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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $725 in Yaounde, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,351 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,195 in Yaounde, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,835 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,665 in Yaounde, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 19% more than Yaounde, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Chiang Mai and Yaounde are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Yaounde 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ฿63.8

$4.87 FCFA 2,769

-60.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 ฿611

$43.99 FCFA 25.0K

-57.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 ฿256

$5.80 FCFA 3,298

34.83%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿64.1

$2.59 FCFA 1,474

-24.71%

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

$0.85 ฿27.88

$1.48 FCFA 840

-42.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.63

$0.69 FCFA 394

-49.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.9

$1.17 FCFA 667

82.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

$1.72 FCFA 978

116.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿56.2

$2.83 FCFA 1,612

-39.58%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.4

$0.99 FCFA 563

64.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ฿37.30

$1.11 FCFA 629

2.70%

Eggs

$1.93 ฿63.4

$1.83 FCFA 1,042

5.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ฿532

$13.96 FCFA 7,944

16.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿102

$6.32 FCFA 3,596

-50.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿357

$5.98 FCFA 3,401

82.27%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ฿90.3

$4.63 FCFA 2,636

-40.60%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.68

$2.10 FCFA 1,192

-42.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.2

$2.06 FCFA 1,171

-21.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿52.0

$1.19 FCFA 677

33.61%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿45.89

$1.61 FCFA 913

-13.04%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.32

$1.46 FCFA 829

-19.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.69

$0.57 FCFA 327

15.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.29

$1.00 FCFA 567

-47.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿154

$1.73 FCFA 986

171.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿612

$8.78 FCFA 4,994

112.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿59.0

$1.23 FCFA 700

46.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$1.60 FCFA 913

101.87%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.37

$0.60 FCFA 339

50.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿630

$17.76 FCFA 10.1K

8.16%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿46.10

$0.65 FCFA 368

116.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.29

$0.38 FCFA 217

239.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿257

$5.60 FCFA 3,184

40.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.75

$1.35 FCFA 767

-5.93%

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

$21.3K ฿697.7K

$33.1K FCFA 18.8M

-35.78%

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

$22.2K ฿728.3K

$16.2K FCFA 9.2M

37.45%

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

$69.1 ฿2,265

$79.3 FCFA 45.1K

-12.93%

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

$14.08 ฿462

$21.48 FCFA 12.2K

-34.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿590

$46.79 FCFA 26.6K

-61.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,346

$26.01 FCFA 14.8K

57.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿228

$7.26 FCFA 4,128

-4.13%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿194

$6.54 FCFA 3,722

-9.48%

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

$299 ฿9,805

$346 FCFA 196.8K

-13.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿490.3K

$1,832 FCFA 1.0M

716.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,794

$16.69 FCFA 9,495

227.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.77 ฿878

$23.83 FCFA 13.6K

12.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 ฿2,787

$19.67 FCFA 11.2K

332.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,315

$58.2 FCFA 33.1K

21.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

$153 FCFA 86.9K

180.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,782

$118 FCFA 67.1K

101.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.3K

$503 FCFA 286.0K

59.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.9K

$256 FCFA 145.8K

101.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.7K

$887 FCFA 504.5K

122.64%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.4K

$626 FCFA 356.2K

135.59%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

$189 FCFA 107.6K

226.43%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

-16.67%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Last update for Yaounde: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $428 in Chiang Mai versus $153 in Yaounde. 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 226% higher in Chiang Mai, 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 $44.00 in Yaounde. Groceries tell a different story – $246 in Chiang Mai vs $240 in Yaounde – so Yaounde 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 Yaounde: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 19% more than Yaounde, 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 $1,088 in Yaounde. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Yaounde, 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 $346 in Yaounde. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 3% 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 $866 in Chiang Mai and $725 in Yaounde, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Yaounde costs $725 versus $866 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 Yaounde. 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.