Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Tamale

For one person, living is cheaper in Tamale: $144 a month against $935 in Chiang Mai, rent and utilities included – about $9,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai Living Index

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Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$935

/mo nomad

Tamale

🇬🇭 Ghana

$144

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chiang Mai and in Tamale

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Chiang Mai and in Tamale actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $935 per month in Chiang Mai vs $144 in Tamale, rent included.

Chiang Mai $935
Tamale $144

A couple spends around $1,467 per month in Chiang Mai vs $218 in Tamale, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,467
Tamale $218

A family of three spends $1,999 per month in Chiang Mai vs $292 in Tamale, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,999
Tamale $292

Chiang Mai costs about 549% more than Tamale, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chiang Mai and Tamale are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 31% lower, Tamale 89% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.13 ฿72.0

$3.37 GHS 39.17

-36.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.62 ฿628

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.60 ฿189

$10.49 GHS 122

-46.62%

Cappuccino

$1.66 ฿56.1

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

$0.65 ฿21.82

$0.90 GHS 10.42

-27.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 ฿10.29

$0.41 GHS 4.81

-26.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.32 ฿78.3

$0.90 GHS 10.46

157.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿124

$1.26 GHS 14.61

191.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.02 ฿68.0

$3.14 GHS 36.43

-35.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 ฿47.49

$1.67 GHS 19.40

-15.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.94

$3.85 GHS 44.66

-63.90%

Eggs

$2.37 ฿79.9

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.52 ฿557

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.67 ฿90.1

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.02 ฿304

Apples (1kg)

$2.40 ฿80.9

Banana (1kg)

$1.04 ฿35.12

Oranges (1kg)

$1.66 ฿56.0

Tomato (1kg)

$1.56 ฿52.6

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 ฿41.75

Onion (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.65

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.76 ฿25.70

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿17.34

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.12 ฿139

Wine (Bottle)

$17.93 ฿605

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 ฿54.8

$1.32 GHS 15.27

22.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.82 ฿95.2

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.93 ฿31.52

$0.87 GHS 10.11

6.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$52.9 ฿1,784

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.18 ฿39.69

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.17 ฿5.78

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.81 ฿61.1

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 ฿49.67

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

$21.0K ฿708.7K

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

$26.5K ฿894.4K

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

$62.6 ฿2,110

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

$11.60 ฿391

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.30 ฿685

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.88 ฿1,278

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.70 ฿125

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 ฿220

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

$727 ฿24.5K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.6K ฿559.0K

$8,564 GHS 99.4K

93.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.5 ฿1,806

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.80 ฿836

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.4 ฿3,049

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.0 ฿2,428

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$481 ฿16.2K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$310 ฿10.5K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,058 ฿35.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$659 ฿22.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,418 ฿81.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,609 ฿54.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿20.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: November 1, 2026

Last update for Tamale: November 1, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$310 33.1%

Tamale

–

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$237 25.3%

Tamale

–

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$108 11.6%

Tamale

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$94 10.1%

Tamale

–

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$77 8.2%

Tamale

–

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$59 6.3%

Tamale

–

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$51 5.4%

Tamale

–

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇬🇭 Tamale

🕒 Local time

15:08 3:08 PM

08:08 8:08 AM

7 h behind Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

950,124

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Ghanaian Cedi GHS ₵

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.96 USD

100 THB = 2.64 EUR

100 GHS = 8.61 USD

100 GHS = 7.68 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

GHS, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

Thai Baht exchange rates as of November 4, 2026: 1 USD = 33.73 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.81 THB (100 THB = 2.64 EUR).

Ghanaian Cedi exchange rates as of November 4, 2026: 1 USD = 11.61 GHS (100 GHS = 8.61 USD). 1 EUR = 13.02 GHS (100 GHS = 7.68 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Chiang Mai Tamale 10,690 km ≈ 14 h nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
Tamale

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Tamale: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 549% more than Tamale, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,403 per month in Chiang Mai and $216 in Tamale. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $935 in Chiang Mai and $144 in Tamale. That makes Tamale about 85% cheaper.

Groceries cost about 238% more in Chiang Mai, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A $800 monthly budget goes further in Tamale, where all-in costs run around $144, than in Chiang Mai at $935. In Tamale it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiang Mai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Chiang Mai has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $144 in Tamale to $935 in Chiang Mai. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.