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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,470 per month in Dakar vs $947 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,312 per month in Dakar vs $1,411 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,154 per month in Dakar vs $1,874 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Dakar costs about 55% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Dakar sits 7% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 31% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.22 F CFA 2,943

$2.08 ฿68.6

150.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$55.8 F CFA 31.5K

$19.64 ฿646

184.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.44 F CFA 6,446

$5.65 ฿186

102.48%

Cappuccino

$3.56 F CFA 2,006

$1.81 ฿59.4

96.69%

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

$1.25 F CFA 707

$0.71 ฿23.45

76.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.89 F CFA 501

$0.32 ฿10.38

178.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.61 F CFA 1,470

$2.24 ฿73.6

16.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.38 F CFA 2,467

$3.63 ฿119

20.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.85 F CFA 1,604

$1.96 ฿64.4

45.41%

White Bread (500g)

$0.77 F CFA 434

$1.50 ฿49.39

-48.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 F CFA 996

$1.34 ฿43.93

32.09%

Eggs

$2.54 F CFA 1,431

$2.26 ฿74.5

12.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.81 F CFA 10.0K

$16.26 ฿535

9.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.26 F CFA 5,220

$2.95 ฿97.1

213.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.35 F CFA 6,395

$9.94 ฿327

14.19%

Apples (1kg)

$3.35 F CFA 1,886

$2.57 ฿84.6

30.35%

Banana (1kg)

$2.01 F CFA 1,136

$1.06 ฿34.73

89.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.97 F CFA 1,674

$1.61 ฿53.0

84.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.87 F CFA 1,054

$1.52 ฿49.97

23.03%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 F CFA 784

$1.27 ฿41.77

9.45%

Onion (1kg)

$0.99 F CFA 556

$1.07 ฿35.06

-7.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.14 F CFA 642

$0.72 ฿23.68

58.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.67 F CFA 378

$0.51 ฿16.72

31.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.17 F CFA 1,225

$4.19 ฿138

-48.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.05 F CFA 10.2K

$17.87 ฿587

1.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 F CFA 911

$1.69 ฿55.7

-4.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.37 F CFA 1,897

$2.84 ฿93.3

18.66%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 F CFA 215

$0.93 ฿30.43

-59.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$81.3 F CFA 45.8K

$53.9 ฿1,771

50.89%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.25 F CFA 1,270

$1.23 ฿40.59

82.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.25 F CFA 1,267

$0.58 ฿18.96

287.93%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.99 F CFA 10.1K

$2.42 ฿79.7

643.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.68 F CFA 946

$1.41 ฿46.43

19.15%

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

$52.4K F CFA 29.5M

$21.4K ฿705.1K

144.25%

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

$49.8K F CFA 28.1M

$27.3K ฿898.7K

82.35%

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

$213 F CFA 119.9K

$63.7 ฿2,093

234.05%

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

$11.99 F CFA 6,756

$12.85 ฿423

-6.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$47.19 F CFA 26.6K

$20.22 ฿665

133.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.17 F CFA 26.0K

$38.74 ฿1,274

19.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.08 F CFA 13.6K

$3.97 ฿130

506.55%

Cinema Ticket

$8.72 F CFA 4,916

$6.74 ฿222

29.38%

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

$330 F CFA 186.1K

$778 ฿25.6K

-57.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.8K F CFA 6.1M

$14.6K ฿480.4K

-26.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.7 F CFA 33.6K

$54.3 ฿1,785

9.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.50 F CFA 26.8K

$25.45 ฿837

86.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.6 F CFA 50.5K

$94.3 ฿3,102

-5.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$100 F CFA 56.4K

$73.4 ฿2,415

36.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$841 F CFA 474.1K

$490 ฿16.1K

71.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$445 F CFA 250.8K

$289 ฿9,512

53.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,781 F CFA 1.0M

$894 ฿29.4K

99.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$957 F CFA 539.4K

$517 ฿17.0K

85.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,987 F CFA 2.8M

$1,955 ฿64.3K

155.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,582 F CFA 891.6K

$1,477 ฿48.6K

7.11%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$352 F CFA 198.4K

$602 ฿19.8K

-41.55%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.75

5.57

57.09%

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

Last update for Dakar: August 31, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $841 in Dakar versus $490 in Chiang Mai. 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 71% higher in Chiang Mai, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $56.0 in Dakar versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $307 vs $240 – 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

Dakar vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Dakar costs about 55% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,205 per month in Dakar and $1,421 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Chiang Mai, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $330 per month in Dakar and $778 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 28% more in Dakar, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $947, than in Dakar at $1,470. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Dakar it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $947 versus $1,470 in Dakar. 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 Chiang Mai. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Dakar makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.