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 $947 per month in Chiang Mai vs $829 in Yaounde, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,411 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,260 in Yaounde, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,874 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,690 in Yaounde, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 14% more than Yaounde, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Chiang Mai and Yaounde are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 31% lower, Yaounde 40% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿68.6

$3.61 FCFA 2,033

-42.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.64 ฿646

$53.7 FCFA 30.3K

-63.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.65 ฿186

$5.25 FCFA 2,959

7.62%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿59.4

$2.04 FCFA 1,150

-11.27%

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

$0.71 ฿23.45

$1.53 FCFA 860

-53.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ฿10.38

$0.54 FCFA 304

-40.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.24 ฿73.6

$1.24 FCFA 701

80.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ฿119

$1.76 FCFA 990

106.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.96 ฿64.4

$3.80 FCFA 2,142

-48.42%

White Bread (500g)

$1.50 ฿49.39

$1.11 FCFA 628

35.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 ฿43.93

$1.32 FCFA 746

1.52%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿74.5

$2.16 FCFA 1,216

4.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.26 ฿535

$14.28 FCFA 8,049

13.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.95 ฿97.1

$6.03 FCFA 3,401

-51.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.94 ฿327

$6.77 FCFA 3,818

46.82%

Apples (1kg)

$2.57 ฿84.6

$5.26 FCFA 2,964

-51.14%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 ฿34.73

$2.11 FCFA 1,189

-49.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.61 ฿53.0

$2.17 FCFA 1,225

-25.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.97

$1.47 FCFA 828

3.40%

Potato (1kg)

$1.27 ฿41.77

$1.69 FCFA 953

-24.85%

Onion (1kg)

$1.07 ฿35.06

$1.44 FCFA 810

-25.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.68

$1.12 FCFA 633

-35.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.72

$0.68 FCFA 385

-25.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 ฿138

$1.73 FCFA 976

142.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.87 ฿587

$8.96 FCFA 5,051

99.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 ฿55.7

$1.42 FCFA 801

19.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 ฿93.3

$2.04 FCFA 1,152

39.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.93 ฿30.43

$0.60 FCFA 340

55.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.9 ฿1,771

$17.94 FCFA 10.1K

200.22%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.23 ฿40.59

$0.64 FCFA 359

92.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿18.96

$0.43 FCFA 242

34.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.42 ฿79.7

$6.23 FCFA 3,514

-61.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 ฿46.43

$1.48 FCFA 832

-4.73%

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

$21.4K ฿705.1K

$33.6K FCFA 18.9M

-36.18%

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

$27.3K ฿898.7K

$22.3K FCFA 12.6M

22.65%

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

$63.7 ฿2,093

$82.1 FCFA 46.3K

-22.48%

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

$12.85 ฿423

$18.00 FCFA 10.1K

-28.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.22 ฿665

$52.9 FCFA 29.8K

-61.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.74 ฿1,274

$24.24 FCFA 13.7K

59.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.97 ฿130

$7.33 FCFA 4,129

-45.84%

Cinema Ticket

$6.74 ฿222

$8.66 FCFA 4,879

-22.17%

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

$778 ฿25.6K

$642 FCFA 361.9K

21.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿480.4K

$2,469 FCFA 1.4M

491.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.3 ฿1,785

$17.46 FCFA 9,841

210.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.45 ฿837

$28.15 FCFA 15.9K

-9.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.3 ฿3,102

$26.92 FCFA 15.2K

250.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.4 ฿2,415

$57.6 FCFA 32.5K

27.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.1K

$147 FCFA 82.6K

233.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$289 ฿9,512

$191 FCFA 107.6K

51.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$894 ฿29.4K

$411 FCFA 231.5K

117.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$517 ฿17.0K

$217 FCFA 122.3K

138.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,955 ฿64.3K

$888 FCFA 500.8K

120.06%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,477 ฿48.6K

$621 FCFA 349.9K

137.90%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿19.8K

$192 FCFA 108.4K

213.12%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

-57.15%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 31, 2026

Last update for Yaounde: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $490 in Chiang Mai versus $147 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 213% 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $54.0 in Yaounde. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $240 vs $261 – 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 Yaounde: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 14% 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 $1,421 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,243 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 $778 per month in Chiang Mai and $642 in Yaounde. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 9% cheaper in Chiang Mai – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Yaounde, where all-in costs run around $829, than in Chiang Mai at $947. In Yaounde it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiang Mai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Yaounde costs $829 versus $947 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.