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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $680 per month in Elmina vs $947 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,160 per month in Elmina vs $1,411 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,640 per month in Elmina vs $1,874 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Elmina is about 28% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Elmina and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Elmina 50% lower, Chiang Mai 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.14 GHS 92.0

$2.08 ฿68.6

291.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.4 GHS 604

$19.64 ฿646

172.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.81 GHS 122

$5.65 ฿186

91.33%

Cappuccino

$4.72 GHS 53.3

$1.81 ฿59.4

160.77%

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

$1.65 GHS 18.66

$0.71 ฿23.45

132.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 GHS 5.48

$0.32 ฿10.38

53.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.86 GHS 21.01

$2.24 ฿73.6

-16.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.27 GHS 25.65

$3.63 ฿119

-37.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.81 GHS 43.11

$1.96 ฿64.4

94.39%

White Bread (500g)

$1.80 GHS 20.34

$1.50 ฿49.39

20.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.14 GHS 35.48

$1.34 ฿43.93

134.33%

Eggs

$2.71 GHS 30.61

$2.26 ฿74.5

19.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.56 GHS 142

$16.26 ฿535

-22.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.49 GHS 84.6

$2.95 ฿97.1

153.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.26 GHS 116

$9.94 ฿327

3.22%

Apples (1kg)

$3.77 GHS 42.55

$2.57 ฿84.6

46.69%

Banana (1kg)

$1.47 GHS 16.63

$1.06 ฿34.73

38.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.86 GHS 21.06

$1.61 ฿53.0

15.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.75 GHS 42.42

$1.52 ฿49.97

146.71%

Potato (1kg)

$2.81 GHS 31.80

$1.27 ฿41.77

121.26%

Onion (1kg)

$2.73 GHS 30.84

$1.07 ฿35.06

155.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.78 GHS 8.78

$0.72 ฿23.68

8.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.62 GHS 6.95

$0.51 ฿16.72

21.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.59 GHS 29.23

$4.19 ฿138

-38.19%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.16 GHS 80.9

$17.87 ฿587

-59.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.32 GHS 14.93

$1.69 ฿55.7

-21.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.46 GHS 27.75

$2.84 ฿93.3

-13.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.93 ฿30.43

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.9 ฿1,771

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.73 GHS 19.53

$1.23 ฿40.59

40.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 GHS 14.59

$0.58 ฿18.96

122.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.38 GHS 49.50

$2.42 ฿79.7

80.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.39 GHS 15.73

$1.41 ฿46.43

-1.42%

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

$8,005 GHS 90.5K

$21.4K ฿705.1K

-62.67%

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

$10.3K GHS 116.0K

$27.3K ฿898.7K

-62.44%

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

$74.0 GHS 836

$63.7 ฿2,093

16.15%

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

$19.52 GHS 221

$12.85 ฿423

51.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$43.23 GHS 489

$20.22 ฿665

113.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.74 ฿1,274

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.97 ฿130

Cinema Ticket

$13.10 GHS 148

$6.74 ฿222

94.36%

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

$468 GHS 5,294

$778 ฿25.6K

-39.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.5K GHS 208.8K

$14.6K ฿480.4K

26.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$14.64 GHS 165

$54.3 ฿1,785

-73.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.45 GHS 220

$25.45 ฿837

-23.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$37.21 GHS 420

$94.3 ฿3,102

-60.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$55.0 GHS 621

$73.4 ฿2,415

-25.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$289 ฿9,512

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$894 ฿29.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$517 ฿17.0K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,955 ฿64.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,477 ฿48.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿19.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

26.75

5.57

380.25%

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

Last update for Elmina: August 31, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $53.0 in Elmina versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $290 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

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

Chiang Mai costs about 39% more than Elmina, 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 $1,021 per month in Elmina and $1,421 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 $53.0 in Elmina and $20.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 20% 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 Elmina, where all-in costs run around $680, than in Chiang Mai at $947. In Elmina 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. Elmina costs $680 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 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.