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 $861 per month in Chiang Mai vs $736 in Yaounde, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,350 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,190 in Yaounde, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,838 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,644 in Yaounde, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 17% more than Yaounde, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Chiang Mai and Yaounde are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Yaounde 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿65.8

$4.89 FCFA 2,806

-59.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.35 ฿617

$44.62 FCFA 25.6K

-58.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.48 ฿252

$5.65 FCFA 3,246

32.39%

Cappuccino

$2.02 ฿67.8

$2.73 FCFA 1,566

-26.01%

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

$0.85 ฿28.50

$1.43 FCFA 819

-40.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.96

$0.66 FCFA 379

-45.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.8

$1.16 FCFA 664

84.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 ฿121

$1.75 FCFA 1,005

105.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿55.5

$2.86 FCFA 1,641

-42.31%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.7

$1.02 FCFA 583

53.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿40.02

$1.11 FCFA 635

7.21%

Eggs

$1.94 ฿65.1

$1.79 FCFA 1,028

8.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿544

$14.15 FCFA 8,123

14.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.99 ฿101

$6.11 FCFA 3,510

-51.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿368

$5.89 FCFA 3,382

85.74%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 ฿91.2

$4.62 FCFA 2,651

-41.34%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿39.25

$2.08 FCFA 1,192

-43.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 ฿56.7

$2.06 FCFA 1,183

-17.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 ฿54.0

$1.24 FCFA 711

29.03%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.54

$1.67 FCFA 958

-17.37%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.45

$1.45 FCFA 832

-17.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿22.50

$0.57 FCFA 328

17.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.73

$1.01 FCFA 578

-44.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.64 ฿156

$1.72 FCFA 987

169.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.62 ฿593

$8.63 FCFA 4,954

104.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.5

$1.28 FCFA 734

45.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 ฿111

$1.55 FCFA 891

112.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.68

$0.61 FCFA 349

44.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ฿650

$17.38 FCFA 9,981

11.28%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿45.90

$0.60 FCFA 346

126.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.98

$0.42 FCFA 240

219.05%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.21 ฿276

$5.78 FCFA 3,319

42.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ฿41.18

$1.34 FCFA 772

-8.96%

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

$21.4K ฿718.1K

$33.6K FCFA 19.3M

-36.48%

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

$22.5K ฿757.7K

$15.6K FCFA 9.0M

44.30%

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

$70.7 ฿2,376

$78.6 FCFA 45.1K

-10.05%

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

$14.04 ฿472

$21.11 FCFA 12.1K

-33.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.49 ฿588

$47.48 FCFA 27.3K

-63.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.15 ฿1,417

$26.58 FCFA 15.3K

58.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

$7.21 FCFA 4,140

-4.58%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿199

$6.66 FCFA 3,826

-11.11%

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

$309 ฿10.4K

$335 FCFA 192.4K

-7.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K ฿500.4K

$1,827 FCFA 1.0M

714.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,875

$16.31 FCFA 9,364

241.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.11 ฿878

$24.04 FCFA 13.8K

8.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.0 ฿2,792

$19.51 FCFA 11.2K

325.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 ฿2,369

$58.0 FCFA 33.3K

21.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$432 ฿14.5K

$149 FCFA 85.4K

190.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿8,035

$121 FCFA 69.4K

97.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$822 ฿27.7K

$498 FCFA 285.7K

65.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$512 ฿17.2K

$252 FCFA 144.5K

103.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,915 ฿64.4K

$866 FCFA 497.3K

121.05%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 ฿49.3K

$614 FCFA 352.5K

138.94%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$579 ฿19.5K

$184 FCFA 105.9K

214.14%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Yaounde: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $432 in Chiang Mai versus $149 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 214% 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 $18.00 in Chiang Mai versus $45.00 in Yaounde. Groceries tell a different story – $243 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 17% 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 $1,292 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,104 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 $309 per month in Chiang Mai and $335 in Yaounde. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 1% 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 $861 in Chiang Mai and $736 in Yaounde, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Yaounde costs $736 versus $861 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.