10 F CFA 1,172

-32.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.30 ฿41.71

$0.74 F CFA 415

75.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.20 ฿263

$5.27 F CFA 2,941

55.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿39.29

$1.19 F CFA 666

3.36%

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

$21.2K ฿678.9K

$14.1K F CFA 7.9M

49.70%

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

$22.3K ฿715.3K

$25.6K F CFA 14.3M

-12.89%

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

$69.9 ฿2,240

$172 F CFA 96.0K

-59.37%

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

$14.07 ฿451

$22.30 F CFA 12.4K

-36.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.70 ฿567

$43.33 F CFA 24.2K

-59.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.41 ฿1,328

$49.05 F CFA 27.4K

-15.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.69 ฿215

$9.08 F CFA 5,069

-26.32%

Cinema Ticket

$5.74 ฿184

$4.31 F CFA 2,404

33.18%

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

$299 ฿9,593

$178 F CFA 99.5K

67.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿481.2K

$5,148 F CFA 2.9M

191.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.8 ฿1,758

$24.52 F CFA 13.7K

123.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.35 ฿845

$27.17 F CFA 15.2K

-3.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.7 ฿2,714

$40.81 F CFA 22.8K

107.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.7 ฿2,236

$94.2 F CFA 52.6K

-25.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$427 ฿13.7K

$358 F CFA 199.9K

19.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$241 ฿7,718

$221 F CFA 123.2K

9.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$811 ฿26.0K

$764 F CFA 426.4K

6.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$498 ฿16.0K

$300 F CFA 167.7K

65.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,022 ฿64.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,524 ฿48.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$639 ฿20.5K

$264 F CFA 147.4K

142.12%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

-37.50%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 13, 2026

Last update for Lome: April 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $427 in Chiang Mai versus $358 in Lome. 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 142% higher in Chiang Mai, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $18 in Chiang Mai versus $32 in Lome. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $246 vs $250 – 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 Lome: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lome costs about 18% more than Chiang Mai, 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 $1,308 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,542 in Lome. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $299 per month in Chiang Mai and $178 in Lome. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 2% more in Lome, 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 $872 in Chiang Mai and $1,028 in Lome, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $872 versus $1,028 in Lome. 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, Lome makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.