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

Name: Chiang Mai
Address: Chiang Mai, TH

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $526 per month in Elmina vs $861 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $905 per month in Elmina vs $1,350 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,284 per month in Elmina vs $1,838 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Elmina is about 39% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Elmina and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Elmina 61% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.45 GHS 51.4

$1.96 ฿65.7

127.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.28 GHS 558

$18.35 ฿616

163.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.79 GHS 90.0

$7.48 ฿251

4.14%

Cappuccino

$3.54 GHS 40.94

$2.02 ฿67.7

75.25%

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

$0.92 GHS 10.68

$0.85 ฿28.45

8.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.34 GHS 3.96

$0.36 ฿11.94

-5.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.58 GHS 18.20

$2.14 ฿71.7

-26.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 GHS 28.60

$3.59 ฿121

-30.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.47 GHS 40.09

$1.65 ฿55.4

110.30%

White Bread (500g)

$1.45 GHS 16.80

$1.57 ฿52.6

-7.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.37 GHS 27.33

$1.19 ฿39.95

99.16%

Eggs

$2.40 GHS 27.70

$1.94 ฿65.0

23.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.04 GHS 128

$16.19 ฿544

-31.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.54 GHS 52.4

$2.99 ฿100

51.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.82 GHS 67.2

$10.94 ฿367

-46.80%

Apples (1kg)

$2.91 GHS 33.62

$2.71 ฿91.0

7.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.40 GHS 16.13

$1.17 ฿39.18

19.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 GHS 19.69

$1.69 ฿56.6

1.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.21 GHS 37.02

$1.60 ฿53.9

100.62%

Potato (1kg)

$3.00 GHS 34.64

$1.38 ฿46.45

117.39%

Onion (1kg)

$2.44 GHS 28.15

$1.20 ฿40.38

103.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.75 GHS 8.69

$0.67 ฿22.46

11.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 GHS 5.61

$0.56 ฿18.70

-12.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.65 GHS 19.05

$4.64 ฿156

-64.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.42 GHS 85.8

$17.62 ฿591

-57.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 GHS 12.85

$1.86 ฿62.4

-40.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 GHS 22.64

$3.30 ฿111

-40.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.63

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ฿649

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.62 GHS 18.65

$1.36 ฿45.82

19.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.17 GHS 13.54

$1.34 ฿44.90

-12.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.48 GHS 63.2

$8.21 ฿276

-33.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 GHS 12.59

$1.22 ฿41.11

-10.66%

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

$8,156 GHS 94.2K

$21.4K ฿716.8K

-61.80%

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

$9,546 GHS 110.3K

$22.5K ฿756.3K

-57.63%

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

$56.5 GHS 652

$70.7 ฿2,372

-20.12%

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

$13.33 GHS 154

$14.04 ฿471

-5.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.32 GHS 443

$17.49 ฿587

119.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.15 ฿1,415

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

Cinema Ticket

$9.92 GHS 115

$5.92 ฿199

67.57%

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

$71.4 GHS 825

$309 ฿10.4K

-76.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,919 GHS 91.5K

$14.9K ฿499.5K

-46.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$14.66 GHS 169

$55.8 ฿1,872

-73.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.23 GHS 222

$26.11 ฿877

-26.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$28.80 GHS 333

$83.0 ฿2,787

-65.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$41.81 GHS 483

$70.5 ฿2,365

-40.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$432 ฿14.5K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿8,020

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$822 ฿27.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$512 ฿17.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,915 ฿64.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 ฿49.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$579 ฿19.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

25.4

408.00%

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

Last update for Elmina: July 14, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Elmina versus $18.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $234 in Elmina vs $243 in Chiang Mai – so Elmina 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

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

Chiang Mai costs about 64% more than Elmina, 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 $789 per month in Elmina and $1,292 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Elmina and $18.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 4% 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 $526 in Elmina and $861 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Elmina costs $526 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 Elmina. 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.