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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,029 in Ouagadougou, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,351 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,668 in Ouagadougou, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,835 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,307 in Ouagadougou, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 16% cheaper than Ouagadougou, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Chiang Mai and Ouagadougou are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Ouagadougou 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ฿63.5

$5.19 F CFA 2,925

-62.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 ฿609

$23.37 F CFA 13.2K

-20.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 ฿255

$7.86 F CFA 4,435

-0.51%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.8

$1.80 F CFA 1,017

8.33%

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

$0.85 ฿27.77

$0.78 F CFA 443

8.97%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.58

$0.58 F CFA 328

-39.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.6

$1.08 F CFA 607

97.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

$1.81 F CFA 1,020

106.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿56.0

$2.79 F CFA 1,575

-38.71%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$0.98 F CFA 550

66.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ฿37.15

$1.03 F CFA 578

10.68%

Eggs

$1.93 ฿63.1

$3.04 F CFA 1,713

-36.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ฿530

$17.65 F CFA 9,954

-8.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿102

$21.28 F CFA 12.0K

-85.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿356

$12.67 F CFA 7,143

-13.97%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ฿90.0

$4.48 F CFA 2,526

-38.62%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.52

$1.34 F CFA 756

-9.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.0

$1.02 F CFA 574

58.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$2.41 F CFA 1,359

-34.02%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿45.70

$2.26 F CFA 1,276

-38.05%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.17

$1.32 F CFA 742

-11.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.60

$0.84 F CFA 475

-21.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.22

$1.31 F CFA 737

-59.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿153

$1.73 F CFA 978

171.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿609

$6.19 F CFA 3,489

201.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.8

$1.23 F CFA 695

46.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$2.33 F CFA 1,315

38.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.26

$0.16 F CFA 90.8

462.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.91

$0.55 F CFA 311

156.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.12

$1.56 F CFA 879

-17.31%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.58

$1.47 F CFA 832

-13.61%

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

$21.3K ฿694.9K

$37.9K F CFA 21.4M

-43.81%

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

$22.2K ฿725.4K

$36.7K F CFA 20.7M

-39.45%

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

$69.1 ฿2,256

$126 F CFA 71.3K

-45.36%

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

$14.08 ฿460

$35.94 F CFA 20.3K

-60.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿588

$49.09 F CFA 27.7K

-63.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,341

$61.8 F CFA 34.8K

-33.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$8.89 F CFA 5,014

-21.71%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿193

$9.08 F CFA 5,123

-34.80%

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

$299 ฿9,766

$131 F CFA 73.8K

128.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿488.3K

$17.6K F CFA 9.9M

-14.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,787

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.77 ฿874

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 ฿2,776

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,306

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

$433 F CFA 244.3K

-1.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,752

$274 F CFA 154.4K

-13.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.2K

$1,271 F CFA 716.6K

-36.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$765 F CFA 431.2K

-32.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

$889 F CFA 501.4K

122.09%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

$266 F CFA 150.0K

454.68%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

$622 F CFA 350.8K

-0.73%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Ouagadougou: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $428 in Chiang Mai versus $433 in Ouagadougou. 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 1% higher in Ouagadougou, 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 $23.00 in Ouagadougou. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $246 vs $350 – 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 Ouagadougou: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ouagadougou costs about 19% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,300 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,544 in Ouagadougou. 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai and $23.00 in Ouagadougou. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 42% more in Ouagadougou, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $866, than in Ouagadougou at $1,029. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ouagadougou it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $866 versus $1,029 in Ouagadougou. 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, Ouagadougou makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.