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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $861 per month in Chiang Mai vs $190 in Maiduguri, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,350 per month in Chiang Mai vs $344 in Maiduguri, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,838 per month in Chiang Mai vs $499 in Maiduguri, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 352% more than Maiduguri, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Maiduguri are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Maiduguri 86% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿65.9

$1.51 ₦2,086

29.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.35 ฿617

$12.04 ₦16.6K

52.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.48 ฿252

$2.76 ₦3,808

171.01%

Cappuccino

$2.02 ฿67.8

$1.31 ₦1,808

54.20%

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

$0.85 ฿28.52

$0.34 ₦471

150.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.97

$0.29 ₦402

24.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.9

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 ฿121

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿55.5

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.7

$1.02 ₦1,404

53.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿40.05

$2.04 ₦2,805

-41.67%

Eggs

$1.94 ฿65.1

$1.83 ₦2,519

6.01%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿545

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.99 ฿101

$4.86 ₦6,698

-38.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿368

$4.02 ₦5,541

172.14%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 ฿91.2

$4.07 ₦5,611

-33.42%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿39.27

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 ฿56.8

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 ฿54.0

$1.02 ₦1,410

56.86%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.56

$1.51 ₦2,087

-8.61%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.47

$1.02 ₦1,399

17.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿22.51

$0.38 ₦527

76.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.74

$0.31 ₦428

80.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.64 ฿156

Wine (Bottle)

$17.62 ฿593

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.6

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 ฿111

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.70

$0.52 ₦723

69.23%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ฿651

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿45.92

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿45.00

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.21 ฿276

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ฿41.20

$0.39 ₦541

212.82%

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

$21.4K ฿718.5K

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

$22.5K ฿758.1K

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

$70.7 ฿2,378

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

$14.04 ฿472

$7.79 ₦10.7K

80.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.49 ฿589

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.15 ฿1,418

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

$8.20 ₦11.3K

-16.10%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿199

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

$309 ฿10.4K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K ฿500.7K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,876

$20.35 ₦28.0K

174.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.11 ฿879

$17.91 ₦24.7K

45.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.0 ฿2,793

$25.28 ₦34.8K

228.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 ฿2,371

$25.36 ₦34.9K

177.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$432 ฿14.5K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿8,040

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$822 ฿27.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$512 ฿17.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,915 ฿64.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 ฿49.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$579 ฿19.5K

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Maiduguri: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $18.00 in Chiang Mai versus $12.00 in Maiduguri. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $243 vs $99.0 – making Maiduguri 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 Maiduguri: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 352% more than Maiduguri, 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 $1,292 per month in Chiang Mai and $286 in Maiduguri. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $861 in Chiang Mai and $190 in Maiduguri. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Groceries cost about 145% 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.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $861 in Chiang Mai and $190 in Maiduguri, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Maiduguri costs $190 versus $861 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 Maiduguri. 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.