😐A single person spends $932 per month in Chiang Mai vs $586 in Takoradi, rent included.
😐A couple spends around $1,399 per month in Chiang Mai vs $971 in Takoradi, rent included.
😐A family of three spends $1,866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,356 in Takoradi, rent included.
😐Chiang Mai costs about 59% more than Takoradi, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊Both Chiang Mai and Takoradi are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai32% lower, Takoradi57% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Chiang Mai
Takoradi
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.08฿69.5
$8.00GHS 91.9
-74.00%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$19.61฿655
$52.2GHS 599
-62.40%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$5.67฿189
$10.54GHS 121
-46.20%
Cappuccino
$1.81฿60.3
$4.50GHS 51.6
-59.78%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.77฿25.65
$1.60GHS 18.39
-51.88%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.35฿11.53
$0.49GHS 5.58
-28.57%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.21฿73.9
$1.85GHS 21.23
19.46%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.79฿127
$2.30GHS 26.45
64.78%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Chiang Mai
Takoradi
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.05฿68.4
$1.39GHS 15.97
47.48%
White Bread(500g)
$1.51฿50.6
$1.02GHS 11.76
48.04%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.40฿46.69
$1.77GHS 20.31
-20.90%
Eggs
$2.26฿75.4
$2.70GHS 31.02
-16.30%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$16.19฿540
$12.08GHS 139
34.02%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$2.90฿96.7
$4.77GHS 54.7
-39.20%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$9.42฿314
$2.63GHS 30.17
258.17%
Apples(1kg)
$2.68฿89.4
$2.45GHS 28.16
9.39%
Banana(1kg)
$1.09฿36.37
$0.91GHS 10.48
19.78%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.62฿54.0
$1.12GHS 12.81
44.64%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.46฿48.74
$1.72GHS 19.73
-15.12%
Potato(1kg)
$1.28฿42.65
$2.30GHS 26.46
-44.35%
Onion(1kg)
$1.06฿35.31
$2.00GHS 22.94
-47.00%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.72฿23.94
$0.75GHS 8.65
-4.00%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.53฿17.56
$0.27GHS 3.12
96.30%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.23฿141
$2.57GHS 29.49
64.59%
Wine(Bottle)
$18.29฿611
$7.11GHS 81.6
157.24%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.63฿54.4
$0.29GHS 3.31
462.07%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.90฿96.8
$2.44GHS 28.00
18.85%
🚌 Getting Around
Chiang Mai
Takoradi
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.88฿29.32
-
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$53.8฿1,795
-
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.17฿39.14
$1.78GHS 20.46
-34.27%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.58฿19.30
$1.34GHS 15.40
-56.72%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$2.39฿79.6
$4.25GHS 48.81
-43.76%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.45฿48.41
$1.32GHS 15.16
9.85%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.0K฿701.4K
$7,890GHS 90.6K
166.32%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.4K฿882.0K
$9,796GHS 112.5K
169.75%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Chiang Mai
Takoradi
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$63.7฿2,125
$74.2GHS 851
-14.18%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$12.89฿430
$19.25GHS 221
-33.04%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$20.52฿685
$42.83GHS 492
-52.09%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Chiang Mai
Takoradi
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$39.02฿1,302
-
-
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$3.92฿131
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$6.58฿220
$13.12GHS 151
-49.85%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Chiang Mai
Takoradi
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$784฿26.2K
$471GHS 5,412
66.27%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$14.7K฿489.8K
$18.7KGHS 215.0K
-21.67%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Chiang Mai
Takoradi
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$55.1฿1,840
$14.69GHS 169
275.15%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$24.74฿826
$18.54GHS 213
33.44%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$94.1฿3,142
$37.40GHS 429
151.66%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$74.0฿2,469
$53.4GHS 613
38.50%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Chiang Mai
Takoradi
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$490฿16.4K
-
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$288฿9,620
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$891฿29.8K
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$521฿17.4K
-
-
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$1,974฿65.9K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,444฿48.2K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Chiang Mai
Takoradi
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$602฿20.1K
-
-
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 13, 2026
Last update for Takoradi: September 13, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🛒A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $52.0 in Takoradi. Groceries tell a different story – $241 in Chiang Mai vs $179 in Takoradi – so Takoradi 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 Takoradi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Chiang Mai or Takoradi?
Chiang Mai costs about 59% more than Takoradi, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Chiang Mai and in Takoradi?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,398 per month in Chiang Mai and $879 in Takoradi. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do dining costs compare in Chiang Mai and in Takoradi?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Chiang Mai and $52.0 in Takoradi. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Are groceries more expensive in Chiang Mai or in Takoradi?
Groceries cost about 35% 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.
Can you live on $1,500/month in Chiang Mai or in Takoradi?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Takoradi, where all-in costs run around $586, than in Chiang Mai at $932. In Takoradi it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiang Mai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Chiang Mai or Takoradi?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Takoradi costs $586 versus $932 in Chiang Mai. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.
How safe is Chiang Mai compared to Takoradi?
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.
Should I move to Chiang Mai or to Takoradi?
If budget matters most, go with Takoradi. 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.
Chiang Mai vs other spots: cost of living compared