Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Ife and Chiang Mai

For one person, living is cheaper in Ife: $79.8 a month against $935 in Chiang Mai, rent and utilities included – about $10,300 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Ife, Nigeria
Chiang Mai, Thailand
Ife
🇳🇬 Nigeria
$79.8
/mo nomad
Chiang Mai
🇹🇭 Thailand
$935
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Ife and in Chiang Mai

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Ife and in Chiang Mai actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $80 per month in Ife vs $935 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

  • Ife $80
  • Chiang Mai $935

A couple spends around $107 per month in Ife vs $1,467 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

  • Ife $107
  • Chiang Mai $1,467

A family of three spends $134 per month in Ife vs $1,999 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

  • Ife $134
  • Chiang Mai $1,999

Ife is about 91% cheaper than Chiang Mai, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Ife and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Ife 94% lower, Chiang Mai 31% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Ife
Chiang Mai
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.05 ₦2,756
$2.13 ฿71.2
-3.76%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
-
$18.62 ฿622
-
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.88 ₦7,903
$5.60 ฿187
5.00%
Cappuccino
-
$1.66 ฿55.5
-
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.48 ₦642
$0.65 ฿21.59
-26.15%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.29 ₦385
$0.30 ฿10.18
-3.33%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
-
$2.32 ฿77.5
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$3.67 ฿122
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Ife
Chiang Mai
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
-
$2.02 ฿67.3
-
White Bread (500g)
-
$1.41 ฿47.00
-
Rice (white) (1kg)
-
$1.39 ฿46.46
-
Eggs
$1.78 ₦2,396
$2.37 ฿79.0
-24.89%
Local Cheese (1kg)
-
$16.52 ฿551
-
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
-
$2.67 ฿89.1
-
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
-
$9.02 ฿301
-
Apples (1kg)
-
$2.40 ฿80.1
-
Banana (1kg)
-
$1.04 ฿34.76
-
Oranges (1kg)
-
$1.66 ฿55.4
-
Tomato (1kg)
-
$1.56 ฿52.0
-
Potato (1kg)
-
$1.24 ฿41.31
-
Onion (1kg)
-
$1.09 ฿36.27
-
Lettuce (1 head)
-
$0.76 ฿25.43
-
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
-
$0.51 ฿17.16
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
-
$4.12 ฿138
-
Wine (Bottle)
-
$17.93 ฿598
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
-
$1.62 ฿54.2
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$2.82 ฿94.2
-
🚌 Getting Around
Ife
Chiang Mai
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
-
$0.93 ฿31.19
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$52.9 ฿1,766
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
-
$1.18 ฿39.28
-
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
-
$0.17 ฿5.72
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
-
$1.81 ฿60.5
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
-
$1.47 ฿49.16
-
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
-
$21.0K ฿701.4K
-
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
-
$26.5K ฿885.1K
-
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ife
Chiang Mai
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$29.73 ₦40.0K
$62.6 ฿2,088
-52.48%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$5.84 ₦7,848
$11.60 ฿387
-49.66%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
-
$20.30 ฿678
-
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Ife
Chiang Mai
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
-
$37.88 ฿1,264
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$3.70 ฿123
-
Cinema Ticket
-
$6.51 ฿217
-
🧸 Childcare & Education
Ife
Chiang Mai
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
-
$727 ฿24.3K
-
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
-
$16.6K ฿553.2K
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Ife
Chiang Mai
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
-
$53.5 ฿1,787
-
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
-
$24.80 ฿828
-
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
-
$90.4 ฿3,017
-
Men's Leather Business Shoes
-
$72.0 ฿2,402
-
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Ife
Chiang Mai
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
-
$481 ฿16.1K
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
-
$310 ฿10.3K
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
-
$1,058 ฿35.3K
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
-
$659 ฿22.0K
-
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
-
$2,418 ฿80.7K
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
-
$1,609 ฿53.7K
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Ife
Chiang Mai
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$595 ฿19.9K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
0
5.57
-

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

Last update for Ife: October 31, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: November 1, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Ife
–
Chiang Mai
$310
Groceries & Markets
Ife
–
Chiang Mai
$237
Clothing & Footwear
Ife
–
Chiang Mai
$108
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ife
–
Chiang Mai
$94
Eating Out
Ife
–
Chiang Mai
$77
Getting Around
Ife
–
Chiang Mai
$59
Sport & Entertainment
Ife
–
Chiang Mai
$51
Good to know
🇳🇬 Ife
🇹🇭 Chiang Mai
🕒 Local time
04:20 4:20 AM
10:20 10:20 AM
6 h ahead of Ife
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
501,952
127,240
💱 Currency
Thai Baht THB ฿
Exchange rates and currency converter

THB, USD, EUR to NGN – Nigerian Naira Converter

Nigerian Naira exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 1,345 NGN (10,000 NGN = 7.44 USD). 1 EUR = 1,510 NGN (10,000 NGN = 6.62 EUR).

Thai Baht exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 33.38 THB (100 THB = 3 USD). 1 EUR = 37.47 THB (100 THB = 2.67 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Ife Chiang Mai 10,200 km ≈ 13 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Ife
  • Chiang Mai

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Ife vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Ife or Chiang Mai?
Chiang Mai costs about 1073% more than Ife, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Ife and in Chiang Mai?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $120 per month in Ife and $1,403 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How much does it cost to live in Ife compared to Chiang Mai?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $80 in Ife and $935 in Chiang Mai. That makes Ife about 91% cheaper.
Are groceries more expensive in Ife or in Chiang Mai?
Groceries cost about 3219% more in Chiang Mai, though the gap depends on what you buy.
Can you live on $1,200/month in Ife or in Chiang Mai?
$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $80 in Ife and $935 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.
Which city offers a better quality of life: Ife or Chiang Mai?
It depends on your priorities. Chiang Mai has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $80 in Ife to $935 in Chiang Mai. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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